My Favorite Weekend: Slash

The Sunset Strip holds a special place in the heart of one Saul Hudson, better known as the guitarist Slash.

“In the 1970s, my family moved from England to the Laurel Canyon area, and my parents were very much dialed in to the whole Sunset Strip scene,” said the rocker. “They were both in the music business, and the whole reason we lived where we did was because of the recording industry. So I have very vivid memories of the Rainbow and the Roxy, and the Whisky was a huge point of interest at that time. And we practically lived at Tower Records. It was all so great; that’s where I brought my band up. It was a such a scene.”

It still is, and on Aug. 26 to 28 it will be ground zero for the Sunset Strip Music Festival, featuring Slash (West Hollywood has proclaimed Thursday as Slash Day!), the Smashing Pumpkins and much more (www.sunsetstripmusicfestival.com/).

Slash’s Strip

I still live close to the Strip, just up the hill, and when people are visiting from out of town, the first place I send them is the Rainbow. I still go to the Roxy and the Viper Room every so often. The Rainbow and Viper Room are almost like in a time warp. They are cryptically unchanged. You see people you haven’t seen for 20 years, and they pretty much look the same now as they did then. It’s sort of a trip because I’m probably one of them.

The Rainbow is like the community center of the area. It’s a cool place — they’ve got a bar, they play rock music, it’s the last vestige of cool rock ‘n’ roll in the city. People go there religiously, and that’s probably why I go there.

Around town

I like spending time in Malibu because I enjoy the beach there and because I have a lot of friends in the area. Venice is great too because of the atmosphere. I don’t go to either place for exercise, though, and I don’t tend to run around on the streets. If I want to run, it will be on my treadmill at home. I’ve become a bit of a recluse in recent years.

Sometimes when I get people visiting, I’ll take them out. My cousins were visiting from England one time and they really wanted to see Hollywood, so I took them to the Roosevelt Hotel and dragged them up on the roof. That was the best place I could think of to show Hollywood to them.

His kind of hangout

I still go out to some clubs, but you know where I really like to hang out? Canter’s Deli. I’ve been going there since I was a baby. I actually worked there at one time, and I’m pretty good friends with the owners. My ex-girlfriend used to work there when we were together. I have quite a history with Canter’s. Guns N’ Roses took photos there at the beginning of our career. I used to always get the corned beef, but now it’s pastrami. I guess I’ve changed.

A spiritual experience

For a Sunday brunch, I really like the House of Blues. When a restaurant also has live music, I’m usually happy. They have amazing food, and as you might guess the vibe is totally different than a Friday night there. With a whole gospel chorus, it’s a pretty cool vibe. And although it’s got a religious connotation to it, it doesn’t come off as religiously intrusive. It’s a pretty good time if you want to do something on 11 a.m. on a Sunday.

mark.sachs@latimes.com