Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash has offered his thoughts on rock music these days, explaining that the genre has become “dull and boring”.
Over the last few months, numerous acts have hit out at the current state of rock music. While Maroon 5’s Adam Levine was recently admonished by Slipknot’s Corey Taylor for saying “rock music is nowhere”, Bring Me The Horizon also chimed in, stating that rock music today is “mostly shite”.
Bring Me The Horizon noted that they believe hip-hop music is the cause, noting that “rap is almost the new punk”, while Rammstein recently backed up this notion as well.
Now, guitar legend Slash has offered up his unpopular thoughts on rock, though he believes the genre is now “turning over a new leaf”.
Just months after Slash said he he likes the fact that “rock isn’t mainstream anymore”, the famed guitarist spoke to Billboard Radio China recently to talk about the current state of the genre.
“When Velvet Revolver came out, there was definitely a movement that started in the early to mid-’90s that held up all the way through the end of that decade and went into the millennium,” Slash explained.
“And so we came out and there was tons of new rock and roll bands. And they weren’t ‘nu metal’ and they weren’t indie bands, but there was definitely this kind of indie-esque feel to them.”
“And then, as we got down the line, it seemed that rock sort of got… More than anything, the commercial approach to rock and roll that the industry forces on bands, or forces people to think that this is how they have to go about it to succeed, and it just turns into this generic mishmosh that manages to get on the radio but doesn’t really turn anybody on, and it’s just dull and boring and people start looking elsewhere.”
Check out Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators’ ‘Driving Rain’:
Despite this, Slash also explained that he’s starting to notice a movement of change thanks to some “hungry, young rock and roll bands”.
“I think that was, really, what happened to the industry, as far as rock and roll is concerned, after 2006 up until just recently,” he explained. “But it seems to be turning over a new leaf right now.”
“So I’m really interested to see where it goes over the next few years, ’cause there’s a lot of really hungry, young, rock and roll bands getting together right now that I’m aware of.”
“Obviously, Greta Van Fleet have done amazingly well and made everybody perk up and go, ‘Oh, wow!’ Now there’s people out there looking for young, teenage rock and roll bands to sign. So it’s interesting.”
“If you watch everything as it develops in real time, it’s really, really boring and shit takes what seems like forever. But if you’re not paying attention, all of sudden, you’ll turn around and go, ‘Oh my God! Something just changed.’ And it’s just a constant state of ebbs and flows of rock and roll in this business.”
In related news, Slash is set to make his return to Australia early next year, when he hits up Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators.
Check out Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators’ ‘Mind Your Manners’:
Slash Ft Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators Australian Tour
Monday, January 28th, 2019
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW
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Wednesday, January 30th, 2019
Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, QLD
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Friday, February 1st, 2019
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
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Sunday, February 3rd, 2019
RAC Arena, Perth, WA
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