Interview: Slash Admits Guns N’ Roses’ Songs Are ‘Sort of Sexist’

[BadApples99]

Guns N’ Roses songs like “I Used to Love Her” and “Back Off Bitch” caused allegations of sexism to be leveled at the band back in the day. In a new interview, Slash admitted that he can now see why that was the case, but he also defended the material, saying they weren’t “malicious” and that the #MeToo movement hasn’t even made him second-guess their lyrics.

“I’ve never thought of that. It’s never crossed my mind,” he told Yahoo! Entertainment. “I mean, I think when the #MeToo thing really blew up, the thought crossed my mind of a bunch of musicians, not particular ones, but just musicians [who might be implicated]. But for the most part, as far as all the ones I know, it wasn’t like that. We didn’t have that particular [predatory] relationship with girls. It was a lot more the other way around in some cases. Anyway, so some of the songs and all that were sort of sexist in their own way, but not to be taken that seriously. I don’t think they were malicious or anything."

The guitars said he also sees a correlation between the more enlightened approach toward women in lyrics today and the decline of the rock ‘n’ roll attitude that was offered by Guns N’ Roses and their contemporaries decades ago.

“That sort of spirit, it’s still around,” Slash noted. “It’s still inherent in metal bands. It’s still inherent in young bands who have something that they want to express that maybe they’re not having the easiest time dealing with. But that attitude really is not something fabricated, and so right now at this particular point in time, a lot of bands or a lot of artists are doing a lot of different things — and not much of it is really rock ‘n’ roll. There’s nothing to rebel against. … I think trying to figure out how to have the attitude in your music, and songs, and so forth, is probably difficult for a lot of young bands because now it’s about politics again. So we’ll see what that turns into.”

Slash will release Living in Paradise (lol) his third album with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, in a couple weeks. He begins a month-long tour of North America on Sept. 13; you can see the dates here.

Read More: Slash Admits Guns N' Roses' Songs Are 'Sort of Sexist' | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-sexist-lyrics/?trackback=tsmclip

Edited September 10, 2018 by BadApples99

[Its Tino]

Haha, ya think?

 

[MaskingApathy]

Haha Living in Paradise

[Blackstar]

The full interview is here (there's a video too):

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/slash-talks-80s-versus-metoo-era-gnr-songs-sort-sexist-never-malicious-171130824.html

54 minutes ago, MaskingApathy said:

Haha Living in Paradise

It's correct in the original article on Yahoo. The Classic Rock guy messed it up

-----

@BadApples99 maybe you should change the title of the thread, because it's not an Ultimate Classic Rock article - UCR only posted a summary of the original Yahoo article.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Blackstar

[Coma16]

I always thought UTLH was about a dog...

[Silverburst80]

Does every interview now have the question "So in the wake of the #metoo movement" in it?

[Nosaj Thing]

Sort of = Slash's 2018 "All things considered"

[zepsun]

"Turn around bitch, I gotta use for you, besides you ain't got nothin' better to do, and I'm bored."

[Blackstar]

1 hour ago, Coma16 said:

I always thought UTLH was about a dog...

It wasn't. The dog story was something Slash had made up.

It was Izzy's reaction to the lyrics of a song by another band (unknown which) where the guy/narrator was suffering because of a woman.

[Gordon Comstock]

I'm like a little bitty kid with a real big mouth
And you're gonna have to catch me if you wanna wash it out
Standin' on the corner
Callin' you names
With my juvenile skills and juvenile games

I'm a fast motherfucker
Tell you 'bout it sucker
Fuck with me and I'll fuck your mother
Your sister too
Your best girlfriend
Line 'em up
Put 'em end to end
I stick it in, pull it out
Then I grab your face
And cum in your mouth

Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it
Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it!

[-W.A.R-]

2 hours ago, Coma16 said:

I always thought UTLH was about a dog...

That makes it worse. In terms of public perception, you're better off killing your wife than killing a dog here in America.

People are very serious about animal cruelty here.

[Ratam]

5 hours ago, MaskingApathy said:

Haha Living in Paradise

Yesand the UCR FB page few comments noticed this error.

[appetite4illusions]

Good thing they never released Cornshucker or It Tastes Good, Don't It?

Actually, the second one had some really cool guitar parts in it.

