Slash calls new album "Ear candy for the guitar aficionado!"

[Naupis]

This is the Slash interview from Total Guitar this month, credit to Rik at the VR forum for typing it out. Reading this kind of stuff gets me even more excited for the album. Slash and bluesy guitar sounds are a good thing to say the least.

Total Guitar - May 2007

All Guns Blazing
Velvet Revolver return with new album and Slash says: "It's ear candy for the guitar aficionado!"

Slash and the Velvet Revolver boys are set for a sensational return with the release of their second album Libertad next month. The legendary guitarist has told TG to expect big things from the follow-up to the band's debut album Contraband: "Scott sounds amazing on this record, and Matt plays the best I've ever heard him play. Kushner came to the table with two songs and a guitar arsenal, and Duff played amazing... Oh and I thought I played pretty good too."

On past form, Slash's modest 'pretty good' looks like it's going to be the understatement of the year, and he admits to us he really got the blues on this 13-song album - in a good way: "I spent the time from August last year until the record was finished listening to nothing but old blues records. I rediscovered the blues - it was almost like it was new for me, and that had an effect on the way I played. I was in that zone."

But this ain't no laid-back affair. Translated from Spanish, 'Libertad' means freedom and the band certainly do things their way on the new release: "It's more upbeat than Contraband," reveals Slash. "There's a lot of really in-your-face moments like She Builds Quick Machines, Spay and Let It Roll, which is probably the most aggressive song on the record. There are departures, like Grave Dancers, but every song has its moments and even that has an aggressive blues solo at the end. There's a lot of wah on this record too."

You should expect changed in the dynamic between Slash and guitar partner in crime, Dave Kushner. "The big difference between this record and the last one is I was very aware of where Dave's parts are, because they've become key to the songs. Some of them are almost like vocal parts, and sometimes I use them to signal where I'm going to go. It's ear candy for the guitar aficionado."

Libertad will be released on May 28 and UK Fans can look forward to hearing the new songs when the band play the following dates in June" Hammersmith Apollo (5), Cardiff International Arena (7) Download Festival (, Glasgow SECC (10), Manchester Apollo (11).

[MarioGunner]

Definetely what we need!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[estebanf]

Thanks for the article

Let It Roll, which is probably the most aggressive song on the record

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

[Genesis]

Hot Damn, Blues? Rock? Slash?
Can't wait.

[Booker Floyd]

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

Considering your signature, I doubt your "humble opinion" is very highly valued by fans of VR.  And for somebody so staunchly opposed to the existence of a VR section, you sure do post here a lot.

[GeraldFord]

This will be THE rock album of 2007, unless..........

[LT4]

Well that's just what I was looking for,  I can't wait now. 

[Falcon]

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

Considering your signature, I doubt your "humble opinion" is very highly valued by fans of VR.? And for somebody so staunchly opposed to the existence of a VR section, you sure do post here a lot.

Agreed.

Posting in a section you're so staunchly against "not very smart imho" either.

Very revealing indeed.

[metallex78]

Thanks for the article

Let It Roll, which is probably the most aggressive song on the record

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

That opening riff is pretty damn aggressive as is the solo. I can't wait to hear the studio version of the song!

[Genesis]

Thanks for the article

Let It Roll, which is probably the most aggressive song on the record

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

That opening riff is pretty damn aggressive as is the solo. I can't wait to hear the studio version of the song!

Yeah. Am I the only one who likes 'Let It Roll' much, much better than 'She Builds Quick Machines'?

[estebanf]

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

Considering your signature, I doubt your "humble opinion" is very highly valued by fans of VR.  And for somebody so staunchly opposed to the existence of a VR section, you sure do post here a lot.

Agreed.

Posting in a section you're so staunchly against "not very smart imho" either.

Very revealing indeed.

Good. I already modified by signature. Fair enough.

Now that you dont have to read my signature anymore, am I allowed to say what I think? I have paid a lot of money to see VR live, I saw ''Let It Roll'' performed live, having Slash at 3 meters, and I have my own opinion. I also have an A+ soundboard recording of that song, and Im only giving my opinion, without breaking any rules.

For example, I find ''Slither'' a great song, much more aggressive than ''Let It Roll''. Same for ''Sucker Train Blues''. And after hearing those tracks a million times, and after listening to ''Let It Roll'' several times (one time live), I think that if Let It Roll is the most aggresive song in the album, then the album must be very soft. Is ''soft'' a bad word? Didn't someone in VR said that Libertad was going to be ''danceable''? Didn't people like Pharrel Williams were involved in one song of the album?

