“Pearly Gates, our long-standing fave-rave six-string, entered the studio to do that righteous thing”: Billy Gibbons on bringing out his legendary Les Paul for Slash’s all-star blues album – and the liquor store run-in that sparked their friendship

Slash and Billy Gibbons in their trademark headwear, playing the CMT Music Awards 2023.

When it came time for Slash to send out invites to the sonic party that would become Orgy of the Damned, his new blues-covers album, there was at least one obvious choice: Billy Gibbons. The well-traveled Texan has been shaking, baking and barbecuing the blues – with or without ZZ Top – since the late Sixties.

On top of all that, the Slash/Gibbons friendship dates back to the days when ZZ Top’s Afterburner and GN’R’s Appetite for Destruction duked it out on the shelves at Tower Records on the corner of Sunset and Horn in North Hollywood. As is always the case, the famous Texan showed up at Slash’s behest – expertly geared-up and raring to go – to help his host lay down a fine new version of Willie Dixon’s Hoochie Coochie Man.