Despite the fact that I’ve always loved Slash – he’s one of the greatest, most melodic lead guitar players of all time and is perhaps the greatest guitarist of his generation – and despite my long profession of love for the blues and blues rock, I was thoroughly prepared to dislike Slash’s new blues covers album Orgy Of The Damned. I purposely stayed away from the early singles on this record as I wanted to experience it as a whole vs piecemeal. Oh man, am I ever glad to be wrong. This is a sensational guitar, blues record. I’ve been blasting it loudly since I got up yesterday. 

We’re no stranger to Slash’s solo work and have reviewed some of his previous stuff. Frankly, his first solo record, outside of GnR and without Miles Kennedy & the Conspirators, the eponymous titled album from 2010 might be my favorite of his. Like 2010’s Slash, the new Orgy Of The Damned boasts a host of guest lead singers. Like Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen, Slash has to collaborate with singers as he can’t sing…much like your intrepid blogger. The LSD stories he could probably tell…“Lead Singer Disease.” At first glance, a blues album from Slash may come as a bit of a surprise. But back in 1996 when he first left GnR, Slash did experiment with the genre and played a few shows under the name Slash’s Blues Ball. Two guys from that band are actually supporting Slash on this record, as the “house band,” if I may use a “blues bar-hosted open jam” vernacular. Jimmy Griparic mans the bass and Tommy Andreadis plays keyboards. Rounding out the band is (mostly) Michael Jerome on drums and Tash Neal on second guitar.

Since Slash rotates lead singers on every song this album does feel like I’ve headed down to the local blues juke joint, ordered a plate of ribs and some ice cold beer and settled in for a blues jam. A blues jam, for those who have never been to a blues bar, is where a bar puts a house band up on stage but individuals from the audience are invited to jump up and play guitar, harmonica, drums or sing. Whoever is there and wants to play with the band is welcome. Now, you’ve got to actually be able to play or sing. I couldn’t jump up and sing “Strangers In The Night,” I’d be chased out of the bar. In my late 20s/early 30s I used to spend every Saturday afternoon at a place (since closed) called Harlings where they hosted an open blues jam from 2pm to 6pm. I also spent quite a few Sunday nights at a place called B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ where they had loose jam every weekend. Many a Monday I had a ribs, beer and blues hangover… I took the Rock Chick there on one of our first dates and I can still remember watching this petite woman swaying in her seat, waving a rib in the air while the band played “Born Under A Bad Sign.”

While we’ve always loved a good album of all cover songs – cover albums, if you will – the strength of a covers project depends on the material and who you choose to collaborate with. In terms of material, Slash picked some really classic, standard blues songs. He’s got great taste in the blues. Songs made famous by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson are on the record. He also plays some tracks from blues rock bands like Peter Green‘s Fleetwood Mac and Steppenwolf. To mix it up he strays from the blues for a couple of Motown tracks from the Temptations and Stevie Wonder. While those aren’t blues maybe Slash is trying to point to the inherent blues in all great music from the 60s and 70s. Slash also throws in an epic guitar forward instrumental in the end. In terms of material, I have no argument with anything on this album.

Slash also chose some great folks to collaborate with. Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes (who just put out a great new album Happiness Bastards) kicks the record off with a great version of “The Pusher.” That song was originally written by Hoyt Axton but was made famous by Steppenwolf. Chris and Slash just own this track. It’s epic blues rock. I love it! It sounds like everyone involved in this project is having a blast. None other than Gary Clark, Jr shows up for “Crossroads,” a Robert Johnson written song made famous by Cream. Gary and Slash stir up some great chooglin’ guitar heat. ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, who always seems to show up when the blues are being played, sings and plays on the Willie Dixon classic “Hoochie Coochie Man,” made famous by Muddy. It’s a swampy blues extravaganza.

There’s so much to like here. Slash goes acoustic for the Lightnin’ Hopkins song, “Awful Dream” sung by punk legend Iggy Pop. Iggy Pop singing the blues? It works, baby. Former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers shows up to sing one of my all time favorites, Albert King’s “Born Under A Bad Sign.” Paul was born to sing the blues. AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, singing in a lower register than normal, does Howlin Wolf’s “Killing Floor.” it’s great to hear these rock n roll legends get down and dirty with the blues.

Chris Stapleton, a country guy who I’m starting to like, does the old Fleetwood Mac track “Oh Well.” It’s basically a great guitar freak out. It’s one of my favorites here. A woman named Dorothy, who I’d never heard before, comes out and wails on “Key To The Highway.” I prefer the slower Derek & the Dominos version but the gal has some pipes…I was having Janis Joplin flashbacks. Second guitarist Tash Neal takes the microphone on Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The City.” It takes stones to cover Stevie Wonder but they pull it off. Beth Hart, who has done some duets with Joe Bonamassa, just wails on “Stormy Monday,” the ol’ T Bone Walker chestnut made famous for me by the Allman Brothers. She’s delightfully vulgar.

Really, the only misstep here, to my ears, was the inclusion of Demi Lovato on the Temptations’ track, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” She should have listened to the Black Crowes’ recent cover of the song on their EP, 1972. She doesn’t sing so much as caterwaul. At one point I was concerned my drinking glass might shatter. She just doesn’t bring the gravitas that the other singers bring to the blues. Slash wraps things up with an instrumental, which just seems right. It’s not going to change your life like say, “Jessica” did, but it’s a fine song. And he plays some beautiful guitar. It’s certainly a more pleasant listen than Guns N Roses’ last song, “The General.”

For a man who made his name playing hard rock and heavy metal, I have to hand it to Slash. This is a great album and it captures the true spirit of a blues jam down at your local bar. This album may be my summer jam this year. Slash playing the blues, a little sippin’ whiskey and a bathing suit is all I need. Turn this one up loud and surrender to the blues!

Cheers! (“If it wasn’t for bad luck… I’d have no luck at all.”)