Jane Stevenson from Torontosun.com is reporting:

Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) gave CMW delegates what they wanted during his keyote address at Canadian Music Week on Thursday morning in Toronto: Sex, drugs, rock’n’roll ... and Axl.

Being interviewed by CNN anchors and real-life couple John Roberts (a Toronto native) and Kyra Phillips, the guitarist was surprisingly complimentary of his onetime bandmate and GNR’s lead singer, one Axl Rose.

“You have to attempt to understand him as a human being and where he’s coming from,” said Slash, 44, in his trademark black top hat, sunglasses, a black leather jacket and torn black jeans in a packed ballroom at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

“I see things very black and white. That’s just me. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s right. And he sees things in a very colourful kind of way, and I can’t really knock it, ’cause that’s just him. So I try not to sit there and say derogatory things about his personality, because it’s his personality that makes him so f---ing great, and just difficult to deal with.”

On his coming solo debut album, Slash, due in stores April 6, the guitarist pairs up with various singers including former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne.

“Working side by side with Ozzy, which is a voice that I had been listening to since my early rebellious days, taking acid and being 13, and listening to Iron Man and s--t, was a really great experience,” Slash said.

He plans to tour in April with a backing band comprising Myles Kennedy of ALTER BRIDGE on vocals, Bobby Schneck (SLASH’S BLUES BALL BAND) on rhythm guitar, Dave Henning (BIG WRECK) on bass and Brent Fitz (ALICE COOPER) on drums.

Slash, who was born Saul Hudson but given his famous nickname by character actor Seymour Cassel, said he remains to this day still turned on by the sight of a guitar.

He joked that he keeps one in the bedroom to keep things interesting with his wife, Perla.

“We keep a guitar at the end of the bed, in case I need some imagination,” he said with a laugh. “There’s something about a guitar that is just innately sexy. And it is still to this day, when I open up a guitar case, there’s still this sense of ‘Ahhhhh.’”

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