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As Slash prepares for a busy 2027, the legendary guitarist is reflecting on the deep-rooted connections that shaped his career. With the upcoming February 26 release of his latest collaboration with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Flying Blind, and a massive world tour on the horizon, Slash remains a central figure in rock music. Before he embarks on his 2027 global trek, he is wrapping up 2026 with a series of Guns N' Roses dates across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, preceded by special guest appearances at Aerosmith’s California, Dream On shows.
The relationship between Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith traces back to 1988, a pivotal year that served as a masterclass for the younger band. At the time, Aerosmith was experiencing a creative and personal resurgence following the success of Permanent Vacation and their commitment to sobriety. Slash, who grew up idolizing the Boston rockers, admits that the tour almost fell through due to concerns from Aerosmith’s management regarding the reputation of the then-rising stars of Guns N' Roses.
Reflecting on those early days, Slash notes that the experience was profoundly educational. "You know, Aerosmith is one of my all-time favorite rock and roll bands and they had a huge influence on me," he explains. "[It] was really integral to me picking up the guitar in the first place."
Watching Aerosmith during soundchecks provided the young guitarist with a reality check that shattered his youthful misconceptions. "I remember sitting out in the seats and watching those guys sound check," he says. "That in and of itself was just a learning experience. You know, as a kid, you have this weird idea of how things work. So it was really great to sort of see these guys starting a song and trying to get into a groove and all that kind of s--t." He adds, "[I found out] they just don't come in and like, wham bam, they're f---ing awesome. They're just guys doing their thing. It was really an eye opening experience. I mean, they sounded great, but they were just feeling s--t out and jamming, and it was cool."
Over the course of the tour, a genuine bond formed between the two acts. Slash recalls Steven Tyler being the first to bridge the gap, casually visiting their dressing room, followed by warm interactions with Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer, and Tom Hamilton. By the end of the run, the Aerosmith members—who had come to view the members of Guns N' Roses as a group of hardworking, albeit "scroungy," vagabonds—gifted them luggage. It was a gesture that, while initially misunderstood by the young guitarist, cemented a lasting friendship that persists to this day.
Looking toward his own future, Slash is eager to hit the road in 2027 to support Flying Blind. The creative process for the new album was notably spontaneous. "The intro, it's a very sort of quiet finger-picking part. So I guess it does have a sense of of immediacy to it and there's not a lot of delay and other stuff," he notes. "It's pretty flat, so it's like, right in your face, but the song [itself], you know, there's not really much to tell. We went into pre-production and we didn't have a lot of material already planned to go into the studio with. I made that up on the first day, just for something for us to jam on."
This collaborative ease defines his work with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. "We'll just get into a room and then I'll just make up something right then and there and we'll just start playing it," Slash explains. "It's one of the great things about working with these guys; it comes together very easily. We came up with sort of an instrumental arrangement in the moment. I recorded it and sent it to Myles and he came up with the lyric. That was basically it!"
