Slash Wasn’t Really Gonna Play At The Oscars – Here’s Why

Rock fans were surprised and delighted to see Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash join Ryan Gosling and Wolfgang Van Halen onstage at the Oscars for a performance of “I’m Just Ken” from the hit movie “Barbie.” But it turns out Slash almost missed the whole thing!

In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Slash revealed that despite the success of “I’m Just Ken,” the song from the movie Barbie, he had initially planned to skip the Oscars altogether. It was only through the insistence of his friend Mark Ronson, who produced the song, that Slash agreed to participate.

At the time, Slash found himself embroiled in tour commitments in Asia with the Conspirators, making it seemingly impossible to make it to Hollywood for the Oscars. However, with some Hollywood magic and logistical maneuvering, Slash found himself on a plane to Los Angeles.

“They managed to fly me over to perform the song,” Slash said.

Barely Any Rehearsal Time

Because of the last-minute travel arrangements, Slash had almost no time to rehearse.

“I just showed up the day of the event,” he explained. He flew straight from Korea to the Oscars, did a quick run-through with Gosling and the dancers, and then went straight into the performance. After the show, he was whisked back to the airport and on to his next tour stop in the Philippines.

Despite the crazy schedule, Slash did get to meet Gosling, who he called “a really cool guy.” He also praised Gosling’s singing, saying, “He made that whole production happen.”

While fans might be hoping for more collaborations between the rocker and the actor, Slash doesn’t seem to have any plans for a joint record.