Spinner

Slash Rethinks 'Gay' Comment on Michael Jackson Guitar Riff

Slash, Canadian Music WeekDuring his keynote interview at Canadian Music Week last Thursday, Slash explained to a packed ballroom that he thought the signature hook from Michael Jackson's 'Black or White' -- for which he is sometimes credited -- was "gay."

"I never played on [Black or White']," the former Guns N' Roses guitarist said at the time. "If you listen to [the hook], that's gay. I'd never play that."

Now, with benefit of hindsight, Slash tells Spinner he may have been a bit hasty with his colloquial insult.

"I thought about that afterward 'cause really that just came right out... now I think it sounded a bit too derogatory," Slash says. "What I really meant was that the sound of the guitar is very happy. It just doesn't sound like me, anyone would know that. It's not the guitar sound you would expect from me, but somehow I got pigeonholed as the guy who played on that song."

Despite the controversy, many in the online community stand by their original mistaken belief. As of publishing, Slash's Wikipedia page still claims the guitar legend played on Jackson's smash single which topped the singles chart in 19 countries and has been certified platinum.

As Slash made clear, he did play on Michale Jackson's 'Dangerous' album, albeit on another track: 'Give in to Me.' And if he had played on 'Black or White,' he wouldn't be dissing it decades later.

"I never revisit s--- that I did before," he says. "There are some songs that I hear on the radio, obscure Guns N' Roses stuff, you sort of hear the difference between your playing now and your playing then. I can pick out a note and it's not necessarily great but I don't nitpick over those things. When you release something, it's done. If you wanted to change something you should have done it then.

"Especially with rock n' roll and the spontaneity that goes along with it -- you are definitely emotionally invested in the f---ing now. So when you listen back a year or ten years later you can't pass judgment on it because, you know, it's ten years later."

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B.S.

I don't know why Slash apologized for that comment when ANGELA is right, 3/16/10. Saying "that's gay " is just like saying that's corny or dorky..it has nothing to do with gays...

May 10 2011 at 9:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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August 24 2010 at 6:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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June 23 2010 at 9:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
trishthedish

Really? Who cares? Slash is amazing. And why do gay people always have to make it about them. Get over it!!! You know gays have rights that straight people can't but do you see us marching in protests about it... if you love someone a piece of paper shouldn't matter.

March 25 2010 at 10:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joseph

Maybe Slash needs to explain the reason for the confusion. Slash DOES play on "Black or White"--but only the first 30 seconds or so of the FULL version of the song. When you listen to the full version, you hear a guitar riff for about 20 seconds and then there's a knocking followed by a man's voice saying "turn it down," with a boy responding, "but dad, it's the best part." (In the video, the kid was played by Macauley Culkin.) The riff keeps playing in the background for another 30 seconds before the kid turns off the "radio" and starts up the "actual" song. (While he may only want to claim credit for playing on "Give in to Me," he IS credited in the "Dangerous" liner notes under "Black or White" with the following--"Intro": Special Guitar Performance by Slash.)
As to the remark itself, Slash should've known better than make such a comment. I really don't think he'd appreciate it if someone said his guitar playing was pretty good for a "son of a n****r-b**ch" (even though he is the son of an African-American woman, making the offensive words literally accurate). And to those who don't think the comment is that bad, ask yourselves if you'd be okay with the comment if he'd used "Polish" or "Black" or "girly" to mean "weak" or "pitiful".

March 18 2010 at 2:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sc341

No offense was taken I'm sure. Also didn't he play "Black or White" at the 30th Anniversary in 2001? His guitar playing was brilliant in that show.

March 17 2010 at 7:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply