The 5-minute Interview: Slash, Musician

'I like to think I'm good at playing guitar. I'm bad at the drums'

Slash, 42, born Saul Hudson, played lead guitar in Guns N' Roses until 1996. He is now in the Grammy-winning band Velvet Revolver. His autobiography, "Slash" is out now.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Playing my guitar or perhaps working on a new number. Playing the guitar is just what I do it makes me feel pretty much at peace.

A phrase I use far too often...

"All things considered" and I say it a lot.

I wish people would take more notice of...

People need to think more about the loss of energy and actually do something about it. For me, I try to turn off the faucet when I am brushing my teeth and I try and remember to close the refrigerator door.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

I lost my bag on a flight. It contained some really cool jeans, tennis shoes and all sort of goodies. Oh and millions of dollars worth of jewellery well that's what we would have told them if it hadn't come back.

A common misperception of me is...

That I am messed up and rude. That is what people generally think of me when they look at me but I am not as messed up or rude as they think I am.

I am not a politician but...

I like to look at things from both angles and both points of view, I think that's what's missing out of politics.

I'm good at...

I would like to think I am good at line drawing. I draw a lot, normally whatever I feel like, whatever pops into my head and normally cartoons of my own invention. And I guess I would like to think that I was also good at playing the guitar.

I'm very bad at...

I am really bad at playing the drums. You need to have really good co-ordination and I am just not co-ordinated enough.

The ideal night out is ...

Doing a show; it's where I am most comfortable it's my favourite thing to do.

In moments of weakness I...

I always try to address the issue whatever it is. But I did used to use booze a lot to help.

You know me as a guitarist but in another life I'd have been...

An artist.

The best age to be is...

25 I think. It's just when you're at your craziest.

Charlie Francis-Pape