In a new interview, Slash was asked about the #MeToo movement and how Guns N’ Roses’ music from the ’80s would be perceived today. While he admitted that some songs were “sort of sexist”, he said the intent was not “malicious.”
“I think when the #MeToo thing really blew up, the thought crossed my mind of a bunch of musicians, not particular ones, but just musicians [who might be implicated],” Slash told Yahoo! Music. “But for the most part, as far as all the ones I know, it wasn’t like that. We didn’t have that particular [predatory] relationship with girls. It was a lot more the other way around, in some cases! Anyway, so some of the songs and all that were sort of sexist in their own way, but not to be taken that seriously. I don’t think they were malicious or anything.”
He was also asked if rock music has become too safe or too PC, as opposed to the days when GN’R were considered “dangerous.” Slash responded, “That sort of spirit, it’s still around. It’s still inherent in metal bands. It’s still inherent in young bands who have something that they want to express that maybe they’re not having the easiest time dealing with.”
Slash added, “But that attitude really is not something fabricated, and so right now at this particular point in time, a lot of bands or a lot of artists are doing a lot of different things — and not much of it is really rock n’ roll. There’s nothing to rebel against. … I think trying to figure out how to have the attitude in your music, and songs, and so forth, is probably difficult for a lot of young bands because now it’s about politics again. So we’ll see what that turns into.”
The legendary guitarist kicks off a tour with his group Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators on September 13th in Los Angeles. Tickets are available here. The band’s new album, Living the Dream, featuring the songs “Driving Rain” and “Mind Your Manners”, arrives September 21st.
You can also catch Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators on Jimmy Kimmel Live! tomorrow night (September 12th).