He’s been a part of some of rock’s biggest records and had his musical gifts affirmed with a membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but that doesn’t mean Slash has gotten complacent. In fact, during a recent interview with NPR to promote his latest album, ‘Apocalyptic Love,’ he admitted that he’s “really still like I was when I was 15, trying to figure this thing out.”

Appropriately for NPR, the interview found Slash in a somewhat reflective mood, gamely tolerating being asked about his days in Guns ‘N Roses yet again (“It was a lot of fun … Unfortunately, we had a very volatile band, and so what should have been fun turned into something that was a lot more work than it needed to be”) and delving into his history of substance abuse (“I used to drink vodka in the morning like people drink coffee. I did it to the hilt, and I’m sort of over it”).

And when talk turned to his current musical outlook, Slash admitted he still considers himself “a work in progress,” and went on to describe his ongoing quest to develop as a guitarist.

“If there was anything I wanted to do specifically, then I would sit there and do it until I could do it. But it’s a lot more complex than that,” he explained. “It’s really about hearing things in your head and your heart and being able to get them to your fingers to be able to express them as instantaneously as possible.”

You can listen to the complete interview — including Slash’s inspiration for the ‘Apocalyptic Love’ title track and what he’d do if he were truly faced with the end of the world — at this link.

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