I discuss a lot more guitar based stuff and do more personal interactive chats over on my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/jushawk

I was watching one of the episodes and during the part Justin sings the show's theme song, my 91 year old mom heard it and said, "He's got a beautiful voice." 👍

I love the way Slash and Izzy played together (or off each other) on Appetite For Destruction. One of them is in one channel and vice versa. Welcome To The Jungle is a perfect example of how great they were together, if you listen to it on headphones you can clearly hear just how great their playing was.

I have to say that you are a total class act. You are exceptional at honestly critiquing a song and not dogging all over the artist. You are very genuine and complimentary when it is appropriate.

This guy really knows a lot about music! He should start a band

The tune reminds me of Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger.

This is a good example of 'keeping "real rock n roll" alive' while simultaneously driving nails into the coffin. Evolve or die! Your comments about the conservatism of the vocal are spot on. I don't think any old-school rocker would feel betrayed by a more inventive melody, so long as the grit and attitude are intact. Cheers!

I wanna see Justin sing with Slash!

Their best collab was their original collab on Slash's solo album with various singers. Starlight and Back from Cali were amazing. By the Sword with Andrew Stockdale was great too.

That verse isn’t Judas Priest, it’s “You keep -a knockin’, but you can’t come in”, from Little Richard’s version of the Louis Jordan song!!

love it! who else could toss in a Gershwin reference in a critique of a Slash riff Kudos!

one of the things I love about The Darkness is how far the melodies are pushed beyond what I'd expect from rawk

The melody at 9:21 is identical to Little Richard's version of 'Keep A-Knockin', released in 1957. Apparently the song goes back to the '20s, but this was the first rock 'n roll version of it. Listen to how much Myles is channeling Little Richard, whether he knows it or not. It's basically an old blues riff Justin, as you know. Just started watching your channel, and I'm really enjoying it. Thanks for the ride!

That old time rock n roll by Bob Seger springs to mind right away..

You cast quite a wide net in regards to your sartorial choices. Last week you looked like a sea captain from Miami Vice and today you look like Michael Douglas from "Falling Down". Kudos, Justin.

I enjoy the collaboration between Slash and Myles Kennedy but don’t think it will be possible to top ‘It’s 5 o’clock somewhere’. That album was killer!!

I absolutely love how you break things down, I honestly feel as though I am just sat having a chat with you. Brilliant, thanks.

You hit the nail on the head about 'getting away with it', I feel like being an amazing singer can be detrimental to needing really hooky melodies. While there are exceptions of great singers who write amazing melodies, 'mediocre' or 'character' singers need strong melodies to stand out, so they can't be lazy with the writing. It's not too dissimilar to technical shred guitarists, they think that crazy playing with overshadow the need for great riffs and melodies

Glad you mentioned Todd Kerns! His solo stuff and age of electric are great, amazing musician and highly underrated

Justin, I think you nailed it in the sense that Slash needs to be out there playing. He truly has the best of both worlds now where he now has a catalog of solo work that lets him create new music. If he wants the nostalgia run, he can go do his 3 hour sets with GNR. Before he was back with GNR, he did incorporate a lot of those songs in his set. But now that he has a significant catalog with Myles and the conspirators, he can focus on his solo stuff when he’s out with SMKC. The new album is good and I enjoy it. Agree with many of the comments that it’s safe in spots, but the real magic is seeing them live. Slash and his band are 100% live. Straight up ass kicking rock and roll and those live vocals are sick. Myles and Todd sound great together.

From a guitar master to another! What an amazing video! I love it! Justin Hawkins and Slash, I couldn't ask for more! 🙏❤️‍🔥🙏

You know who I'd like to see singing with Slash? Patton. You know who I'd like to see singing with pretty much anyone? Patton.

I really love your channel. You’re talented and all the insight into music, the industry, and related topics…..thanks for your time, sir!

