( CNN ) -- He 's the rock demigod who lives and breathes music , but whose heart beats thanks in part to a pacemaker . The former Guns N ' Roses guitarist , whose real name is Saul Hudson , is probably the most recognizable man in rock ' n ' roll . Yet beneath the mane of curly locks and leather top hat is a devoted musician who kicked a drug and alcohol addiction because it was getting in way of the music . `` I was a productive junkie ... I was driven by music . I did have these distractions , but I managed to be functional as best as I possibly could , '' he told CNN . `` What helped clean me up at the end of the day was the fact that , after a while , it started to get in the way of being able to do what it is I wanted to do ... I 've done more in the last four years than I could have possibly done if I was still using , '' he continued . Since leaving Guns N ' Roses in 1996 -- `` As I walked out it was a huge weight off my shoulders '' -- he 's produced his own material , collaborated with numerous musicians and was the driving force behind supergroup Velvet Revolver , a band he 's trying to revive once again . He fixed his place in the pantheon of rock stars during his time with Guns N ' Roses ( `` If I was n't in that band , it would have been my favorite band '' ) and it 's been almost 15 years since he spoke to lead singer Axl Rose after their much-publicized split . However , the idea of a Guns N ' Roses reunion is n't completely out of the question . `` I used to be very sort of negative about it 'cause I just do n't see it happening , '' he said , `` but at the same time you just never know . No efforts have been made to try and do anything about it so I guess you just leave it to chance . Maybe it will ; maybe it wo n't . '' While a potential reunion might please thousands of fans , Slash is looking forward to Velvet Revolver and other projects , despite the music scene experiencing what he calls `` a very weird time . '' `` This whole thing with the internet being the mainstay of the industry at this point is taking a lot of adjusting and it has n't really settled yet , '' he told CNN . `` [ A ] certain energy and a certain attitude and that to me is very rock and roll . And that seems to be lacking in commercial music , especially in commercial rock and roll right now . I 'm sure there 's a lot of guys out there who have it all together but then they ca n't get a record deal . ''
Former Guns N ' Roses drummer kicked addictions four years ago . Told CNN that it was getting in the way of the music ; continues to tour and perform . Has not seen our entire original line - up of Guns N ' Roses .