In celebration of his forthcoming new album Orgy of the Damned out May 17 on Gibson Records, SLASH the iconic, GRAMMY®-winning guitarist and songwriter has curated an all-star Blues lineup for the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival touring North America this summer. SLASH formed the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance to bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the Blues, and to perform with other Blues artists he admires who share his love of the genre. SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival includes Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe. On all dates, SLASH will perform alongside his Blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome, and singer/guitarist Tash Neal. Today, the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival has added a new date of Tuesday, July 16 in Salt Lake City, UT at the Red Butte Garden; for all S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Blues Festival dates, visit: SerpentFestival.com.
“The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival is great platform for my band to jam on some blues and R&B inspired music alongside some truly influential artists,” says SLASH. “It's a great vehicle to bring people of ALL kinds together during these divisive times to have a fun and entertaining afternoon and evening of live music, away from all the chaos that’s going on. We'll also be using some of the proceeds to give back to the community and these important causes.”
The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival was designed with maximum social impact in mind. SLASH has a strong desire to give back to nonprofits that he has supported over the years, as well as to help lift marginalized communities, and support mental health initiatives that share his restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all. SLASH has now chosen a fifth nonprofit, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to directly benefit from touring proceeds from the festival. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. An alliance of more than 600 local affiliates, NAMI works in communities to educate, support, advocate, listen and improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones. NAMI’s mission is to create a world where all people affected by mental illness can experience hope, recovery, wellness and freedom from stigma.
NAMI joins the previously announced organizations including The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute, and War Child. Through PLUS1.ORG the S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival will donate a portion of the proceeds from every VIP package, as well as Ticket sold for the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival to directly benefit the nonprofits selected by SLASH. As part of the VIP program, fans will have the opportunity to access SLASH’s official Soundcheck Experience, take home an autographed vinyl of the new Orgy of the Damned album, and receive an exclusive SLASH piece of jewelry, and more. For all details, visit serpentfestival.com/vip.
A vibrant homage to the blues, SLASH’s star-studded debut blues album and sixth solo album of his career, Orgy of the Damned is a collection of 12 dynamic songs that revitalize the blues with a stripped-down approach. By celebrating both well-known and largely undiscovered songs, SLASH offers a nostalgic nod to the past while reinvigorating the songs with his inimitable guitar playing and the spirit of collaboration. For Orgy of the Damned, the acclaimed guitarist reteamed with storied producer Mike Clink and enlisted the album’s diverse guest vocalists, which include Gary Clark Jr, Billy F. Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Dorothy, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Brian Johnson, Tash Neal, Chris Robinson, and Beth Hart. Rounding out his blues band in the studio and on the road, SLASH reunited with two of his bandmates from his Blues Ball outfit in the 90s, bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis, and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
SLASH has released two songs off Orgy of the Damned including “Oh Well” which features outlaw country star Chris Stapleton on vocals, and is a transcendent and electrified, bluesy folk-infused take on the Fleetwood Mac gem, written by original founder Peter Green. Listen to SLASH’s “Oh Well” featuring Chris Stapleton on vocals HERE, and watch/share the visualizer for “Oh Well” HERE. Also, listen to “Killing Floor” feat. Brian Johnson of AC/DC on vocals, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith on harmonica which Rolling Stone hailed “a freewheeling bluesy solo,” HERE and watch/share the “Killing Floor” video for a first look at SLASH and with his blues band in the studio HERE.
SLASH’s Orgy of the Damned is available worldwide digitally, on vinyl and CD via Gibson Records; pre-order HERE. Watch/share album trailer HERE and for more information, go to www.slashonline.com.
Orgy of the Damned encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday.” Some of the songs, like Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher,” Charlie Segar’s “Key to the Highway,” and Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign,” had been performed by Slash’s Blues Ball, while others, like Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” were long-time favorites for SLASH. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of Orgy of the Damned, with Z.Z. Top’s Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar.
S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival 2024 North American Dates with Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe:
* Warren Haynes Band, Samantha Fish, and Eric Gales
** Keb’ ‘Mo, Samantha Fish, and Jackie Venson
# Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward ,and Jackie Venson
$ Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
+ Larkin Poe, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
^^Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
