The only Guns N’ Roses song that Slash couldn’t play

Over the past three decades, there don’t seem to be too many pieces of rock guitar that Slash hasn’t mastered. He may have started out as the descendant of guitarists like Jimmy Page and Joe Perry, but his vocabulary on the guitar has led to him fitting into almost any rock context you can think of, working with everyone from Carole King to Bob Dylan without batting an eye. That only comes over time, though, and when it came time to record Guns N’ Roses’ debut, Slash remembered not being completely proficient when nailing down a handful of the solos.

At this point, though, hearing that Slash actually screwed up a solo would come off as funnier than anything else. Every note that he has ever put down with Guns N’ Roses has sounded perfect from the minute that it started, so to think of a time where he wasn’t laying down a decent solo is like seeing the man without his signature top hat. It’s fine but a little unnatural.

When Guns N’ Roses were first starting to put songs together, a lot of the tracks were coming together without any trouble at all. As soon as the band got to jamming, pieces like ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and ‘Paradise City’ popped up within a few days, with Slash adding his signature spin to anything he could get his hands on.

For all the anthems on their debut record, ‘Nightrain’ is a bit of a sleeper hit on the project. There are still the makings of a great song on there, but that gutter-rat style seemed more like a diary entry from that time than anything else, as if they were talking about the nights they spent swigging bottles of whiskey between them right off of Sunset Strip.

As Slash started putting together the solo, the whole thing was a bit more ramshackle than usual, saying, “If I were to have played that same solo now, it would have been more fluid. But part of the beauty of that particular solo was that I wasn’t technically capable of playing as fast as the song was going, so the solo had a bit more of a rocky feel to it.”

If this is what Slash sounds like on an off day, though, it still sounds 90% better than most other guitarists at the time. The lion’s share of people living in LA were trying to copy Eddie Van Halen, so hearing someone like Slash tearing through tasty blues licks was the kind of respite everyone needed to get over the endless shredders popping up left and right.

Also, that solo shows both sides of the band’s technical prowess. Whereas the first solo was more in line with something a bit more Stonesy, the final solo feels like what happens when you give a punk rocker a guitar and tell them that they can do whatever they want.

Being halfway between Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, and The New York Dolls, this should be the more accurate description of what Slash’s tone sounded like on a normal day. It feels like it’s just about to fall apart every time you listen to it, and yet when you think everything’s about to roll over the track, it always gets back on its feet.

When discussing Slash’s contributions to ‘Nightrain,’ it is essential to acknowledge the beauty found in imperfection. The rawness and unpolished edges of the solo add a unique charm that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Guns N’ Roses during their early days. It serves as a reminder that even the most skilled musicians have moments of struggle and growth, and sometimes, those moments lead to the creation of something extraordinary.

For Slash, ‘Nightrain’ stands as a testament to his journey as a guitarist, showcasing his ability to turn a less-than-perfect situation into a defining moment in rock history. It is a song that captures the essence of a band finding its footing, each member contributing their raw talent and energy to create something truly unforgettable.

In the grand tapestry of rock music, Slash’s solo on ‘Nightrain’ is a reminder that imperfection can be beautiful and that sometimes, the best moments in music come from pushing through challenges and embracing the raw, unfiltered essence of creativity.