SLASH – A SAUL HUDSON ROCK INTERVIEW NEW ZEALAND

In Saul Hudson on Tour News: I’m watching Renee Wright read the weather forecast tonight on TV. The lovely Renee says that she once interviewed Guns N’ Roses rocker Slash – when he was on tour in New Zealand with talented rock band Velvet Revolver.

Renee said Slash was a real gentleman to interview.

What I know of Slash? People have nothing but nice things to say about Slash who is 47.

As a Hollywood publicist, I once spun the stars at Velvet PR on the Penthouse Suite office floor (no. 22) of 9000 Sunset Blvd. The views were amazing. The Hollywood Hills on one side, a panoramic view of Los Angeles on t’other. I was given a swipe card and when all of the American kids went home of fridays, I would stay late, edit all of their press releases for Monday’s array of work. Then I would stand in the center of gravity at the wall of window’s and watch the beautiful sun setting over one of the world’s most famous cosmopolitan cityscapes and I would dream of a better world for children. The sunlight would bathe my soul, ignite my Maori-Kiwi imagination, exude peace and the views were simply stunning.

I worked with the French-Moroccon-Muslim, fashion/ film-producer set of Los Angeles. It was a refreshing change from my last job working for a top Jewish publicist, with a recommend from Mother Teresa plastered proudly on his wall at all times beneath the US Presidential Seal, who was descended form Russian-Jewish Orthodox holocaust survivors. I used to spin him too once and contribute to his own personal PR portfolio. He was known for never once saying “thank you.” It was his way of being tough in biz.

The Arab-Angelenos were very sophisticated people, some of the most advanced global merchants you’d ever meet, so it was fun. No one rocked fashion merchandise from LA across America, quite like they instinctively knew how to, in the face of opportunity. No American accents prominant yet they grew the USA economy more than most US citizens could. I respected that! They only ever spoke French so it was a challenge at times. I was their English teacher. In charge of all things English going out from their penthouse HQ.

One of our client’s was billionaire fashion mogul Max Azria, (these days, Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortego is the ‘new Max’ on the fashion scene this year as Max was so novel in the USA, back then to the American people). Those were the days when Kim Kardashian was still trying to work out, how to trump Paris Hilton on the young Hollywood club scene. Britney had arrived in LA too, so it was hard for Kim to begin her own fashion merchandising Armenia-American brand and fashion line services. Out the front of the Sunset Office where I used to have a cigarette to escape the non-stop media-line telephones occasionally, there were guitar sculptures. Ice Tea‘s media marketing crew (all white folks) used to try and talk to me, to pick my brains and hear more of the Kiwi accent. “Hip hop is the new rock n’ roll,” they’d tell me. I’d be all like, ”on ya!.” Nice guys.

Max was the man of Sunset Strip back then. He was no small fish. He had his own jet. Rock stars music were what they set their clothes to, down the runways of Hollywoood clubs.

Sometimes I’d do PR at the events. Other times I’d do the PR blue-prints the US publicists would follow to rock the events and the merch out. They loved Guns n’ Roses music. They appreciated Slash’s artistry (outrageous hat etc with good guitar). Their soft side, was listening to soppy Celine Dion tracks and anthems, that also inspired immigrant Americans dreams to rise up and attain the ‘American dream.’ Like I said, they were fun.

They would all go away for weeks at a time, leaving me to run the office without warning. Every day, I would expect them to arrive at work, yet they didn’t. So being a Kiwi, I was innovative and managed their team of American workers, creatively in such off-the-cuff circumstances. Looking back, it was a compliment that they even trusted me to do this.

Fast forward: After I got fired for being too honest, I sat at home on the couch crying in my milk for a few days. Handing over my swipe card to the sunset views was the hardest part. I felt like the skydiver in New Zealand recently, hitting the ground with a thud sans luxury views of LA. Little did I know, the moment would mark the beginning of the global financial crises era in the world. At the time though I was aware of the gravity of the feeling about to hit the world. After the tears dried and I got my resolve back at unfair dismissal my smile returned to my Maori-Kiwi mug. Then I went independent.

In that process, I gave Slash’s family’s PA a job as a publicist, when Slash and his family left LA for a stint of European family living.

She was Australian, nearing 50. Her name was Jane Parker. As it turned out, Jane (who was as blunt as an Aussie outback cocky, could swear like a trooper if anyone took me on, yet at the same time was an unusal paradox who could be as old-school gracious and confidential as Queen Elizabeth II‘s mother, during a tipple too) had nothing but nice things to say about Slash, his wife Perla Hudson and the Hudson’s wonderful children and family.

Of course, I won’t be sharing those things, on this rocking website. :)

Welcome to the jungle/ngahere Slash and Team. Sounding good.

Helen Castles has the rock guitar scoop interview at the airguitar movez: The gist of the interview is: “He told ONE News it was great to be in a new phase in his life where he could concentrate on writing music with a “clear-head”.

“I rock just as hard. I’m just a lot more clear headed about it and I have to be.

“I wouldn’t be here right this minute if I was still doing what I was doing seven years ago,” said Slash.

Not to mention the fact Slash has been a devoted parent for quite some time too! (In rock interviews, rockers leave all that family stuff out, but that’s true. Rock royalty kids, have rockers’ focus when not on stage). I must say, watching Slash on TV, NZ news feels very LA today.

Vector Arena, Auckland was where Slash played tonight. The band also plays CBS Arena, Christchurch on August 19.

How lucky is NZ to have the sound of Slash on guitar live in our cities. I have Maori-British cousins that are Hudsons who live in London and New Zealand, so Slash being a Hudson too makes him like Kiwi whanau (family) almost. Woot!

[Music seletion: Miles Kennedy@Glastonbury. Photos: NBC. And author's own - trail blazing rock guitarist, Jimi Hendrix's star, the Maori-Hollywood version].

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 17.8.12~

August 17, 2012 | Categories: Adam Levine, Arabic, Auckland After Dark, Auckland City, Britain, California, Christchurch, Ellen, Entertainment Celebrity News, Entertainment Distribution, Entertainment News, Families, Family Chats, Family Vs Fame, France, Glastonbury, Guitar, Hats, Hollywood Entertainment News, Hollywood History, Hollywood Television Service, Jimi Hendrix, Los Angeles, Maroon 5, Merchandising, Merchants, Miles Kennedy, New Zealand, Perla Hudson, Pop Art, Pop Cultural Commentary, Publicists, Renee Wright, Rock, Rock N Roll, Rock Stars, Russia, Saul Hudson, Slash, Sunglasses, USA | 2 Comments »