Watch Slash Up Close and Personal

On this day in 1987, Guns N’ Roses released Appetite for Destruction – the era-defining album that would go on to sell over 30 million copies. To put that into perspective: a line of 30 million 12-inch LPs would easily stretch from LA to London. Thankfully, Guns N’ Roses were able to make that journey themselves when they played their first gigs outside of the US at London’s Marquee club during June 1987.

Soon after, Guns N’ Roses established a worldwide reputation for their super-charged live shows – during which time Appetite for Destruction unexpectedly blew up the entire rock ‘n’ roll scene. Meanwhile, the band’s enigmatic lead guitarist quietly gained a devoted following of his own as legions of budding electric guitar players gleaned their musical education from a solid diet of GN’R licks.

Decades later, and with Guns N’ Roses never far from the eyes and ears of the music world, generations of guitarists have been schooled – knowingly or otherwise – by Saul Hudson aka Slash. Aside from helping to repopularize the Gibson Les Paul Standard in the late ‘80s, references to Slash’s technique and sound can be seen and heard everywhere from acoustic guitars to Marshall stacks.

In this candid clip from Slash’s official YouTube Channel, he reveals some home truths about his own musical upbringing. “I didn’t realize music was my calling ironically enough, cuz I was raised on tons of music and loved music all through my childhood,” he says. “But it wasn’t until I actually picked up the guitar when I was about 14 years old that, all of a sudden, that was going to be my thing.”

Buy Appetite for Destruction here.