A great cover takes something old and makes it new again. This is the philosophy behind Slash's new album, Orgy of the Damned, a collection of 12 dynamic songs that shakes up and revitalizes blues classics with a stripped down, instinctive approach.
Slash reunited with two of his former Blues Ball bandmates, bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy Andreadis, and enlisted drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation. That approach resulted in dynamic, energized songs that feel immediate, raw and distinctly familiar. In the months that followed, Slash enlisted and recorded the album's diverse guest vocalists, who include Gary Clark Jr, Billy F. Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Dorothy, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Brian Johnson, Tash Neal, Chris Robinson, and Beth Hart.
Elsewhere on the album, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith has a harmonica cameo on the album's first single, a raucous, gleefully unbridled take on Howlin' Wolf's 1964 standard "Killing Floor,".
Orgy of the Damned showcases a lesser-heard aspect of Slash's musical prowess. While he has always embraced a broad range of styles and genres, the album offers a glimpse into his early inspirations and ongoing obsessions. Instead of recording with his signature stack of amps, he kept things basic with a small combo amp and a few old guitars, taking advantage of an opportunity to explore a unique side of his playing.
