Slash's Snakepit - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- 45 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 14.02.1995
On May 22, 1993, the State of Israel was on high alert. That evening, Guns N' Roses were scheduled to perform at Park HaYarkon as part of the tour supporting their double album Use Your Illusion.
The excitement was at its peak. Shortly beforehand, it was announced that Izzy Stradlin would replace Gilby Clarke, who had been injured. It was a rare opportunity to witness the band in a lineup closest to its original formation.
But there was a catch. Izzy Stradlin, who had rejoined the band shortly before the show, refused to rehearse, did not want to play even a single song beforehand, and was unfamiliar with much of the material when he walked onstage. The greater the anticipation, the deeper the disappointment. The performance was notably weak in front of 50,000 spectators.
Later on, Slash and Duff McKagan both wrote about the disappointing Tel Aviv show. They placed much of the blame on Stradlin, though Axl Rose and his erratic behavior did little to make life easier for the members of "Guns N' Roses".
In July 1993, the band concluded their tour in Argentina with a lingering bitterness that only intensified over time. That feeling became more pronounced following the release of their covers album The Spaghetti Incident? in November 1993.
Slash claimed the band had begun to feel like a foreign entity, with Axl Rose exerting increasing control over its direction and internal dynamics. Not only did he permanently dismiss guitarist Gilby Clarke without consulting the other members, he also insisted that Paul Huge take Clarke’s place.
“I was open to the idea, until Paul showed up,” Slash later recalled. “He had no personality, and no particular guitar style or sound that I could identify with.”
During the "Use Your Illusion" tour, Slash had accumulated several original songs of his own. He recorded them with Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Dizzy Reed, and Duff McKagan in his home studio, which he nicknamed “The Snakepit.” He presented the material to Axl Rose, hoping to include at least some of it on the next original "Guns N' Roses" album. However, when Axl heard the recordings, he rejected them outright.
So Slash decided to form his own band for what was intended to be a one-time side project. The lineup included Matt Sorum on drums, Gilby Clarke on rhythm guitar, and "Alice in Chains" bassist Mike Inez. What they still lacked was a vocalist. Slash said the group briefly hosted several different singers, but ultimately chose former "Jellyfish" touring guitarist Eric Dover for the frontman role, following a recommendation from former "Riverdogs" drummer Marc Danzeisen.
“The choice of Dover was based solely on the fact that he could sing,” Slash said. “I had never met the guy before I heard him sing. It was based on a demo tape where I heard him sing.”
The result was "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere", the debut album by "Slash's Snakepit", released on February 14, 1995.
Slash did not want the project to bear his name, but the label, "Geffen Records", insisted. The album’s title stemmed from a phrase Slash overheard at an airport, a kind of justification for having the first alcoholic drink of the day. The album cover was created by Slash’s brother, Ash Hudson.
Musically, this is a loose, unfiltered rock record in all its shades, ranging from punk and blues rock to Southern rock and hard rock, with songs that reflect much of the criticism Slash had toward Axl Rose, including "What Do You Want to Be" and "Take It Away".
The lead single "Beggars & Hangers-On", written by Slash and Duff McKagan together with vocalist Eric Dover, deals with the problems plaguing the city of Los Angeles, including drug users and drug dealers. The entire music video is shot in black and white and set in the 1930s, a period when probation, hardship, and poverty were at their peak in the United States.
"Be the Ball" was written by Slash based on his favorite book, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson, and his favorite game, pinball. The phrase “Be the Ball” gained popularity in the film Caddyshack, where Chevy Chase used the expression while guiding a young golfer.
"Good to Be Alive" was released as the album’s second single, accompanied by a music video directed by August Jakobsson. It was written by Slash, Gilby Clarke, and Eric Dover, and driven by a funk-influenced bass line from Mike Inez.
One of the album’s most important tracks is "Lower", written in the wake of the deaths of Slash’s former girlfriend Savannah and Kurt Cobain. The song is built around a slow, pulsing beat and a dissonant verse melody, giving it a haunting atmosphere that perfectly matches its lyrical weight.
The closing track, "Back and Forth Again", reflects on the rollercoaster of ups and downs that come with life. The title was Slash’s idea, but the lyrics were written by Eric Dover. According to Slash, the song deals with “people who can’t come to a unified understanding and break up.”
The album went on to achieve platinum status, selling over one million copies in the United States, largely thanks to the supporting tour. However, neither Mike Inez nor Matt Sorum participated in that run. They were replaced by former "White Lion" bassist James LoMenzo and former "Pride & Glory" drummer Brian Tichy, who had also played with Billy Idol.
Somewhere in an alternate universe, Axl Rose approves Slash’s songs for the next "Guns N' Roses" album, one that would not be called Chinese Democracy and would sound far more like "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere", the debut release by "Slash's Snakepit".
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music