Slash

Slash holds dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and the United States. Although he relocated to Los Angeles during his childhood, he retained British nationality from birth and became a naturalized American citizen in 1996. He married model and actress Renee Suran in October 1992 in Marina del Rey, California, and the couple divorced in 1997. On October 15, 2001, he married Perla Ferrar in Hawaii, with whom he had two sons, London Emilio and Cash Anthony. After several reconciliations, their divorce was finalized following a separation in late 2014. He has been in a relationship with Meegan Hodges since reconnecting with her in 2015.

In 2001, at age 35, Slash was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a severe form of congestive heart failure stemming from years of drug and alcohol abuse. Doctors initially estimated he had between six days and six weeks to live, but he recovered following physical therapy, surgical implantation of a defibrillator, and lifestyle changes. He has remained sober since 2006 and gave up smoking in 2009 after his mother died from lung cancer. Outside of music, he is an environmental advocate, serving as a trustee for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and supporting music education through the nonprofit Little Kids Rock.

Slash was born Saul Hudson on July 23, 1965, in Hampstead, London, and was named after cartoonist Saul Steinberg. His mother, Ola Hudson, was an African-American fashion and costume designer who created outfits for figures such as David Bowie and the Pointer Sisters. His father, Anthony Hudson, is an English artist who designed album artwork for musicians including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. Slash was raised in Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, by his father and paternal grandparents until around age five or six, when he moved to Los Angeles to join his mother.

Actor Seymour Cassel gave him the nickname Slash because he was constantly darting between activities. Following his parents' separation in 1974, Slash lived primarily with his maternal grandmother in Los Angeles and took up competitive BMX racing. At age 14, he shifted his attention entirely to rock music after hearing Aerosmith's album Rocks. Equipped with an acoustic flamenco guitar given to him by his grandmother, he took lessons at Fairfax Music School from teacher Robert Wolin and began practicing up to 12 hours a day. In the early 1980s, he performed in local Los Angeles bands including Tidus Sloan, Road Crew with drummer Steven Adler, and Hollywood Rose alongside singer Axl Rose.

In June 1985, Slash joined Guns N' Roses alongside vocalist Axl Rose, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. Prior to a 1985 club gig, Slash acquired a black felt top hat and a silver concho belt on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, combining them to establish his signature stage appearance. The band signed with Geffen Records in 1986 and released their debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction, in July 1987. Powered by Slash's introductory riff on "Sweet Child o' Mine" and anthems like "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City", the record topped the Billboard 200 and became the bestselling debut album in United States history.

The group followed with G N' R Lies in 1988 and the twin releases Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II in September 1991, which debuted at the top two positions on the American charts. Slash contributed standout guitar solos to epic tracks including "November Rain" and "Estranged". However, internal discord, substance problems, and creative clashes with Rose escalated during their extensive world tours. After rejected songwriting proposals and personal disagreements, Slash officially departed Guns N' Roses in October 1996.

While distancing himself from Guns N' Roses in 1994, Slash formed the side project Slash's Snakepit with bandmates Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum, alongside Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez and Jellyfish vocalist Eric Dover. Their debut album, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, was released in 1995 and sold over one million copies in the United States. Slash assembled a new lineup of the Snakepit in 1999 to record the 2000 album Ain't Life Grand before disbanding the outfit in 2002.

In 2002, Slash joined McKagan and Sorum to perform at a benefit concert for drummer Randy Castillo. The chemistry led them to form a permanent group, recruiting guitarist Dave Kushner and former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland to launch Velvet Revolver. The band released their debut album, Contraband, in June 2004, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for the single "Slither". Velvet Revolver released a follow-up album, Libertad, in 2007 before dismissing Weiland in 2008 due to escalating personal issues.

Slash launched a dedicated solo career in 2010 with his self-titled album Slash, recruiting guest vocalists including Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie, Chris Cornell, and Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy. The collaboration with Kennedy expanded into a full-time touring and recording band billed as Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, which released a series of studio albums: Apocalyptic Love (2012), World on Fire (2014), Living the Dream (2018), and 4 (2022). In 2024, Slash released the blues-focused solo album Orgy of the Damned, featuring collaborations with artists such as Brian Johnson, Billy Gibbons, and Demi Lovato.

In 2015, Slash and Axl Rose resolved their long-standing estrangement. Slash and Duff McKagan rejoined Guns N' Roses in 2016 for the massive Not in This Lifetime... Tour, marking Slash's first performances with Rose in 23 years. The tour grossed over $584 million worldwide. Slash subsequently recorded new guitar parts for Guns N' Roses singles including "Absurd", "Hard Skool", "Perhaps", and "The General".

Throughout his career, Slash has contributed guest guitar work to numerous major releases across different musical genres. He recorded guitar tracks for Michael Jackson on songs including "Give In to Me", "D.S.", and "Morphine", and performed with Jackson at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. He also recorded with Bob Dylan on the 1990 track "Wiggle Wiggle", co-wrote and played on Lenny Kravitz's 1991 single "Always on the Run", and performed on tracks by artists such as Paulina Rubio, Vasco Rossi, and Rihanna.

Beyond music, Slash established the production company Slasher Films in 2010 to produce horror movies, debuting with Nothing Left to Fear in 2013. He has also appeared in video games, serving as a playable character and cover icon for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in 2007. An avid pinball enthusiast, he contributed to the design and audio for multiple commercial pinball machines, including official Guns N' Roses tables produced in 1994 and 2020.