In 2011 he wrote and featured on kick it Up a Notch, the end credit song for The Disney Channel Original Movie Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension. (Kick It Up a Notch Songfacts). He has written a self titled autobiography which was put to print in 2007.
Slash joined his first band, Tidus Sloan, in 1981. In 1983, he formed the band Road Crew—named for the Motörhead song "(We Are) The Road Crew"—with his childhood friend Steven Adler, who by then had learned to play drums. He placed an advertisement in a newspaper looking for a bassist, and received a response from Duff McKagan. They auditioned a number of singers, including one-time Black Flag vocalist Ron Reyes, and worked on material that included the main riff of what would become the Guns N' Roses song "Rocket Queen." Slash disbanded the group the following year due to them not being able to find a singer, as well as Adler's lack of work ethic compared to himself and McKagan. He, along with Adler, then joined a local band known as Hollywood Rose, which featured singer Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin. Following his time with Hollywood Rose, Slash played in a band called Black Sheep and unsuccessfully auditioned for Poison, a glam metal band that he would later openly deride.
In June 1985, Slash was asked by Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin to join the newly founded Guns "N' Roses. Duff McKagan and Steven Adler completed the line-up. They played nightclubs—such as the Whisky a Go Go, The Roxy, and The Troubadour—and opened for larger acts throughout 1985 and 1986. It was during this period that the band wrote most of its classic material, including "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child o' Mine," and "Paradise City," As a result of their rowdy and rebellious behavior, Guns N' Roses quickly received the moniker "Most Dangerous Band in the World," causing Slash to remark, "For some strange reason, Guns N' Roses is like the catalyst for controversy, even before we had any kind of record deal."
Slash has received critical recognition as a guitarist. In August 2009, Time Magazine ranked him #2 on its list of the "10 Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time". He was also ranked #21 on Gigwise's list of the "50 Greatest Guitarists Ever".
Slash was the first musician to own a signature amplifier created by Marshall for him. In 1996 the Marshall Slash JCM 2555SL was launched, it was built with the specs of Slash's own original 1987 Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 amplifier. A total of 3000 of these amplifiers were made before it was discontinued.
On his self titled album, "Slash" he has worked with many artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie (Black Eyed Peas), Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge), Kid Rock and Ian Astbury (The Cult). The singles released from the album are "Sahara","Back From Cali","By the Sword" and "Beautiful Dangerous".
Slash also colla borated with Myles Kennedy as Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators and released a few albums from 2012 onwards with 4 being released in 2022.
Bent to Fly
Slash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you worry
I cannot stay here any longer
The time has come to find a distant calling
That only seems to get much stronger
And, I know it's hard
To see the one you come to lean on make his way
I won't stop running
I'm only getting closer
To getting off the ground this time
The sky is calling, the wind is at my shoulders
Won't let this chance pass me by
Mama, I'm bent to fly
(Oh I'm bent to fly)
Remember yesterday
Before the storm
Before the innocence was lost
I promised I would stay forever more
But, every boy, in time moves on
Your wounds will heal someday
This I know, but I am restless and so torn
Mama, I can't stay here anymore
I won't stop running
I'm only getting closer
To getting off the ground this time
The sky is calling, the wind is at my shoulders
Won't let this chance pass me by
Mama, I'm bent to fly
I can feel it coming
A perfect storm is rising
Gotta say my last goodbye
(Mama, I'm bent to fly)
Oh
Mama, don't you cry
Don't you worry
I cannot stay here any longer
I won't stop running
I'm only getting closer
To getting off the ground this time
The sky is calling, the wind is at my shoulders
Won't let this chance pass me by
Mama, I'm bent to fly, oh
But mama, I'm bent to fly, yeah, hey, hey, yeah!
