Slash's Snakepit
It's Five O' Clock Somewhere

In 1995, the Guns N' Roses phenomenon was about to experience a sudden halt. The band was in turmoil due to numerous issues, and its charismatic curly-haired guitarist was about to leave. Due to incompatibility in character with leader Axl Rose, or perhaps due to profound differences in musical viewpoints, Slash left the band to focus on creating an album more aligned with his tastes and musical background. Truth be told, however, the guitarist had tried (with little success) to propose the tracks to his former bandmates, only to be met with a resounding refusal from Axl Rose.

In this venture, Slash was accompanied by many members of the Guns: Matt Sorum (drums), Gilby Clarke (rhythm guitar), and albeit in a more limited role, Duff (bass), Teddy Andreadis (harmonica), and Dizzy Reed (keyboards). Completing the ensemble was Eric Dover. The first striking highlight is the monstrous production of the album. Geffen (the same company as Guns N' Roses) had a lot of faith in a hypothetical second golden goose, and produced a technically perfect CD. The sound clarity is impeccable, which is rare in a market where sound quality issues are commonplace. The album opens with an arpeggio of clear blues origin, enriched by Dover's almost mystical voice. “Neither Can I” immediately makes it clear that the album's path is not to copy Guns N' Roses, but rather to play a classic, dirty, and raw Hard-Rock with a touch of blues here and there. “Beggars And Hangers On,” the first single, is a great semi-ballad, which begins to introduce Eric Dover to his new fans. The album continues with a mix of fast, aggressive tracks and slower, more thoughtful pieces. The album runs at a high standard, and in this regard, certainly worth more than a mention are: “Monkey Chow,” “Soma City Ward,” and “Take It Away” for their explosiveness and great guitar work. With “Doin Fine,” the carefree and playful spirit of a band in great shape emerges. “Jizz da Pitt,” the first and only instrumental track on the album, is an exercise in Slash's virtuosity, which would be incredible in the following live performances. Another remarkable peak of the album occurs with the final song: “Back and Forth Again.” A nearly 6-minute ballad, characterized by a very soft keyboard intro, continues with an arpeggio, and explodes with yet another inspired riff. The solo midway through the song is perhaps one of the best in Slash's entire career.

An album that, however, is not without its flaws. The excessive length, for example. 14 songs, with an average duration of 5 minutes, make the album excessively heavy, even though there are no noticeable dull moments. The impression is that the band had a lot of fun jamming in the studio and wanted to leave intact what was good produced, without cuts or special sound effects. The album's success wasn't overwhelming, and the band disbanded after a year and a half of world touring. The tour also passed through our beautiful country, where those present remember a particularly outstanding Slash at the Pistoia Blues Festival.

In conclusion, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” is a great Hard-Rock album, which certainly doesn't lend itself to being studied in conservatories, but gives full dignity to a guitarist who simply wanted to play his instrument. Without making ultra-expensive videos or monstrous marketing campaigns, all things Slash has always been allergic to. An album like this will unlikely appeal to all "Guns N' Roses" fans, but I am sure it will gather numerous positive feedback from all lovers of pure and rugged rock. Something that, perhaps, nowadays, we struggle to hear.