Slash released ‘Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival,’ an album of blues music recorded at the Mission Ballroom in Denver, Colorado, on Nov. 7, 2025.
Contributed
Slash knows a few things about live music.
As one of the foremost guitarists of his generation, he’s traveled the world with his Gibson Les Paul – playing rowdy shows inside arenas, filling sweaty clubs with down-tuned riffs and headlining festivals as the backbone of ground-shaking rock band Guns N’ Roses.
And lately, when he’s not playing the enduring notes of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” or stirring a room into a frenzy with “Welcome To The Jungle,” Slash has still been on the road, leading solo gigs in dedication to time-tested blues music. Last year, he released Orgy Of The Damned, a star-studded blues revue. The album features Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Demi Lovato and more on new renditions of traditional blues numbers; upon release, it held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 weeks.
This fall, Slash doubled-down on the blues with Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, a new album cut from his expansive 2024 tour in support of the release. Cut at the Mission Ballroom in Denver, the album features Slash and company delivering electric renditions of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” and Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker,” among others.
“It’s very spontaneous. It’s very fun. It’s got a lot of energy in it. It’s not to be taken too seriously.” Slash, born Saul Hudson, said on a phone call with Forbes earlier this month. He added, “I’m glad I got the opportunity to be able to put out something like [this].”
‘Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival’
Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival captures an electricity almost exclusive to concert albums. It features a band with its foot on the proverbial gas pedal, chasing beloved songs while the audience rides shotgun, anticipating every twist and turn that may come on the journey. The album includes Slash on guitars alongside Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis on keyboards, harmonica and vocals, Tash Neal on rhythm guitar and vocals, Johnny Griparic on bass and backing vocals and Michael Jerome on drums.
As a kid, Slash studied live albums, stuffing his record collection with concert cuts from The Rolling Stones, The Who, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Peter Frampton … and the list goes on.
“I didn’t have any money, so I couldn’t buy someone’s entire catalog that easily. I would steal a lot of them, actually,” he said, with a chuckle. “The live records were really what gave me the idea of if I liked a band or not – if I wanted to follow them or get into them. It’s been a major part of how I approached music ever since.”
Slash (center) and his ‘Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival’ band: Michael Jerome (drums), Johnny Griparic (bass), Slash (guitars), Tash Neal (vocals/guitars) and Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis (keys/vocal)
Allison Morgan
As for what makes a great live album?
“It’s the energy, it’s the spontaneity. Especially the raw ones,” he said. “[I love] the power of going out there and having that transference of energy between the crowd and the band. Everything is pumped up a little bit. Everything is a wee bit faster.”
He continued, “The really raw live records … they have that spontaneity, that fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, off-the-cuff approach. I always loved that. I always wanted studio records to have that, and they usually don’t.”
New Blues Music
And Slash may not be done yet with his journey through the blues songbook. In the coming months, he’s committed time to Guns N’ Roses and returning to his other solo project, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. Still, he wants to explore a follow-up to Orgy as soon as time for recording and touring opens on his schedule.
Or, in his words, “I’m working on it. It’s coming. It’s pending.”
In the meantime, fans can time and again relive the live experience on Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewleimkuehler/2025/11/21/what-makes-a-great-live-album-we-asked-slash/
