Axl and Slash on "100 Icons of Rock" List

[jack99]

To celebrate their 100th issue of Classic Rock Magazine, the December issue features a list of "100 Icons of

Rock". The youngest ever World Superbikes champion, James Toseland, writes about Axl Rose and Towers

Of London lead guitarist, The Rev, tells us about his source of motivation, Slash.

James Toseland on Axl Rose

Mad, bad and dangerous to know

Axl Rose is my all-time icon of rock. He has a persona. Just as when I start a race -- when the visor goes

down and I can be who I wanna be -- the same can be said for Axl. No rules, rules!

I used to listen to music before I raced. I used to find it quite motivational. But then it started to get a bit

crazy when I was listening to Who Wants To Live Forever by Queen. I guess that was what you might call a

bit of an Apocalypse Now moment. I'm happy to report that my mental health is much more balanced these

days.

I've been a pretty life-long Queen fan, and my biggest regret in life was never seeing Freddie Mercury

perform live. I've just acquired some footage of him at Live Aid and several other shows, and although it's

not the same it's pretty bloody good.

My current listening is Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, that kind of thing. I also really admire Elton John. I'm

heavily involved in music at the moment, on and off track, and I find that the simplicity in lyrics and music

from Jon, Elton and Axl appeals to me, as I too want to write songs that people come to know.

I'm sure there's nothing better than going on stage and people knowing your songs and singing them back

to you.

The highlight of my year so far off-track has been seeing Guns N' Roses. I thought that the transition from

Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff and Steven Adler to Axl and friends was gonna be really hard. But, come on. I mean,

it doesn't matter who Axl plays with really, does it? As soon as he sang, it didn't really matter who was in

the band.

I closed my eyes a couple of times at the gig and saw the young Axl: no chubbiness, no braids, and I saw a

bloke singing in leather jacket and a bandana, and I was there again on my 125, pratting about on bikes

and listening to rock music.

Axl may have changed but some things, like his voice and my bikes, stay the same.

The Rev on Slash

A True Guitar Hero

Slash was born Saul Hudson in Hempstead, North London on July 23, 1965 but raised in Stoke on Trent. He

became a hero to many a guitarist, myself being one. I was brought up listening to my dad's record

collection -- not the greatest, looking back on it now -- but it featured some classic albums. Among them

was Appetite For Destruction.

I remember the first time I heard that record and not being able to control myself. I was caught playing air

guitar on my bed as a teenager many times by my mom -- very embarrassing -- but having the record

confiscated was just heart breaking. I had it taken off me because I'd become so obsessed with Guns N'

Roses, and Slash in particular, I'd embodied everything they were about. I began to wear black jeans and

leather jacket to school and grow my hair. I just couldn't put my guitar down and stop listening to GN'R. I

got in trouble for not doing my work so my guitar and albums were taken from me. That didn't stop me,

though. I would go round to my friend's house after school, I got my first band together and we'd learn the

songs from Appetite... mimicking Slash. I would watch the Use Your Illusion videos repeatedly. I remember

just knowing that's what I wanted to do.

From the on I would practice every day with my band after school, learning covers and writing our own

songs. The inspiration I got from watching and listening to Slash as a guitarist got me where I am today. I

still use him as a constant source of motivation and I hold him up as the true guitar hero. Growing up I

never thought I would ever get to see him in action until 2004 when Velvet Revolver toured the UK. I went

to two shows, Manchester and Hammersmith, and fought my way to the front of both gigs holding on to the

barrier and eyeballing Slash all night.

Source: GnrDaily.com

[.Seal]

Good read.

[Dead Flower]

Surely they could have got someone better to do Axl's write-up. What shit.

The Slash one is cool.

[pepsicoca]

That's GNR, Axl+Slash. Just as Axl said in an interview after Izzy left the band : "As long Slash and me are together, there will be Guns N'Roses"...

Two frontmen, that's how GNR was.

[cold_as_ice]

That's GNR, Axl+Slash. Just as Axl said in an interview after Izzy left the band : "As long Slash and me are together, there will be Guns N'Roses"...

Two frontmen, that's how GNR was.

But, it's not anymore.

Good read.

Thanks.

[pepsicoca]

That's GNR, Axl+Slash. Just as Axl said in an interview after Izzy left the band : "As long Slash and me are together, there will be Guns N'Roses"...

Two frontmen, that's how GNR was.

But, it's not anymore.

Good read.

Thanks.

Hopefully, we will see Guns N'Roses again.

NME is always right !

[lawrence]

james toseland plays jazz piano & jams with jools holland

wtf does he know about rock music

Edited November 27, 2006 by lawrence

[Negative_Creep]

good read

[MrSandman]

GNR is Axl and Slash thats what makes gnr.

[inthisriver]

The one about Slash was pretty good, I'm sure many of us can relate, but the one about Axll sucked.

Thanks for sharing.

[Spoon87]

Both were good reads, thanks jack!