There is no disputing the fact that Slash is legendary, iconic, renowned…(I’m stopping before this all goes to his head). He’s as part of the history of West Hollywood as the Sunset Boulevard street sign itself and as a result is this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival official honoree. Tonight at the House of Blues, photographers and press crammed like cattle behind a velvet rope to await the arrival of the man himself to his very own tribute party. As we waited for Slash, a stream of important people began to trickle down the red carpet to occupy our time. Carpet walkers included Lemmy Kilmister, Billy Boy from Poison, Warner Drive, Cherry Bomb, Twilight’s Boo Boo Stewart, Blowing up the Moon, Dan Black, Nic Adler, Franky Perez, Acidic, Kenny Aronoff, The Shrills, Juke Kartel, Kevin Brown, Diamond Lane, David George Band and more. After much anticipation, Slash made his way out of a black SUV and through the mob of press, fully done up in true Slash style – the hat, black clothing, a t-shirt with a bikini girl standing in front of a luxury car, dark shades, etc… Speaking of shades, I laughed as several photographers tried to haggle people like Kenny Aronoff into taking off their sunglasses for a photo opp and were very unsuccessful. Most of these refusers must have shared Kenny’s reason for rockin’ their shades, which was, as he laughed and explained, “I don’t want to take my glasses off, I look like shit.”
