Slash (autobiography)

Slash

Author	Slash with Anthony Bozza
Language	English
Genre	Autobiography
Publisher	HarperCollins Entertainment (UK) HarperEntertainment (USA)
Publication date	October 29, 2007 (UK) October 30, 2007 (USA)
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	480
ISBN	978-0-00-725775-1 (UK) ISBN 978-0-06-135142-6 (USA)
OCLC	271423201

Slash: The Autobiography of Slash is an autobiography written by rock guitarist Slash with Anthony Bozza. The book's tagline is: "It seems excessive, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen..."

Content

Slash's autobiography tells his story of playing in bands around early 1980s Los Angeles, eventually leading to the formation of Guns N' Roses, who would go on to become one of the biggest bands on the planet in the early 90s, before collapsing under their own weight. Slash talks about Axl Rose, frontman of Guns N' Roses, and his departure from the band in the mid-1990s. He states that Axl's inability to show up to gigs and rehearsals on time, in addition to Axl's almost dictator-like control of the band contributed to the band's downfall. Slash also states that Axl wanted to change the musical direction of the band to include more synthesizers and effects, rather than guitar-driven rock as with their earlier material.

Slash also explains how he dealt with and overcame the harsh chains of addiction, and his many close calls with death because of heroin, cocaine, pills, alcohol, and more. He had a very bad addiction to a variety of different drugs, but was in time, able to overcome and get his life back on track. Slash relates how he eventually achieved stability and sobriety after his second marriage and the birth of two sons.

Reception

The book was at #6 on the NYT Hardcover Nonfiction list as of November 25, 2007, having been published in the United States on October 30. Nikki Sixx's book, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, which debuted at #7, was at #16 on the list. Slash retells some of the events from that book from his own perspective in the autobiography.

Chapter list

Chapter	Title
1	Stoked
2	Twenty-Inch High Hooligans
3	How To Play Rock And Roll Guitar
4	Education High
5	Least Likely To Succeed
6	You Learn To Live Like An Animal
7	Appetite For Dysfunction
8	Off To The Races
9	Don't Try This At Home
10	Humpty Dumpty
11	Choose Your Illusion
12	Breakdown
13	Coming Up For Air