Slash has spread the love to more than just fans who attended one of the 23 “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival shows. Following the conclusion of the iconic GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist’s brief trek this summer, he has announced that the U.S. tour raised more than $125,000 for five nonprofit organizations handpicked by Slash that benefit mental health, and socio-economic equality and justice nonprofits, uplifting the lives of underserved Americans.
The “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival, which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance, was created by Slash with maximum social impact in mind. Slash chose five nonprofit organizations to benefit from touring proceeds lifting marginalized communities and supporting mental health initiatives.
The “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival is proud to donate the full $125,0000 raised equally across National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in honor of Lucy-Bleu Knight, The Greenlining Institute, War Child, The Equal Justice Initiative and Know Your Rights Camp. Plus1.org helped the “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival organize and distribute all of the proceeds.
For the inaugural “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival, Slash handpicked the all-star blues lineup with WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb’ Mo’, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson and Larkin Poe. Slash and his Blues Ball Band — Johnny Griparic (bass),Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis (keys/vocals),Michael Jerome (drums) and Tash Neal (vocals/guitars) — also performed on all “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” dates.
Slash says: “The goal of the ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ festival is to bring music fans together in these divisive times to celebrate the spirit of the blues with other artists who share a love of the blues like I do and to raise awareness and funds for a handful of charities that I have supported over the years. Thank you to WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb’ Mo’, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson and Larkin Poe who performed with us this year.”
Jessica Edwards, chief development officer at NAMI, says: “This donation will help NAMI continue to meet the mental health needs of our nation, advocate for systems level change, and serve youth and young adults on their mental health and wellness journeys. Thank you for joining NAMI in this important work to create a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.”
Debra Gore-Mann, president and CEO of The Greenlining Institute, adds: “The Greenlining Institute appreciates the support of the ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ festival and musicians like Slash that participate in giving back. At Greenlining, we work towards a future where communities of color can build wealth, live in healthy places filled with economic opportunity, and are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change. We partner with communities of color to understand the barriers they face and establish equity-driven policy solutions that will fundamentally transform our systems to create a just and equitable future for all. Contributions from the ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ festival will ensure we can continue to drive this essential work at a time when communities of color continue to face deeply rooted inequities and uncertainty in our rapidly changing world.”
Dr. Samantha Nutt, founder and president of War Child USA and War Child Canada, says: “We are immensely grateful to Slash for his generous support. For over twenty-five years, War Child has delivered long-term solutions to help war-affected children recover from the devastating impacts of conflict. The funds raised from the ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ festival will support locally led programs that provide education, uphold children’s rights, and enhance food security and economic development, helping children and families recover and rebuild their communities.”
Kerem Ozguz, senior director at Know Your Rights Camp, states: “The funds will support Know Your Rights Camp‘s mission to advance the liberation and well-being of black and brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.”
Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director at the Equal Justice Initiative, states: “With such important work ahead, we are energized by this support, which will greatly aid our efforts to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”
The inaugural “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival also celebrated the release of Slash‘s blues solo album “Orgy Of The Damned”. Released in May, Slash‘s critically acclaimed sixth solo album — produced by Mike Clink — is available worldwide on Gibson Records. A first for Slash, “Orgy Of The Damned” spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Album chart in the U.S. The new album also debuted as the No. 1 Blues Album in the U.S and the U.K., No. 2 on the U.S. Rock Albums Chart, as well as achieving Top 10 Chart positions in seven countries around the world.
Hailed a beautifully tailored love letter to the blues, on “Orgy Of The Damned” Slash revitalizes blues classics with the album’s handpicked diverse guest vocalists, which include Brian Johnson (AC/DC),Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Gary Clark Jr., Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ TOP),Chris Robinson (THE BLACK CROWES),Dorothy, Paul Rodgers (FREE, BAD COMPANY),Demi Lovato, Tash Neal and Beth Hart. Slash selected standard blues songs made famous by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, and tracks from blues rock bands like Peter Green‘s FLEETWOOD MAC and STEPPENWOLF. He even strays from the blues for the Motown tracks from THE TEMPTATIONS and Stevie Wonder, showcasing the inherent blues underlying all great music from the 1960s and 1970s. The legendary guitarist reunited with two of his bandmates from his Blues Ball Band outfit in the 1990s, Johnny Griparic (bass),and Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis (keys),and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal who round out his blues band in the studio and on the road.
On “Orgy Of The Damned”, Slash goes back to what has always been at the heart of his playing: the blues.
Although he grew up in England, Slash‘s American grandmother turned him on to the blues early on and he was immediately taken with B.B. King. At the same time, his parents raised him on a healthy diet of ’60s British rock ‘n’ roll, from THE WHO to THE KINKS. Once he moved to Laurel Canyon, Slash found himself surrounded by rock and folk singers like Joni Mitchell, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH and Neil Young — all of whom eventually inspired his playing and songwriting. It wasn’t until he began playing guitar himself that Slash realized all of his favorite musicians had been influenced by the same B.B. King blues records he’d listened to as a young kid.
“Orgy Of The Damned” encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson‘s “Crossroads” to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker‘s “Stormy Monday”. Some of the songs, like STEPPENWOLF‘s “The Pusher”, Charlie Segar‘s “Key To The Highway” and Albert King‘s “Born Under A Bad Sign”, had been performed by SLASH’S BLUES BALL while others, like Stevie Wonder‘s “Living For The City”, were longtime favorites for Slash. “Hoochie Coochie Man”, written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of “Orgy Of The Damned”, with ZZ TOP‘s Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar.
As Slash was considering vocalists, he approached his old friend and collaborator Iggy Pop, who had long wanted to record a blues song. Pop suggested Lightnin’ Hopkins‘s 1962 track “Awful Dream”, a sparse, drawling number originally laid down on acoustic guitar. The duo decided to recreate that stripped back vibe and recorded their own languid, emotionally-resonate version sitting on two stools in Slash‘s studio.
Elsewhere on “Orgy Of The Damned”, Demi Lovato lends her powerhouse voice to “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”, a fervent, soulful version of the 1972 single by THE TEMPTATIONS that Slash admired as a kid. Although the song veers more towards R&B, the guitarist wanted to give it his own impassioned spin. The album concludes with a soaring original instrumental number, “Metal Chestnut”, penned specifically for “Orgy Of The Damned” by Slash.
The first single, “Killing Floor”, features Johnson on vocals and Tyler on harmonica.
