Slash feels lucky to be alive
Guns 'N' Roses star Slash has admitted he feels "fortunate" to still be alive after coming close to death several times due to heart problems brought on by his heavy drinking and drug-taking over the years.
Slash feels "fortunate" to still be alive after coming close to death in his 30s.
The Guns 'N' Roses suffered heart problems brought on by his heavy drinking and drug-taking over the years and he admits he is lucky to still be around and able to work as he approaches his 60th birthday in July.
He told The Sunday Times newspaper: "I just feel lucky to be here. I got a letter the other day from my tour manager, detailing one of the times I died back in 2001.
"So I’m just really fortunate and think getting older is an accomplishment - people complaining about their age should rethink ... And so I will do this, proudly, for as long as I physically can."
Slash was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - a form of congestive heart failure - when he was in his mid-30s but recovered after having surgery to add an implant to his heart.
The rocker went on to admit he threw himself into the party lifestyle when he first shot to fame and ended up feeling even more isolated before he eventually got sober in 2006.
He told the publication: "I was just going headlong into everything. Hardcore partying. But nobody ever spoke about what happens when the tour stops, and the adrenaline ends.
"Because I didn’t have a real life before this. I was a kid, then I got into a band. So when I had a break, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to go out and be recognised. That’s not my thing - though I would have been laid more, I guess.
"But instead, I ended up doing lots of drugs - alienating drugs where you are just a loner. I did that for years and, so, finally, I got sober. And then just jumped into spending all my time doing music. It speaks to me in a positive way."