About saying a thing like that about one of the three only new songs we know, I honestly think its not a smart move. If ''The Blues'' is the best song in CD, I dont want to know it. I expect more than that, we all do. Is it any bad what Im saying?

Do not tell me what should I post, what should I think, or how much regularly I should post here. I'm giving my opinion without breaking any rule. ''Soft'' is not a bad word or an insult. Grow up a little 

[Falcon]

Do not tell me what should I post

No one did.

what should I think. ?

You put thought into this?

Grow up a little?

Coming from someone who takes someone's perception/opinion of a rock band so personal, again .

[Booker Floyd]

Now that you dont have to read my signature anymore, am I allowed to say what I think?

Did I ever say you werent?  Your opinion is that of someone who doesnt like VR, so I doubt its valued by someone who does.

I have paid a lot of money to see VR live, I saw ''Let It Roll'' performed live, having Slash at 3 meters, and I have my own opinion. I also have an A+ soundboard recording of that song, and Im only giving my opinion, without breaking any rules.

 

I never suggested that you shouldnt be allowed to post.

For example, I find ''Slither'' a great song, much more aggressive than ''Let It Roll''. Same for ''Sucker Train Blues''.

Strange that you like "Sucker Train Blues" all of a sudden, because that didnt seem to be the case a few weeks ago:

I know this is not the subject of the thread, but I was wondering WHERE do you see ''hard rock'' in ''Contraband''. Personally, the only hard rocking track in that album is ''Slither'', and I cant find any other.

About saying a thing like that about one of the three only new songs we know, I honestly think its not a smart move. If ''The Blues'' is the best song in CD, I dont want to know it. I expect more than that, we all do. Is it any bad what Im saying?

"Among Rose's favorites are "Better," "There Was a Time" and "The Blues." - Rolling Stone, January 2006

Not a smart move?

Do not tell me what should I post, what should I think, or how much regularly I should post here. I'm giving my opinion without breaking any rule. ''Soft'' is not a bad word or an insult. Grow up a little 

I didnt tell you what to do, did I? 

You dont think this section should exist, and you begrudge the fact that it does, yet you post here often.  Im not sure how you reconcile that.

[metallex78]

Thanks for the article

Let It Roll, which is probably the most aggressive song on the record

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

That opening riff is pretty damn aggressive as is the solo. I can't wait to hear the studio version of the song!

Yeah. Am I the only one who likes 'Let It Roll' much, much better than 'She Builds Quick Machines'?

I don't think you're alone there at all, Let It Roll should've been the first single. It kicks ass live.
The only thing I'm not sure of is the vocals, but even they're growing on me.

[metallex78]

Jesuschrist, if that song is the most aggresive song on the record, I may expect a very very soft album... Revealing this kind of info was not very smart imho...

Considering your signature, I doubt your "humble opinion" is very highly valued by fans of VR.? And for somebody so staunchly opposed to the existence of a VR section, you sure do post here a lot.

Agreed.

Posting in a section you're so staunchly against "not very smart imho" either.

Very revealing indeed.

Good. I already modified by signature. Fair enough.

Now that you dont have to read my signature anymore, am I allowed to say what I think? I have paid a lot of money to see VR live, I saw ''Let It Roll'' performed live, having Slash at 3 meters, and I have my own opinion. I also have an A+ soundboard recording of that song, and Im only giving my opinion, without breaking any rules.

For example, I find ''Slither'' a great song, much more aggressive than ''Let It Roll''. Same for ''Sucker Train Blues''. And after hearing those tracks a million times, and after listening to ''Let It Roll'' several times (one time live), I think that if Let It Roll is the most aggresive song in the album, then the album must be very soft. Is ''soft'' a bad word? Didn't someone in VR said that Libertad was going to be ''danceable''? Didn't people like Pharrel Williams were involved in one song of the album?

About saying a thing like that about one of the three only new songs we know, I honestly think its not a smart move. If ''The Blues'' is the best song in CD, I dont want to know it. I expect more than that, we all do. Is it any bad what Im saying?

Do not tell me what should I post, what should I think, or how much regularly I should post here. I'm giving my opinion without breaking any rule. ''Soft'' is not a bad word or an insult. Grow up a little?

Hmmm... I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Fair enough if you think that Let It Roll is 'soft' and you don't want a soft album from VR.
So in turn you want Slash to lie and say there are much more aggressive songs than Let It Roll on Libertad, even if there aren't any...

