Outside of playing in Guns N’ Roses, lead guitarist Slash and bassist-vocalist Duff McKagan have long championed mental health organizations. For Giving Tuesday, they’ve teamed with Cesar Gueikian, CEO of instrument maker Gibson, for a new single, “I Can Breathe,” which will raise money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Slash previously raised money for NAMI via his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. music festival.
“I Can Breathe” feels a little more metal than the music Slash and McKagan have recorded with GN’R and Velvet Revolver. Gueikian wrote the charging riffs, while McKagan wrote metaphoric lyrics about depression as a tempest (“The raging seas, and the wind it stings,” he sings. “The forecast reads that the storm will recede”) and Slash contributed instantly recognizable bluesy guitar licks. Gueikian performed rhythm guitar and keys on the track, while Seta Von Gravessen played bass and Jota Morelli handled the drums. All of the money raised from the release of the single will benefit NAMI via Gibson Gives.
Gueikian tells Rolling Stone that the original version of the song clocked in at 12 minutes. He sent a demo to McKagan who clicked immediately with the music. “It felt like lyrics were pouring out of Duff’s heart and head,” he says via email. “I remember receiving messages from Duff with the lyrical sections and I was blown away.” McKagan tracked his vocals in a single day.
“It was such a pleasure to work with Cesar and his whole crew on this tune,” McKagan said in a statement. “The musical slant and progressive rock-ness of this huge epic pushed me in a whole new direction. I love a challenge and Cesar killed it! Most importantly, to be of service for mental health issues and awareness is super important to me at this time. Let’s rock!”
Gueikian then reached out to Slash to see if he, too, would be interested. “The song is a departure from what we are all used to getting from Slash and Duff, but they have written and performed with so many artists across genres of music, that in a way I felt comfortable with the ask,” he says. “In addition to the solos, Slash tracked several stems of lead guitars across the entire song! I was not expecting that! He took the song to yet another level.”
“Cesar and Duff came to me with a really cool piece of music,” Slash said. “I loved the riff idea, and Duff’s vocal, so I felt right at home on the track.”
In addition to releasing the song, Gibson is auctioning a print of the single’s red-and-blue cover art, a painting titled “They’re Coming” by System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, who previously collaborated with Gueikian and Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi on another song. The company is also auctioning a Les Paul guitar with the artwork painted on it. Both are available to bid on via Julien’s Auctions. All proceeds will benefit NAMI.
The guitar, which is signed by Slash, McKagan, Tankian, and Gueikian is expected to sell for between $6,000 and $8,000. Julien’s estimates the print will fetch between $1,000 and $2,000.
Gueikian has high hopes for both the release of the single and the auction. “We’re hoping to accomplish two important things: On one hand raise money for NAMI, which since 1979 has been working to educate, support, advocate, listen, and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones,” he says. “On the other hand, we hope ‘I Can Breathe’ will raise awareness for those in need to seek help.”
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