Monday, February 25, 2008

'Guitar Hero' Slash Returns from Small Screen to Stage

In the music world, Slash is known mostly for his time with Guns ‘N Roses and Velvet Revolver. But since October, no auditions are needed to play with Slash. In fact, he’ll come right to your living room.

Slash is featured on the cover of Guitar Hero 3, and is a playable character in the video game. The player uses a guitar shaped controller and pushes buttons to play the notes that appear onscreen, mimicking a real song that plays. On Jan. 21, according to Activision, the Guitar Hero franchise surpassed $1 billion in total sales and Guitar Hero 3 became the biggest selling video game for a single year.


“There’s like a demographic I’ve never met (laughs) that all the sudden recognizes me as the guy from Guitar Hero, but then as a result exposes them to Velvet Revolver and Guns ‘N Roses and whatnot,” Slash said in a phone interview. “You can’t knock that. If you really want to resurrect rock and roll, the first place you got to start is with kids.”

Detroit Free Press Digital Life writer Heather Newman says that Slash’s presence might lead to the introduction of his music to younger players. “While playing is nowhere near as difficult as playing the real thing, it does hint at the complexity of some of the guitar riffs in famous guitar-heavy tracks and solos – which might lead some new audiences to better appreciate the work of some of the ‘older’ masters,” Newman said.

Putting Slash on the cover might also help to bring more credibility to the game, according to Robin Kaminsky, executive vice president of Activision Publishing. “Guitar legend Slash, combined with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock's robust soundtrack and innovative new game features, will continue to solidify the brand's leadership in the rhythm-action genre," Kaminsky said in a statement.

Newman said that the cover is important for video games. “You always need an iconic guitarist for the cover of Guitar Hero, and despite his goofy hat, Slash is certainly one of the best-respected and best-known modern guitarists out there,” Newman said. “I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a guitarist in a more recent band that had as big a name.”

But Slash, the man behind riffs like “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child of Mine,” says the actual guitar skills don’t necessarily transfer to the game.

“I got good enough at it at one point when I was exposed to Guitar Hero 2, and I beat it, but only on medium,” Slash said. “I didn’t have the time or the patience to get into hard and expert and all that. I put it away because I was so addicted to it that I completely shirked any other responsibilities I had for like two weeks. When Guitar Hero 3 came out, they sent me one, and I thought, ‘This will be easy. I’ve been playing real guitar for the six to eight month interim.’ I was completely rusty playing Guitar Hero so I had to start completely over again.”

Does that mean that Slash, who Esquire named “Best Guitarist” in 2005, can’t even beat the video game with his face on the cover?

“I haven’t even gotten past the first concert,” Slash said laughing. “I’m scared to because once I start I know I won’t be able to stop. I’ve got a lot of things going on right now so I can’t really afford to be sitting there kicking on the jams on Guitar Hero.”

His already busy life is about to get busier, as Velvet Revolver kicks off a tour on Jan. 24 at the Riviera Theater. Slash, 42, says that despite all his years in music, he still gets excited to go out on the road. He said, “I love touring, I’m a sicko that way.”









Guitar Hero 3 Commercial with Slash








Video of Guitar Hero 3 Battle with Slash

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