GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist Slash is bringing his brand-new “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival to cities across the U.S. throughout 2024
S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram and stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance. The festival is a celebration of the blues, featuring an all-star line-up that will vary. On all dates, Slash will perform alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Slash formed the “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival to bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the blues, and to perform with other blues artists he admires who share his love of the genre. Slash also has a strong desire to give back to charities that he has supported over the years, as well as to help lift marginalized communities that share his restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all.
A portion of the proceeds from each VIP package and “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival ticket sold will directly benefit the following charities that Slash has selected: The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute and War Child. “S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival has partnered with Plus1.org to support these charitable endeavors.
“The ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ tour is a celebration of blues and rock ‘n’ roll music, and a celebration of unity and togetherness in these uncertain and divisive times,” says Slash. “‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ is a vehicle to help support and uplift people and communities suffering from the injustices of racism and equal rights violations, as well as to support children adversely affected by war and poverty across the world. So, we are contributing a portion of every ticket and VIP package sold from the tour to those ends. ‘S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’ will also provide an environment where folks can get together for a day of great music and hang out and have a good time.”
Joining Slash at various stops on the tour will be WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb’ Mo’, Larkin Poe, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Samantha Fish, ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph, Eric Gales and Jackie Venson.
The trek will kick off on July 5 in Bonner, Montana and wrap up on August 17 in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Ticket pre-sale begins on Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m. local time. General tickets will be available beginning Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m.
“S.E.R.P.E.N.T.” festival tour dates:
July 05 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater *
July 06 – Airway Heights, WA @ Northern Quest Amphitheater *
July 08 – Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Park *
July 10 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater *
July 12 – Lincoln, CA @ Thunder Valley Casino *
July 13 – Los Angeles, California @ Greek Theatre *
July 14 – Tucson, AZ @ Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater *
July 17 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom **
July 19 – La Vista, NE @ The Astro Amphitheater #
July 21 – Terre Haute, Indiana @ The Mill #
July 22 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend #
July 24 – Interlochen, MI @ Interlochen Center for the Arts #
July 25 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center $
July 27 – Windsor, ON, Canada @ The Colosseum at Caesars $
July 28 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Budweiser Stage $
July 30 – Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater $
Aug. 01 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion $
Aug. 04 – New York, NY @ Pier 17 $
Aug. 05 – Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest +
Aug. 07 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre +
Aug. 08 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ^
Aug. 10 – Clearwater, FL @ The Sound at Coachman Park ^
Aug. 11 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre +
Aug. 13 – Huntsville, AL @ The Orion Amphitheater +
Aug. 14 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank Amphitheater +
Aug. 16 – Bentonville, AR @ The Momentary ^^
Aug. 17 – Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre ^^
* Warren Haynes, Samantha Fish and Eric Gales
** Keb’ Mo’, Samantha Fish and Jackie Venson
# Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward and Jackie Venson
$ Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
% ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
^ ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
+ Larkin Poe, ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
^^ Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
Slash is gearing up to launch his highly anticipated solo album titled “Orgy Of The Damned,” a dynamic compilation of 12 tracks that inject new life into blues classics through a raw and instinctive approach. Scheduled for release on May 17 under the banner of Gibson Records, the LP boasts an impressive lineup of guest vocalists, including iconic names such as AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, punk rock legend Iggy Pop, Chris Robinson from THE BLACK CROWES, blues virtuoso Gary Clark Jr., ZZ TOP‘s Billy F Gibbons, rising star Dorothy, rock icon Paul Rodgers of BAD COMPANY, pop sensation Demi Lovato, and country artist Chris Stapleton.
Setting the tone for the album, the first track to be unveiled is a reinterpretation of Howlin’ Wolf’s timeless classic “Killing Floor,” featuring Brian Johnson on vocals and Steven Tyler of AEROSMITH on harmonica. With this star-studded lineup and a fresh take on blues standards, “Orgy Of The Damned” promises to be a captivating and electrifying musical experience for fans of Slash and blues aficionados alike.
The video for “Killing Floor”, which can be seen below, offers a first look at Slash and his blues band Johnny Griparic (bass),Teddy Andreadis (keyboards),Michael Jerome (drums),and Tash Neal (vocals/guitar),recording the song in the studio.
Slash previously said about the track: “‘Killing Floor’ is one of my favorite Howlin’ Wolf songs, but also one of the iconic blues riffs that turned me on as a young guitar player. I’ve always wanted to cover it in some capacity and this record was the perfect vehicle. But playing it with this band, and with Brian Johnson singing, it was an achievement I would never have imagined back then. Let alone Steven Tyler providing the harp.”
Johnson stated: “When Slash asked me to sing on ‘Killing Floor’, I said yes immediately. It was one of the first songs I learned in my very first band, and when he played me the backing track it was a no-brainer, and Steven‘s harmonica is so bloody hot. I had a ball with Slash in the studio, and I think we did this great old song justice. Rock on.”
By celebrating both well-known and largely undiscovered songs, Slash offers a nostalgic nod to the past while reinvigorating the songs with his inimitable guitar playing and the spirit of collaboration. For “Orgy Of The Damned”, the acclaimed guitarist reteamed with storied producer Mike Clink and enlisted the album’s diverse guest vocalists, in a similar way to his 2010 self-titled solo LP “Slash”. To round out his band in the studio and on the road, Slash reunited with two of his bandmates from his BLUES BALL outfit in the ’90s, bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy Andreadis, and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
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.
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.
Slash’s “Orgy Of The Damned” track listing:
01. The Pusher (feat. Chris Robinson)
02. Crossroads (feat. Gary Clark Jr.)
03. Hoochie Coochie Man (feat. Billy Gibbons)
04. Oh Well (feat. Chris Stapleton)
05. Key To The Highway (feat. Dorothy)
06. Awful Dream (feat. Iggy Pop)
07. Born Under A Bad Sign (feat. Paul Rodgers)
08. Papa Was A Rolling Stone (feat. Demi Lovato)
09. Killing Floor (feat. Brian Johnson)
10. Living For The City (feat. Tash Neal)
11. Stormy Day (feat. Beth Hart)
12. Metal Chestnut