Thoroughly enjoyable video - I liked hearing you thinking aloud while listening to the song. I just recently found your channel and I find your honest insights really refreshing.

Glad to see Todd get some recognition. I think he's the unsung hero in this band. In live sets he's the one to cover songs such as Welcome to the Jungle etc. and honestly those covers got more edge than Myles haha. I recently found out about his 90s band 'Age of Electric' too where he was the singer. The guy was born to do this no doubt. You hit the nail on the head with Myles too. All of these Myles & Slash albums have sounded very safe to me and singing melodies are probably the biggest "offender" to blame. All the material is perfectly good or great even, but I'm not getting excited about this stuff. Still I admire their work ethic. Both Myles and Slash have been pumping out new music on a steady pace and it's always at the very least good. There isn't really dip in quality.

Myles is an awesome vocalist but remember, it is “Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators” not “Myles Kennedy featuring Slash & the Conspirators”…..check out Summergirl - the Mayfield Four or Cry of Achilles - Alter Bridge if you want to hear some vocal creativity. Really enjoy the channel Justin, keep ‘em coming, very enjoyable 🤘

Slash's solo is great, but it can't save this song from being derivative and boring. I also think that the high voice is much more interesting than Miles', although probably because it reminds me of Axl's.

Myles was singing while he was dealing with covid. He mentioned that he could fill his lungs filling up!

You're bang on, Slash is such a distinctive and glorious rock n roll guitar player. That he also inspires so many players, while most of us (me included!) know we're never, EVER gonna to get close to being the consummate riff machine/songwriter/lead player/top hat sporting badass that he embodies with ever track he plays on. He's absolutely the real deal where RNFR is concerned.😎🎸🎩 Side note: can you IMAGINE how many of Gibson's LP sales he's been responsible for over the years?!! 😧🤯

Justin!!!! The Darkness are one of my all time bands!! I remember hearing ‘I believe in a thing called love’ when it was first released on Triple J in 2003. I was absolutely rocked to my core. Thank you for doing what you do!!

Hi Justin , I want you to know how much I'm enjoying your videos, so much good that your giving away for free, musical knowledge from years of experience and your sharing it with us all , many thanks , and your down to earth like listening to my mate chatting down the pub, top man , keep in keeping on 🤘🤘🤘

Your channel brightens my day

Todd sings all the high backing vocals

My problem with the last two albums from this band is they're all such good musicians, the albums sound like they knocked them out in a week or two just to do an album. They're a set of perfectly functional rock songs, but below the talents of the band. Feel like they're probably spinning too many plates between Alter Bridge, GnR, this, and whatever else they get up to.

Spot on. Insightful assessment of why the song sounds like "Pub Rock". Brilliant Justin

Such a legend.. it’s crazy how Justin is doing these thing talking about Legends when he is such a legend himself! And the crazy thing is I’ve seen a few of the “greats”(to say the least) and the darkness put on one hell of a show. One of the best gigs I’ve ever been too and I’ve been to hundreds!!

Myles looks like the dude formerly of Footloose and latterly of mobile phone flogging.

Watched an interview with slash ages ago, and for the life of me I can't find it again, but anyway in it slash reveals that Myles used to be a guitar instructor and when they play together slash gets technical tips off him which adds to his playing and I think you can hear it when they play together. Slash sounds like slash, but I think when these two are together there's something special and extra in slash's playing.

Please do a whole video on Slash through the years! Loved this video Justin.

Great Channel Justin, what a way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

That opening riff instantly reminded me of "Shake my tree" by Coverdale/Page!!!

Myles can do the GnR and Velvet Revolver stuff live great. Also that riff is half of Shake My Tree by Coverdale/Page.

Great break down and analysis on this track! Good fun as always Justin!

Looking very smart Mr H, listening to your videos are one of my favourite parts of the day.

Myles is also a follower on your instagram… Because he liked your post, it led me to your awesome channel! I can recommend the last song on this album, Fall back to earth. I’ve been listening to it every day since it came out.

