Slash's 'Cool' Outlook On Success

Guitarist Slash credits his humble approach to GUNS N' ROSES' phenomenal success with maintaining his "cool" image.

The wildman musician refused to let his former group's adoring fans turn him into the egotistical star frontman Axl Rose ultimately became.

And Slash is convinced his decision to leave the PARADISE CITY group when he did has enabled him to enjoy renewed popularity in Velvet Revolver, while Rose - the only remaining Guns N' Roses member - remains a recluse in Los Angeles.

He says, "When you're playing in front of that many people you really appreciate where you came from. Maybe for Axl it became that because he was fronting the band and he was the one responsible for a lot of negative energy from the audience, but I was just happy to be up there playing.

"That's one of the things that made it easy for me to leave the band when I did... because I had some small bit of cool left and I didn't wanna go down with the sinking ship."