Category: Bio

Slash’s real name is Saul Hudson, but his famous stage name has a very specific origin. He received the nickname “Slash” when he was a teenager from actor Seymour Cassel, a close family friend.

According to Cassel, Saul was always:

• rushing from place to place
• constantly involved in different activities
• hanging out with many different groups
• always “on the move”

Because of that fast-paced personality, Cassel told him he was like someone who would “slip in and out of places” — always moving, never standing still.

So he started calling him “Slash.”
The name stuck immediately, and by the time he became a musician, everyone already knew him by that nickname.

Guns N’ Roses remain one of the most influential hard rock bands of all time. Their lineup has changed several times over the last four decades, but a few core members helped define the band’s unmistakable sound. Below is a detailed breakdown of every major lineup era, including the classic Appetite for Destruction formation and the current touring lineup.

Classic Lineup (1985–1987)

This is the lineup behind Appetite for Destruction — the most iconic era in the band’s history.

• Axl Rose – Lead vocals, piano
• Slash – Lead guitar
• Izzy Stradlin – Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Duff McKagan – Bass, backing vocals
• Steven Adler – Drums

Use Your Illusion Era (1990–1993)

During the early 1990s, the band expanded its sound and replaced its original drummer.

• Axl Rose – Vocals, piano
• Slash – Lead guitar
• Duff McKagan – Bass
• Izzy Stradlin → Gilby Clarke – Rhythm guitar
• Matt Sorum – Drums
• Dizzy Reed – Keyboards, synthesizers

Mid-1990s to 2000s Lineup

After most classic members departed, Axl Rose restructured the band with a new roster that would eventually record Chinese Democracy.

Key members from this era include:

• Robin Finck – Guitar
• Buckethead – Guitar
• Bumblefoot (Ron Thal) – Guitar
• Paul Tobias – Guitar
• Tommy Stinson – Bass
• Brain (Bryan Mantia) – Drums
• Josh Freese – Drums
• Chris Pitman – Keyboards
• Richard Fortus – Guitar
• Frank Ferrer – Drums

Reunion & Modern Era (2016–2024)

In 2016, Slash and Duff McKagan rejoined the band, launching one of the most successful reunion tours in rock history.

Core Members

• Axl Rose – Lead vocals
• Slash – Lead guitar
• Duff McKagan – Bass

Supporting Members

• Richard Fortus – Rhythm guitar
• Dizzy Reed – Keyboards
• Melissa Reese – Keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals
• Frank Ferrer – Drums

Current Guns N’ Roses Lineup (2025)

The band continues to tour globally with the following members:

• Axl Rose – Lead vocals
• Slash – Lead guitar
• Duff McKagan – Bass
• Richard Fortus – Rhythm guitar
• Dizzy Reed – Keyboards
• Melissa Reese – Keyboards, backing vocals
• Isaac Carpenter – Drums

Notable Former Members

For a complete historical overview, here are all significant past contributors:

• Izzy Stradlin
• Steven Adler
• Matt Sorum
• Gilby Clarke
• Buckethead
• Bumblefoot
• Robin Finck
• Paul Tobias
• Chris Pitman
• Tommy Stinson
• Josh Freese
• Brain (Bryan Mantia)