Slash

Slash is one of the most successful and identifiable guitar players in the world. He rose to popularity with the band Guns N' Roses and went on to form Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolver in 2002. He released his autobiography Slash October 30, 2007.

Slash appeared on the eighth season of American Idol as a mentor to the contestants for "Rock Week."

Slash's work may not be as technically proficient as guitar virtuosos like Eddie Van Halen, but he has forged a signature style that meld's punk simplicity with the drama and blues influence of 1970s hard rock. Much of his style is influenced by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, a longtime favorite of Slash's. His most famous riff—the primary guitar figure in "Sweet Child O Mine" has an undulating, almost Celtic quality. Slash has stated that one of the primary reasons for his 1996 split with Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose was Rose's departure from the band's basic rock sound, into more experimental and balladic territory.

• July 23, 1965: Born

• 1979: Receives his first guitar as a present from his Grandmother

• 1983: Forms first band Road Crew with friend Steven Adler and then though an ad met Duff McKagan

• 1984: Regroups as Black Sheep and opens for Styx with Hollywood Rose, Axel Rose and Izzy Stradlin

• 1985: Black Sheep and Hollywood Rose combine talents to form Guns N' Roses

• 1987: Appetite for Destruction released, becoming the 4th most successful debut album in history

• 1990: Appeared drunk on the American Music Awards with Duff McKagan

• 1990: Collaborated with Michael Jackson on his album Dangerous

• 1994: Created side project Slash's Snakepit after Axl Rose turned down the new material offered by Slash

• 1996: Started blues cover band Slash's Blues Ball

• 1996: Officially left Guns N' Roses and put more effort into Slash's Snakepit

• 1998: Slash's Blues Ball disbanded

• 2001: Regrouped Slash's Snakepit with new members to release Ain't Life Grand

• 2002: Reunited with Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum for a tribute concert to drummer Randy Castillo and decided to work together again under the name Velvet Revolver

• 2007: Featured as a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

• 2007: Released an auto-biography Slash: The Autobiography co-authored by Anthony Bozza

• 2009: Will appear on season 8 of American Idol as a mentor for Rock Week