Due to legal reasons,
Slash's collaboration with
BLACK EYED PEAS singer
Fergie (a.k.a.
Stacy Ann Ferguson) on a new recording of the
GUNS N' ROSES classic
"Paradise City" (hear audio below), also featuring
CYPRESS HILL, has had to be withdrawn from the limited-edition deluxe version of
Slash's upcoming self-titled solo debut. Fans should note that a brand new track,
"Back From Cali" (featuring
Myles Kennedy) has now been added and that the exclusive
"Baby Can't Drive" (featuring
Alice Cooper and
Nicole Scherzinger) still remains.
Slash took to
Twitter last fall to defend
Fergie's vocal performance
"Paradise City". A copy of the recording surfaced online last year while
Slash was contemplating whether to include it on his new solo album. The former
GUNS guitarist tweeted, "Until now, not too many people have heard
Fergie sing rock & roll but she sings it better (than) most dudes I know. She's a screamer at heart."
Slash recently released the first single from his upcoming solo album, a song called
"By The Sword" featuring vocals from
WOLFMOTHER's
Andrew Stockdale. However, the initial choice for first single was
"Crucify The Dead", with
Ozzy Osbourne singing.
Slash explained why the switch was made. "The problem with this record is, because I do have all guest singers, you run the risk of, you know, getting singles rights and interfering with the release of other people's records," he said. "So that's really what the issue was, is making sure that whatever single I was using wasn't sort of stepping on the toes of that artist's own record. And
Ozzy's got a new record coming out."
Slash's album, his first official solo outing, is due out April 6.
The guitarist uses a different guest vocalist on each track, including
Fergie,
M. Shadows,
Kid Rock,
Chris Cornell,
Dave Grohl,
Lemmy Kilmister,
Myles Kennedy,
Iggy Pop and others.
Slash has also tapped
Kennedy, lead vocalist in
ALTER BRIDGE, as the singer for his upcoming solo tour, which will take place this spring.
Slash's touring band will also appear at Ohio's
Rock On The Range festival in May.
Slash has said in recent interviews that
VELVET REVOLVER will regroup after he has toured his solo record to continue looking for a new singer.