[RONIN]

2 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

I'm like a little bitty kid with a real big mouth
And you're gonna have to catch me if you wanna wash it out
Standin' on the corner
Callin' you names
With my juvenile skills and juvenile games

I'm a fast motherfucker
Tell you 'bout it sucker
Fuck with me and I'll fuck your mother
Your sister too
Your best girlfriend
Line 'em up
Put 'em end to end
I stick it in, pull it out
Then I grab your face
And cum in your mouth

Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it
Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it!

Quite the lyrical masterpiece...

[Gordon Comstock]

17 minutes ago, RONIN said:

Quite the lyrical masterpiece...

It's #Dope yo.

[Route66]

"Artistic license" ?? Sometimes time doesn't follow the artist well but time figures itself out. Does anyone talk shit about Pink Floyd these days for Comfortably Numb which is about.. ahem well..? Well the same thing Axl defended GNR over with Brownstone. Public opinion changes with the weather but mostly topic of the day with the press or someone who brings it to the fore.

Or what about "Whole lotta rosie". Pretty clear what that is all about

[Iron MikeyJ]

2 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

I'm like a little bitty kid with a real big mouth
And you're gonna have to catch me if you wanna wash it out
Standin' on the corner
Callin' you names
With my juvenile skills and juvenile games

I'm a fast motherfucker
Tell you 'bout it sucker
Fuck with me and I'll fuck your mother
Your sister too
Your best girlfriend
Line 'em up
Put 'em end to end
I stick it in, pull it out
Then I grab your face
And cum in your mouth

Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it
Said, it tastes good, don't it?
Said, it tastes good, and you know it!

I actually really like this. I wish it would have been released tbh, even as a b side on a single or something. 

[Georgy Zhukov]

You know, I am starting to think AC/DC was a little sexist too.

[J Dog]

Back Off Bitch isn’t a classic or anything, but I always kinda liked it. I don’t think it’s throw away filler like a lot think it is.

[Gackt]

It ain't called cock rock for nothing

[BadApples87]

Anything goes tonight!

[Nice Boy]

When critics accuse GnR music of being sexist, they really miss the whole point of the band.

GnR is all about the full spectrum of emotional balance, hence the name "Guns n Roses" - an expression of the human experience; from anger and violence, as manifested in the word 'guns', to love and tenderness, in 'roses'.

If GnR's musical catalogue only contained songs about how women are a lesser sex, there to be used and dominated, then yes it would be a sexist concept.

But it isn't.

Their biggest chart hits, which are the only songs that the majority of people will know of as GnR music, are not angry diatribes about the evil of womanhood - they are epic love songs, tender declarations of appreciation for femininity: Sweet Child, November Rain, Patience. 

If the catalogue only contained such songs, it wouldn't be a proper representation of the full balance of human emotions in relationships. So that's why there are also songs such as Back off Bitch, or Used to Love Her; and they are basically throwaway ditties about temporary moments of anger anyway.

Rocket Queen is a great example of how the band describes the range of emotions in a sexual relationship. The first part is lustful, bold and sleazy; the finale is one of the most beautiful expressions of love and wish for commitment.

 

"All I ever wanted, was for you, to know that I care"

 

 

 

 

     

  

[wasted]

What’s wrong with being sexy?

[Sosso]

3 hours ago, Georgy Zhukov said:

You know, I am starting to think AC/DC was a little sexist too.

Wild beast, I'll make you mine
Taste your kiss, sweet lips divine
She got moves, drips of sweat
She got eyes of blue, body curves
'n legs that'll break your nerves

Fire - when she's going down
Fire - then she make you drown
Fire - then she blow you round

Yeah, you want some fun
Fire your guns
Fire your guns
Fire your guns
Fire your guns

That lady bites, hard style
Drips of sex, eyes are wild
She got moves, long long legs
She got eyes of blue, body curves
Legs that'll shake the earth

Fire - when she's going down
Fire - then she make you drown
Fire - then she blow you round

Yeah, you want some fun
You gotta fire your guns
Fire your guns
You gotta fire your guns
Fire your guns
(Yeah, yeow!)
Yeah

Fire - when she's going down
Fire - then she make you drown
Fire - then she blow you round

Yeah, you want some fun
Gotta fire your guns
Fire your guns (x9)

[alfierose]

Lol. A number of the songs are sexist there isn't any 'sort of' about it. They are however also a product of their time. I feel it would be better to speak frankly about them in those terms rather than pretend it isn't what it is. I'm sure though he doesn't want to say anything that might draw the ire of the twitteratti and I can't blame him on that score!