Saul Hudson (born 23 July 1965), better known by his stage name Slash, is an English-American musician. Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, his family moved to Los Angeles, California when Hudson was a child. Slash is best known for being lead guitarist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses from 1985 to 1996. After leaving the band Slash first formed Slash's Snakepit and then later co-founded Velvet Revolver with his former Guns N' Roses bandmates Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.