Slash recruits Canadians for band; doesn’t expect Velvet Revolver reunion

TORONTO – Given his experience playing with some of the biggest names in rock, you have to figure legendary guitarist Slash is a pretty good judge of talent by now.

Of course, he’ll always be synonymous with the seminal rock band Guns N’ Roses, but his undisputed reputation as one of the best guitarists of all time has also seen him collaborate with the likes of Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and Rihanna.

So Canadians Todd Kerns (formerly of Age of Electric) and Brent Fitz (ex-Theory of a Deadman) should consider themselves in fine company, along with singer Myles Kennedy, as the supporting players hand chosen by Slash to play on his second solo album, “Apocalyptic Love,” due out on Tuesday.

For his debut record, Slash recruited an amazing crew of all-stars to sing his songs, including Dave Grohl, Kid Rock, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Adam Levine and Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Obviously, he couldn’t get them on the road for his subsequent tour, which is where Kennedy, Fitz and Kerns came in. And Slash has kept them around ever since.

“This is basically what turned out to be a ‘throw together,’ or what you call a pickup band, which I put together in order to support the last record,” explained Slash during a recent interview in Toronto, where he kicked off his world tour for “Apocalyptic Love.”

“So it was a surprise to me to develop this relationship and this sort of collaborative chemistry.

“Fitz turned out to be the drummer I was looking for. And then he introduced me to Todd who was, I mean, there was no better bass player that I could have found.”

After a year and a half of touring together, Slash figured he’d found the right guys for his second record and kept Kennedy as his sole vocalist.

“I don’t have any plans to make another one of those records (with several different singers). The magic to that record was it was as naive as it was. It was just an idea that I had and … fortunately it all fell together,” says Slash.

Although rumours have circulated to the contrary, Slash suggests he doesn’t see a future with former band Velvet Revolver, despite a one-off benefit gig played together in January. He has no problems with former bandmates Dave Kushner, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. Notoriously volatile frontman Scott Weiland on the other hand…

“I was really apprehensive to do it — but we did it,” Slash says.

“It has nothing to do with Matt and Dave and myself, it’s really about who’s going to sing…. We didn’t feel like, ‘Oh my God, there’s that missing magic’ because I don’t think that ever really existed with Scott. We had our moments recording songs we wrote that I think were really good but there was always a certain disconnect for whatever reason between us and Scott that just sort of got more amplified over time.

“So there wasn’t that cool buzz you’d think might happen.”

Slash returns to Canada in July for more gigs — in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Ont., Belleville, Ont., London, Ont., Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, and Halifax — and fans can expect a mix of songs from all the bands he’s played in.

“I put together about two hours worth of material. I pick some Guns songs … and I pick some Snake Pit stuff and Velvet stuff and some stuff from the new record … which is really exciting.”

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