ROSES - SLASH PRAISES WINEHOUSE

Former GUNS 'N' ROSES star SLASH has lavished praise on troubled singer AMY WINEHOUSE, insisting she is "carrying the torch for rock 'n' roll". The legendary guitarist, famed for his wild antics, is a massive fan of Winehouse, but fears the Back To Black hitmaker is on the verge of self-destruction. Winehouse, who won five Grammy Awards earlier this year (08), was admitted to rehab in London in January (08) after a British newspaper published footage of her allegedly taking hard drugs. But Slash hopes she will be able to recover from her personal problems and build on her huge international success. He says, "Amy's cool. She's carrying the torch for rock 'n' roll. I think she's great, not so much because of her personal choices, but because she's a great singer with a unique sound and style. And she doesn't take any s**t. "She's on the verge of greatness, but it would be regrettable if her talent was overshadowed by her extra-curricular activities. She's at a crossroads. I hope she makes the right decision."