I can feel it coming
A perfect storm is rising
I gotta say my last goodbye
The song Bent to Fly by Slash tells the story of someone who feels the need to leave their current situation to pursue a dream that has been calling to them. The singer acknowledges the difficulty of leaving someone they care about, expressed in the lines “I know it's hard / To see the one you come to lean on make his way / Far beyond the world but I can't stay”. However, the pull of the sky and the desire to take a chance is stronger. The singer reassures their loved one that their wounds will heal and that they must move on. The final lines of the song express the sense of impending change and the feeling of excitement and anticipation that comes with taking a risk, “I can feel it coming / A perfect storm is rising / Gotta say my last goodbye”.
Through its lyrics, the song speaks to anyone who has ever felt conflicted about pursuing their dreams and leaving behind a comfortable and familiar life. It touches on the feelings of restlessness, uncertainty and excitement that can accompany making such a big change, as well as the pain of saying goodbye to loved ones. Ultimately, the song encourages listeners to take risks and embrace change.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama, don't you cry
Addressing his mother, the singer tells her not to be sad or upset.
Don't you worry
He reassures his mother that she should not worry about him.
I cannot stay here any longer
The singer announces that he has to leave his current place.
The time has come to find a distant calling
He believes that it is now the right time to pursue something he feels drawn to.
That only seems to get much stronger
The urge to pursue this calling is growing ever stronger.
And, I know it's hard
The singer acknowledges that it is difficult for his mother to see him leave.
To see the one you come to lean on make his way
His mother has relied on him in the past, yet he is now pursuing his own path.
Far beyond the world but I can't stay
He has to go beyond the world as he knows it, leaving behind his familiar surroundings.
I won't stop running
He is determined to keep moving forward.
I'm only getting closer
He is making progress towards his goal.
To getting off the ground this time
This time, he is truly taking off and making a significant change.
The sky is calling, the wind is at my shoulders
He feels the pull of the sky, and the wind is urging him forward.
Won't let this chance pass me by
He is determined to seize this opportunity and not let it slip away.
Mama, I'm bent to fly
He acknowledges that he is driven to soar, and is telling his mother this.
Remember yesterday
He brings up a memory of the past.
Before the storm
This memory occurred before a difficult time in his life.
Before the innocence was lost
This memory was from a time when things were simpler and more carefree for him.
I promised I would stay forever more
He made a promise to someone that he would never leave.
But, every boy, in time moves on
Still, he points out that it is natural for boys to grow up and move on.
Your wounds will heal someday
He tries to reassure his mother that any pain she feels now will eventually fade.
This I know, but I am restless and so torn
Despite this knowledge, he feels restless and conflicted.
Mama, I can't stay here anymore
He repeats that he cannot stay where he currently is.
But mama, I'm bent to fly
The singer reiterates that he is driven to fly, and is telling his mother this once again.
I can feel it coming
He senses that change is on the horizon.
A perfect storm is rising
This change will not be easy or calm, but rather tumultuous like a storm.
Gotta say my last goodbye
He has to say goodbye as he moves on to his next phase of life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MYLES KENNEDY, SAUL HUDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lynnhannula3571
Bent to fly just played on a local rock station. .it brought tears to my eyes..my 17 year old son just left for the air force. .lyrics were perfect for what I'm feeling. .love this song
@danielredfield4893
He's lucky, probably gunna get to see a lot different countries, when he makes it to Okinawa, Japan make him send home a couple bottles of Habo sake through the mail lol
@thekenmatax18
Daniel Redfield Dude, what?
@ldlightlady2539
Art!
@hallquiche
Are you related to some Finnish immigrants?
@bunnyhug4365
Lynn Hannula awe...the air force, how cute. When his balls drop maybe he can come join the men over in the marine corps.
@francesco0185
Slash and Myles Kennedy songs deserved much much much more success, attention and acknowledgement. These are the best rock songs of the decade.
@bamagts
Slash and Myles fit together better than most musicians I've seen as of late. These guys are only going to get bigger.
@kevinwlee1
You could say they can't stop running, they're only getting closer.... ;)
@darkjaker1
Kevin Lee haha spot on