In a brand new interview with Billboard Radio China, Slash discussed the current state of rock music. Asked if he thinks rock is in a “hiding period” right now, he replied:
“I get asked this question pretty often. And far be it from me to have the answers. When Velvet Revolver came out [in 2002], there was definitely a movement that started in the early-to-mid-’90s that held up all the way through the end of that decade and went into the millennium.
“We came out and there was tons of new rock and roll bands – they weren’t nu-metal and they weren’t indie bands, but there was definitely this kind of indie-esque feel to them.
“And I think one of the reasons that Velvet Revolver was as successful as it was had a lot to do with Scott Weiland because he was still a holdover from that kind of thing, with [Stone Temple Pilots], that came from the ’90s and blah blah blah.
“Anyway, it was all cool. And then, as we got down the line, it seemed that rock sort of got…
“More than anything, the commercial approach to rock and roll that the industry forces on bands, or forces people to think that this is how they have to go about it to succeed, and it just turns into this generic mishmash that manages to get on the radio but doesn’t really turn anybody on, and it’s just dull and boring and people start looking elsewhere.
“And I think that was, really, what happened to the industry, as far as rock and roll is concerned, after 2006 up until just recently. But it seems to be turning over a new leaf right now.
“So I’m really interested to see where it goes over the next few years, ’cause there’s a lot of really hungry young rock and roll bands getting together right now that I’m aware of.
“And, obviously, Greta Van Fleet have done amazingly well and made everybody perk up and go, ‘Oh, wow!’ Now there’s people out there looking for young, teenage rock and roll bands to sign.
“So it’s interesting. If you watch everything as it develops in real time, it’s really, really boring and s**t takes what seems like forever.
“But if you’re not paying attention, all of sudden, you’ll turn around and go, ‘Oh my God! Something just changed.’ And it’s just a constant state of ebbs and flows of rock and roll in this business.”