Personally the "world on fire" album is my favourite! The songs go hard on that album and it has an old school rock vibe I love it!!

Love your deconstruction videos. So cool to see Slash playing a V. I've never seen him playing anything other than a LP. Cheers! 💚🎸

I'm really enjoying these videos

Their song 'Starlight' has incredible notes by Myles

Slash's solo album Slash (2010) is awesome the whole thing, best songs are Promises ft. Chris Cornell, Ghost, Back From Cali, Crucify The Dead & Watch This

Let's rock Justin, amo o seu trampo no The Darkness. Muito bom o comentário!

Great video Justin. Last time i seen this band live in Glasgow the bass player sang on a cover of you're crazy and it was the best thing on the whole show, so he can smash those high notes

All I have to say is this: When my band played Download in 2010, I watched everybody and Slash and Myles destroyed that day and was the best band of the day IMO topping Billy Idol, STP etc only Aerosmith was as good. They had some serious juice that day. I haven’t followed up on the recent recordings so I cannot comment on that.

It's true that Myles' voice and Slash's guitar playing are a good fit. I once saw Slash play live with Myles on lead vocals, and they played some Guns n Roses songs - I won't say Myles sounded exactly like Axl, but he certainly did the songs justice.

I swear Justin can the see the entire universe, after he sings his intro, that look is of a man that can see the universe

That intro riff reminds me A LOT of 'Shake My Tree' off Coverdale/Page. An underrated LP. Myles was considered as the vocalist for a reborn Zep in 2008. Jammed with the lads for a week. Yeah, I also noticed the Tyler resemblance. Always great to find another diehard Slash fan.

I really love Eric Dover, his voice is incredible and suited Slash's playing with Slash's Snakepit.

Everything about the new album 4 is totally stripped back and 'good ol rock 'n' roll'. Slash even remarked that recording the album was orgasmic! The live recording element is really raw and not often heard these days, and I really enjoyed the laid-backness of it. I must say, the whole album is a banger! A lot less intricate and technical than I'm used to from Slash and Myles compared to the past few albums, but still a fair few earworms on there - including this song which has taken up residence in my brain a LOT the past few weeks! Huge Myles fan, seen him with Alter Bridge, Solo and with Slash and he has a fantastic range and is top notch (check out Alter Bridge Live from the Albert Hall with a live orchestra - mindblowing high note in Words Darker than Their Wings) Must mention Todd Kerns too, fantastic bass player and superb harmonising with Myles (The Heaverly Brothers) Huge respect for all these guys and for you, wish I had a fraction of the talent!! Anyways, thats my two penneth! Keep rockin' Jussy! Hope to see you at the rail at another gig very soon!

Well said Sir! Love the vids, great work keep it up! Was a cracking gig in Norwich btw and hope you're well! Lowestoft Salutes You!

Love this channel. Great work and interesting

It's just .old time rock and roll" rewritten again.

Love to know what you think about modern guitar heroes like Tim Henson and Jason Richardson.

The video I’ve been WAITING FOR. Justin talks SLASH

I'm loving your honesty when dissecting / critiquing artist. especially legends like Slash, Bon Jovi, etc.

Myles Kennedy’s voice is insanely great!✨

Always felt like their music was good but not really GREAT.

Great analysis. So interesting and informative.

I know this vid has been out for a little while now, but can I just say that the phrase 'up at the dusty end of the guitar!' has had me chuckling for weeks. Thankyou Justin for making these vids, they always keep me entertained with both the factual and the funny.

3 things I got from this video. 1: You are an amazing musician in your knowladge and the way you can can work things out. 2: you seem a genuine person and have a great voice. 3: your arms are so thin, does that prevent you from playing more than an hour ;) BTW you are soo much of a better player and singer than me :)

My fav Slash collaboration is "Always on the Run" with Lenny Kravitz. Still rips to this day. Great video too.

