SLASH: Orgy Of The Damned (BLUES): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Slash's penchant for the blues is nothing new. After leaving Guns'n'Roses in 1996, the man in the top hat put together Slash's Blues Ball as a tribute to the genre. He was accompanied at the time by Teddy Andreadis and Johnny Gricparic, who now faithfully support Walter Trout. So it's not surprising to find the keyboardist and bassist on "Orgy Of The Damned", nor that this opus is a tribute to some blues and soul monuments. To complete the picture, the guitarist called on his address book to invite a wide range of artists to take the microphone alongside him.

Of course, there's nothing exceptional about this exercise, and it has its limits. How do you deal with such monuments? To respect them scrupulously, at the risk of remaining too close to them and contributing nothing, or to attempt a personal interpretation whose audacity could distort the original work too much? It's a difficult balance to strike, but one that Slash and his friends have found with talent and infectious enthusiasm. It has to be said that when your name is Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Compagny), Brian Johnson (AC/DC) or Beth Hart, you have little to fear or prove. And it's fair to say that these monuments have a field day here, offering versions that are sometimes respectful ('Born Under A Bad Sign'), add great intensity ('Hoochie Coochie Man') or add a personal, enriching touch.

For example, Chris Robinson's rendition of 'The Pusher' is both angry and desperate, whereas Steppenwolf's (who made Hoyt Axton's song famous on the Easy Rider soundtrack) was more menacing. As for Iggy Pop, his smoky, hallucinatory version of 'Awful Dream' is not so far removed from Lightnin' Hopkins' minimalist version. Howlin' Wolf's 'Killing Floor', released as a single, will surprise some listeners with Brian Johnson's much deeper-than-usual vocals. As for T. Bone Walker's 'Stormy Monday', it's developed over almost eight minutes, with a roaring, feline Beth Hart and Slash blinding soli. And while it's impossible to dwell on every track in this tasty compendium, we do note the power of Dorothy Martins' (Dorothy) interpretation of Charles Segar's 'Key To The Highway', as well as Tash Neal's superb performance of Stevie Wonder's groovy 'Living For The City'.

With its incandescent, unadulterated versions, "Orgy Of The Damned" stands out as a fabulous association of blues benefactors, with Slash as conductor. Astonishing and blindingly intense, despite the limitations imposed by the cover version, this album will undoubtedly make its mark on the landscape of works paying tribute to the style. Reflecting the festive yet humble ambience of this 5-star luxury team, it's sure to be in the playlists of all fans of the genre. - Official website

SLASH

ORGY OF THE DAMNED

AUTRE LABEL

BLUES