I'm not sure I understand your logic

[D]

U cant judge a song from a crappy boot live version.


If someone heard that horrible live version of TWAT for the first time they'd think it was the worst GNR song ever, Same with Better which isnt anywhere near as good live as on the Leak in my opinion.


So I think the album is gonna be amazing, I still love Contraband so I am definitely excited.

[estebanf]

Strange that you like "Sucker Train Blues" all of a sudden, because that didnt seem to be the case a few weeks ago:

I know this is not the subject of the thread, but I was wondering WHERE do you see ''hard rock'' in ''Contraband''. Personally, the only hard rocking track in that album is ''Slither'', and I cant find any other.

You're wrong. I dont think that ''hard rock'' is ''good'' and ''soft'' is ''bad''. And I also dont think that ''hard rock'' and ''aggresive'' are synonimous. RHCP's ''Give It Away'' is an aggresive song without being hard rock. And ''Let It Roll''... well, I dont think that song is aggresive nor hard rock...

"Among Rose's favorites are "Better," "There Was a Time" and "The Blues." - Rolling Stone, January 2006

Not a smart move?

Exactly.

I dont think that is a good move. Anyway, at that point, ''Better'' and ''TWAT'' hadn't been leaked (am I wrong?)

One more thing: After hearing TWAT and Better, I also have them in my favourite GNR tracks of all time. What Axl said (if he really said so) has lots of chances of being real.

You dont think this section should exist, and you begrudge the fact that it does, yet you post here often.  Im not sure how you reconcile that.

I do think that. I think a sub-forum inside ex-gunners or a sticky thread should be enough. And I would keep posting a lot on that hypothetical sub-forum or sticky thread. so what?

U cant judge a song from a crappy boot live version.

I listened to ''Let It Roll'' live being stood up at 3 meters of Slash's guitar.
The quality of the bootleg of that show is undefeatable. Flawless. Like Tokyo '92, or Rock Am Ring.
Yes. I may not judge properly the whole song, all parts. But I am perfectly able to know if the song is ''incredibly aggresive'' or not.

If someone heard that horrible live version of TWAT for the first time they'd think it was the worst GNR song ever, Same with Better which isnt anywhere near as good live as on the Leak in my opinion.

Not my case dude, sorry. The TWAT version at Hammerstein 05.12 is, for me, after a year, the highlight of all the 2006 tour (with IRS at Rock Am Ring)

[Rocker_GNR]

Damn, I can't wait   ...

this is real and honest Rock and roll band...

[Booker Floyd]

You're wrong. I dont think that ''hard rock'' is ''good'' and ''soft'' is ''bad''. And I also dont think that ''hard rock'' and ''aggresive'' are synonimous. RHCP's ''Give It Away'' is an aggresive song without being hard rock. And ''Let It Roll''... well, I dont think that song is aggresive nor hard rock...

So "Sucker Train Blues" is a great, aggresisive song, but its not "hard-rocking?"  Okay. 

I dont think that is a good move. Anyway, at that point, ''Better'' and ''TWAT'' hadn't been leaked (am I wrong?)

And "The Blues" was. 

If "soft" isnt a bad thing to you, why would you say that Slash isnt smart for giving you that impression?

Im not sure whats "not smart" about it.  Hes providing details about his new album, which I think many people are interested in hearing.  Its getting the album press.  So is it not smart because people like yourself, who do nothing but criticize this band, will criticize this band?  He thinks "Let It Roll" is an aggressive song - most here do.  Coincidentally, you - who dislikes the band to begin with - dont agree.  You dont find "Sucker Train Blues" hard-rocking (although it is great and aggressive according to this arbitrary semantic checklist of yours).  You dont think anything from Contraband, other than "Slither," could be called "aggressive."  Or "hard-rocking."  So add these to your belief that the section in which you constantly post shouldnt exist and youll understand why I believe your opinions on VR arent valued very much.

[metallex78]

You're wrong. I dont think that ''hard rock'' is ''good'' and ''soft'' is ''bad''. And I also dont think that ''hard rock'' and ''aggresive'' are synonimous. RHCP's ''Give It Away'' is an aggresive song without being hard rock. And ''Let It Roll''... well, I dont think that song is aggresive nor hard rock...

Still, Slash does think it's aggressive and if, like I sad above, it is the most aggressive song on the album, why should he lie and say there are more aggressive songs when there may not be

The argument you seem to be making isn't whether soft is good or bad, but that Slash should lie and say that there are more aggressive songs simply to promote the album...