Thank you for this!!

I love Slash & Myles…. I’ve got all their albums and saw them live opening for Aerosmith. Great show.

I’ve got a question for you Justin. When you listen to music, weather old or new can you shut off that part of your brain that wants to analyze it? Can you just enjoy it? Does your mind keep your heart from it? I love the your take on things here.

Having listened to the excellent Motorheart on repeat, it occurred to me why SLASH 4 doesn't excite the brain: THOSE LYRICS. Justin, you’re a fun storyteller. (Dare I say getting better with each album?) Whereas, I find all of the SLASH 4 songs filled with generic “I don’t like you”, “we’re having problems”-style lyrical content that I I'm having trouble remembering.

The opening riff makes me think somebody was playing around with Lonely Is The Night.

09:12 I like how you went for the judas priest song, which to be fair does sound the same as what you initially seemed to sing. "rolling! rolling!..." from 'proud mary' - credence clearwater revival

I’m a huge fan of Slash and I really liked his work with Velvet Revolver. RIP Scott Weiland. In your video you mentioned T. Rex and it made me wonder… What are your thoughts on the song Buick MacKane from T.Rex?

Justin, you are spot on about Myles' voice. You can tell he's well trained, and he works hard to be solid... but he sings from his training, not from his gut. He'd be an outstanding cover band, "pub band" singer, but he's pretty dry with this stuff. Not just this song either, I've listened to a bunch of their stuff and always thought he sounded good, but not great.

Good video dude . Enjoy your personality and your breakdowns on material 👍

“Slash is up the dusty end of the guitar!” Classic!

Myles Kennedy is one of the best singers for sure. The first 4 Alter Bridge albums are fire

These guys are great live, I like (not love) their records. I actually like the album where Myles was a guest the best (the Fergie track Beautiful Dangerous especially)

There is a horror movie, "Nothing Left To Fear." It was the first film produced through Slash's production company, Slasher Films. Slash and Myles Kennedy also did the theme song by the same name. It's hauntingly beautiful. The name of the KZfaq video is "Slash & Myles Kennedy - Nothing Left To Fear (Acoustic). I hope you enjoy it.

Love the slash and miles colab, I’ve really enjoyed their previous stuff but I’ve not purchased this latest offering yet. I did hear slash on planet rock talking about it though, (worth a listen) …from what I remember, those vocals weren’t intended to be the finished item but they decided to go with them when miles got COVID

On 3rd December 2021, as a Christmas present, my stepson took me to the Manchester Academy to watch The Darkness. Shortly after arriving in this great city, we got lost and stumbled around its streets, breathing in the moist, Seattle-like precipitation until we found, and joined, a very long queue on Oxford Road. After a short while, I grew suspicious of, or should I say the lack thereof; leather, body piercings, hair, vintage 80's synthesizer tattoos and the essence of petunia. After the couple in front of us started to discuss the Damnation of Faust, I realised that we were in the queue for the students' union bar! Thankfully, the queue for The Darkness concert was a mere 'Mudslide' away. After a scan of my COLON, sorry, COVID pass, along with a body cavity search reminiscent of, John F. Kennedy airport's, I entered what can only be described as a, German, John Thompson, film set. An eye opening experience to be sure. What followed was a four-hour descent into a rambunctious riff-round of rapacious-rabid-rabbled rock! I managed to survive the half-time drunken mosh pit, barely, but not the end of night, rugby-scrum-search for the band's discarded guitar plectrums. Exhausted, battered and bruised, I left the venue. The long drive home played havoc with my haemorrhoids and I suffered with high frequency loss in my left ear for several days after the concert. I cannot wait for the next tour! If rock and roll deserves to die then this band is deserving of its resurrection! Ignore the naysayers. I thank you all, sincerely, for one of the best nights of my life. Leonski.

