S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival"I thought it would be cool to get some people I know who were appropriate for each song, like I did on my self-titled album in 2010." (Slash)
Slash, who had wanted to record a blues album for a long time, reunited with two of his former Blues Ball bandmates, bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy Andreadis, and enlisted drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on classic songs. Some of the songs, like "The Pusher" (Steppenwolf), "Key To The Highway" (Charlie Segar) and "Born Under A Bad Sign" (Albert King) had been performed by Slash's Blues Ball on tour in the '90s.
After jamming together for a few weeks, the group recorded the instrumental tracks over a week in the spring of 2023 at East West Studios and Snakepit Studio in Los Angels which saw Slash reteaming with storied producer Mike Clink. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation. In the months that followed, Slash enlisted and recorded the album's diverse guest vocalists, who include Brian Johnson, Billy Gibbons, Dorothy Martin, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato or Beth Hart. The album, titled "Orgy Of The Damned", is released in May 2024 and is a collection of 12 blues covers.
Slash then brought S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival to tour across North America throughout summer 2024. S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram and stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N' Tolerance. Joining Slash and his bandmates at various stops on the tour were Warren Haynes Band, Keb' Mo', Larkin Poe, Christone Ingram, Samantha Fish, ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph, Eric Gales and Jackie Venson.
Band members
- Slash: lead & rhythm guitars
- Tash Neal: vocals & rhythm guitar
- Teddy Andreadis: vocals & keyboards
- Johnny Griparic: bass
- Michael Jerome: drums
S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival flyers for shows in the U.S.A.
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Orgy Of The Damned (2024)Produced by Mike Clink and released in May 20241. The Pusher (with Chris Robinson) 2. Crossroads (with Gary Clark Jr.) 3. Hoochie Coochie Man (with Billy Gibbons) 4. Oh Well (with Chris Stapleton) 5. Key To The Highway (with Dorothy Martin) 6. Awful Dream (with Iggy Pop) 7. Born Under A Bad Sign (with Paul Rodgers) 8. Papa Was A Rolling Stone (with Demi Lovato) 9. Killing Floor (with Brian Johnson) 10. Living For The City (with Tash Neal) 11. Stormy Day (with Beth Hart) 12. Metal Chesnut |
Played songs
Awful Dream (Lightnin' Hopkins) / Big Legged Woman (Freddie King) / Born Under A Bad Sign (William Bell & Booker T. Jones) / Built For Comfort (Howlin' Wolf) / Cradle Rock (Rory Gallagher) / Crossroads (Robert Johnson) / Goin' Down (Don Nix) / Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) / It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry (Bob Dylan) / Key To The Highway (Charles Segar & William Broonzy) / Killing Floor (Howlin' Wolf) / Metal Chestnut (Slash) / Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac) / Papa Was A Rolling Stone (Barrett Strong & Norman Whitfield) / Parchman Farm (Bukka White) / Shake Your Money Maker (Elmore James) / Stone Free (Jimi Hendrix) / Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker) / The Hunter (Albert King) / The Pusher (Hoyt Axton)Live guests
- Warren Haynes: guitar on "Shake Your Money Maker", "Big Legged Woman" and "Going Down" (Bonner 2024 / Redmond 2024 / Tucson 2024)
- Myles Kennedy: vocals on "Crossroads" (Airway Heights 2024)
- Les Stroud: harmonica on "Hoochie Coochie Man", "The Pusher", "Born Under A Bad Sign" and "Big Legged Woman" (Bend 2024 / Lincoln 2024 / Los Angeles 2024)
- Eric Gales: guitar on "Stone Free" and "Going Down" (Bend 2024 / Lincoln 2024 / Los Angeles 2024 / Tucson 2024 / Cary 2024)
- Chris Robinson: vocals on "The Pusher" (Los Angeles 2024)
- Samantha Fish: vocals on "Key To The Highway" and "Going Down" (Tucson 2024)
- Keb Mo': guitar on "Born Under A Bad Sign" (Boston 2024)
- Dorothy Martin: vocals on ""Key To The Highway" (New York 2024)
- Robert Randolph: guitar on "Stone Free" (Clearwater 2024)
- The Lovell Sisters: guitar on "Crossroads" (Franklin 2024)
- Christone Ingram: guitar on "Big Legged Woman" (Grand Prairie 2024)
Opening acts
Christone Ingram / Eric Gales / Gracie Bowers / Jackie Venson / Keb Mo' / Larkin Poe / Robert Randolph / Samantha Fish / Warren Haynes / ZZ WardConcerts & shows
| Jun 29, 2024 | Nashville | U.S.A. | Analog |
| Jun 30, 2024 | Nashville | U.S.A. | Analog |
| Jul 5, 2024 | Bonner | U.S.A. | KettleHouse Amphitheater |
| Jul 6, 2024 | Airway Heights | U.S.A. | Northern Quest Amphitheater |
| Jul 8, 2024 | Redmond | U.S.A. | Marymoor Park |
| Jul 10, 2024 | Bend | U.S.A. | Hayden Homes Amphitheater |
| Jul 12, 2024 | Lincoln | U.S.A. | Thunder Valley Casino |
| Jul 13, 2024 | Los Angeles | U.S.A. | Greek Theatre |
| Jul 14, 2024 | Tucson | U.S.A. | Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater |
| Jul 16, 2024 | Salt Lake City | U.S.A. | Red Butte Garden |
| Jul 17, 2024 | Denver | U.S.A. | Mission Ballroom |
| Jul 19, 2024 | La Vista | U.S.A. | Astro Amphitheater |
| Jul 28, 2024 | Toronto | Canada | Budweiser Stage |
| Jul 30, 2024 | Lewiston | U.S.A. | Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater |
| Aug 1, 2024 | Boston | U.S.A. | Leader Bank Pavilion |
| Aug 2, 2024 | Ledyard | U.S.A. | Foxwoods Casino |
| Aug 4, 2024 | New York | U.S.A. | Pier 17 |
| Aug 5, 2024 | Bethlehem | U.S.A. | Musikfest |
| Aug 7, 2024 | Cary | U.S.A. | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Aug 8, 2024 | Atlanta | U.S.A. | Cadence Bank Amphitheatre |
| Aug 10, 2024 | Clearwater | U.S.A. | The Sound |
| Aug 11, 2024 | St. Augustine | U.S.A. | St. Augustine Amphitheatre |
| Aug 13, 2024 | Huntsville | U.S.A. | The Orion Amphitheater |
| Aug 14, 2024 | Franklin | U.S.A. | FirstBank Amphitheater |
| Aug 17, 2024 | Grand Prairie | U.S.A. | Texas Trust Theatre |
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