Myles Kennedy, the iconic voice of Alter Bridge and longtime Slash collaborator, has revealed why he initially turned down an offer to work with the legendary guitarist in 2002. In a recent interview, Kennedy reflected on the difficult decision and about his state of mind at the time.
An unexpected refusal in the face of a unique opportunity
In 2002, when Slash was looking for a singer for what would become Velvet Revolver, he contacted Kennedy and sent him four demos. Yet despite this rare opportunity, Kennedy chose not to follow through.
In an interview with Jamey Jasta, Kennedy said: “It was right after The Mayfield Four finished, and I was really exhausted. Simply put, I was a broken man. I was really disillusioned with the music business and the industry. I questioned everything, including myself. I told myself that maybe I didn’t have what it took to join a project of this magnitude.”
After spending two weeks working on the demos, Kennedy decided not to send them back: “I sat down, I listened, and I said to myself, 'This is the opportunity of a lifetime. But you have to be honest with yourself. You're not ready for this.'”
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The choice to withdraw
Slash tried to revive Kennedy, but the latter maintained his decision. He says: “Slash contacted me again and asked if I was going to send something. I said, 'I'm honored you came to me, but I don't think I'm the right person for this right now.'”
After this decision, Kennedy walked away from the music industry, married and returned to teaching guitar, which he today considers “the right thing to do at that time.”
A new trajectory with Alter Bridge and Slash
A year after this rejection, Kennedy joined Alter Bridge, marking a new chapter in his career. A few years later, fate finally brought him together with Slash, with whom he formed a strong partnership. Together they released four albums under the name Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, and a fifth is currently in the works.
Kennedy concludes: “I think everything happens for a reason. The timing wasn’t right at the time, but everything lined up the way it needed to later.”