Todd is an incredible vocalist, and definitely doesn't get the credit he deserves. His backing vocals are doing all the heavy lifting in this band. Saw him in Vegas over a decade ago where he sang Gimme Shelter, including the freakin' Merry Wilson part. Just insanely talented.

There’s a great festival in Budapest every summer, it is called ‘Sziget’ (Island). I remember once Slash’s Snakepit was invited, so that was kind of at the end of GnR (I think it was the end, just for me, sorry for all the fans, but after Use Your Illusions it went down...). Anyho, we were setting up our tents close to the main stage and started to hear some riffs, obviously it was Slash... my friends told me that neh, it can’t be him playing, maybe someone else just doing the soundchecking, but I told them that it was him, I could recognise his sounds whenever, so we went up to the stage, and there he was... I am 46 now, and miss those 80/90’s good rock music. The Sziget has changed a lot, once it was more about rock music, now it feels like whatever - whoever comes along, way too expensive and commercial. Slash will always be my nr1.

If I'm correct myles also recorded most of this album whilst having covid, so still being able to sing the way he does is amazing

Slash’s band is very MOR… session level.. the songs exist so he can play a solo. Velvet Revolver was a better vehicle.. but we all know to what band he belongs.. Axl and the rest of old GNR. We all love Slash.. he needs to be pushed over into the danger zone, where he reigns supreme.

In my mind, this Myles/Slash collaboration is a great illustration of so much of what is wrong with the rock genre nowadays. Legendary artists, hooking up with extremely talented musicians who dont have what it takes to create groundbreaking music. In fact, I would say this is an epidemic. How many bands can you think of, off the top of your heads?... Kiss, Journey, Boston... the list is a mile long. Artists seem to not want to deal with the ego and eccentricities of other players who can create at a similar level. So they settle for talented musicians, who are great guys but dont have that cutting edge brilliance. So, here we are. Awash in an ocean of mediocre rock music, with little hope in sight. Slash and Myles is a great example. Might as well listen to the Foo Fighters. No risks. No boundaries being pushed. Just, nothingness. It's a terribly sad state of affairs.

I'm loving listening to a professional musician like Justin break down the language of music like this, especially for a bloody guitarist like me. Enlightenmening.

JHRA is a belter of a channel! Keep up the good work

I LOOOOOOVEE Slash n Myles!!! My top 2 bands are the Darkness and Slash n Myles ft Conspirators for absolute sure!! Though I'll admit the latest Slash album has had the weakest effect on me compared to the others he's done though I need to spend more time with it!

Hi Justin, really enjoy these musical breakdown videos, thank you for making them. Do you ever listen to Queens of the Stone Age? I have always thought Josh Homme was an amazing guitarist. Same goes for Jack White of The White Stripes. Would yyou consider analysing some of their stuff? Thank you :)

Don’t forget that’s rock n roll, slash is trying to keep it pure.

OMG youre on KZfaq, made my day!!

Really enjoyed your analysis. As a guitar player in my 40s I have always really loved slash’s playing. A lot of players will give him hell because he plays pentatonic licks and blues based classic-ish rock riffs, but have always liked his style. I can’t say I love Myles Kennedy’s vocal style - too nasally/ Steve Perry sounding- but he’s obviously super talented and performs live very well. I prefer slash in velvet revolver (and of course GnR). Scott W had a more unique vocal style that took the music into a slightly different direction, a bit more edgy or alternative.

I think it's impossible to do anything truly original in music as every musician is either influenced by or influences someone else.

Can't believe I have only just discovered your page Mr.H. Flicked through several videos in my lunch break and now I'm hooked. Love how you break things down so insightfully, and offer the benefit of your knowledge, experience and humour. Time well spent. I look forward to uncovering more gems. Shall also be diggin back into some Darkness tunes, in your honour. Much obliged my good man. Ps - Any Paul Weller or Chris Stapleton deconstructions knocking around?

These videos only make me more convinced that Justin Hawkins is the coolest guy in rock n roll.