Slash: The Autobiography

This account may seem over the top, but it's all true. The iconic black curls, the top hat, the cigarette hanging from his lips — these are the hallmarks of one of the world's most celebrated guitarists, a musician known simply as Slash.

Saul "Slash" Hudson was born in Hampstead to a Jewish father and a Black American mother, who notably designed David Bowie's look for The Man Who Fell to Earth. He spent his early childhood in Stoke-on-Trent until the age of 11, when he and his mother relocated to Los Angeles. Their home was often frequented by famous guests like David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Ronnie Wood, and Iggy Pop. During this period, Slash developed a passion for BMX biking, eventually becoming a professional rider and winning significant awards and prize money. However, at 15, his grandmother gave him his first guitar, setting him on a different path.

He went on to play with various local rock bands in Los Angeles before a pivotal meeting with singer W. Axl Rose changed everything, leading to a legendary chapter in rock history. Guns N' Roses spent two years building their reputation before unleashing Appetite for Destruction upon an unsuspecting world. Chart success and global domination followed, but this ascent was inevitably accompanied by a downfall. Battling addictions to heroin, alcohol, and cigarettes, the band imploded amidst a deep and lasting rift between Axl and Slash.

However, with a new wife, children, and a new band, Velvet Revolver, Slash has found his way back. This autobiography, as raw and unpolished as his music, allows Slash to set the record straight and tell his story in his own distinctive voice.