Slash (Guns N’ Roses): Biography, Family, and Current Status
Slash is the stage name of Saul Hudson, a British-American musician best known as the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses. He was born on 23 July 1965 in Hampstead, London, England, which makes him 61 years old in 2026.
His guitar work helped define the sound of Guns N’ Roses during the band’s late-1980s breakthrough and its early-1990s peak. After leaving the group in 1996, he remained active with other projects and returned to the band in 2016.
The questions fans ask most often concern his current place in Guns N’ Roses, his family, his age, and his nationality. The answers follow, starting with the question that dominates most searches: is he still in the band?
Is Slash Still in Guns N’ Roses?
Yes. Slash is the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, a role he resumed when he rejoined in 2016 for the Not in This Lifetime… Tour. He was a core member of the band from 1985 to 1996 and has stayed with it since the reunion.
The Guns N’ Roses official website is the primary reference for the band’s current lineup and activity. Fan-run pages such as Slash Paradise’s Guns N’ Roses section also list him as the current lead guitarist. Last.fm’s biography documents the 2016 reunion and his continued presence in the lineup.
| Band status | Active member of Guns N’ Roses |
|---|---|
| Age | 61 years old (born 23 July 1965) |
| Nationality | British-American |
| Spouse | Meegan Hodges (married 2014) |
Key facts about Slash at a glance:
- Slash remains the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses and continues to tour with the band as of 2025.
- His family includes his wife Meegan Hodges, two children, and parents of African-American and white British descent.
- Slash holds dual British and American nationality and was born in London, England.
- Despite his stage name, his legal name is Saul Hudson.
- He was a core member of Guns N’ Roses from 1985 to 1996 and returned in 2016.
- Outside Guns N’ Roses, he has worked with Velvet Revolver and released solo material.
- He has been active as a musician since 1981.
Essential personal details:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real name | Saul Hudson |
| Birth date | 23 July 1965 |
| Age | 61 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | British-American |
| Spouse | Meegan Hodges |
| Children | Two sons: London and Cash |
| Father | Anthony Hudson (British) |
| Mother | Ola Hudson (African-American) |
| Current band | Guns N’ Roses |
Slash’s Family: Wife, Kids, and Parents
The family side of Slash (Saul Hudson) is one of the most searched topics connected to his name. The details that are public come from biographical databases and the band’s own history.
Who Is Slash Married To?
Biographical sources confirm two earlier marriages. Wikipedia’s biography of Slash lists his marriage to Renée Suran from 1992 to 1997 and his marriage to Perla Ferrar from 2001 to 2015. Biography.com records the same two marriages.
Slash is reported to be married to Meegan Hodges, with most current sources giving a wedding date of 2014. The formal details of the relationship are not spelled out in every biographical record.
Encyclopedic sources confirm Slash’s marriages to Renée Suran and Perla Ferrar. For his current relationship, most reporting identifies Meegan Hodges as his wife, while some fan-generated pages call her his girlfriend. The distinction is not clarified in every biography.
Who Are Slash’s Parents?
Slash was born to a British father, Anthony Hudson, and an African-American mother, Ola Hudson. Biography.com describes his mother as African-American and his father as British.
Both parents worked in the arts, an environment that shaped his later career. Fan-run reference pages such as Slash Paradise’s family page collect these details in one place.
Does Slash Have Children?
Slash has two children, both sons: London, born in 2002, and Cash, born in 2004. Both were born during his marriage to Perla Ferrar. Their names and birth years appear in the biographical record.
How Old Is Slash and What Is His Nationality?
How Old Is Slash?
Slash was born on 23 July 1965 in Hampstead, London, England, which makes him 61 years old in 2026. He moved to Los Angeles as a child, a move that later tied him to the L.A. rock scene. Britannica and Ultimate Classic Rock both record these biographical details.
What Nationality Is Slash?
Slash is British-American. He holds citizenship in both the United Kingdom and the United States, according to encyclopedic references. His English birth and American upbringing are both reflected in how he is described across biographical sources.
Because Slash is so closely tied to Los Angeles, some descriptions treat him as an American musician only. He actually holds both British and American citizenship: he was born in London and later raised in Los Angeles.
What Are the Key Milestones in Slash’s Life?
The chronology of Slash’s life moves from his London birth to his return to the band’s stage more than five decades later.
- — Born Saul Hudson in Hampstead, London, England.
- — Joined Guns N’ Roses as lead guitarist.
- — Left Guns N’ Roses.
- — Married Perla Ferrar; the marriage lasted until 2015.
- — First son, London, born.
- — Second son, Cash, born.
- — Married Meegan Hodges, according to current reporting.
- — Rejoined Guns N’ Roses for the Not in This Lifetime… Tour.
- – — Continued touring and recording with Guns N’ Roses.
Encyclopedic entries in several languages document the band’s history. Both the German Wikipedia biography and the French Wikipedia biography describe the 2016 reunion and Slash’s continued role as lead guitarist.
For the most recent tour dates and lineup information, the Guns N’ Roses official website is the reference point.
What’s Confirmed — and What’s Not — About Slash?
Most of the information about Slash is well established. A few details vary depending on which source you consult.
| Established | Less clear |
|---|---|
| Slash is the current lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses. He rejoined in 2016 and has toured with the band since then. | Some fan databases describe Meegan Hodges as his girlfriend rather than his wife; not every biography records a current marriage. |
| Slash holds both British and American nationality. | Age figures in older profiles reflect the date they were written; his birth date of 23 July 1965 is the fixed reference point. |
| His marriages to Renée Suran and Perla Ferrar are confirmed by multiple biographical sources. | Sources differ on the divorce date from Perla Ferrar, which is given as 2015 in some references and 2018 in others. |
How Did Slash’s Background Shape His Career?
Slash’s background made him an unusual figure in rock. Born in London to a British father and an African-American mother, he grew up in Los Angeles after his family moved there. That combination — English birth, American upbringing, and parents connected to the arts — gave him a perspective that stood out in the 1980s rock scene.
His return to Guns N’ Roses in 2016 underlined the chemistry the band still had on stage. His guitar work during the late 1980s and early 1990s is widely credited with shaping the band’s worldwide success, a period covered in the book Slash, listed on Goodreads.
Which Sources Document Slash’s Life and Career?
Reliable biographical information about Slash comes from several places. Encyclopedic entries such as Wikipedia and Britannica cover his career in depth, biographical databases such as Biography.com add personal details, and the Guns N’ Roses official website tracks the band’s current activity.
Fan-maintained pages such as Slash Paradise provide additional detail, though they are less authoritative than the major biographical references. The timeline and tables above draw on these sources together, which is why the record is consistent on the core facts: his name, his birth date, his nationality, and his role in Guns N’ Roses.
What’s the Bottom Line on Slash and Guns N’ Roses?
Slash remains the Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist and continues to perform with the band. He was born Saul Hudson in London in 1965, holds both British and American nationality, has two sons, and is reported to be married to Meegan Hodges. Those facts answer the questions fans ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slash
What is Slash’s real name?
Slash’s real name is Saul Hudson. He uses the stage name Slash in his public career.
Where was Slash born?
Slash was born in Hampstead, London, England, on 23 July 1965.
Where did Slash grow up?
He moved to Los Angeles as a child and is associated with the Los Angeles rock scene, despite being born in England.
What other bands has Slash been in?
Besides Guns N’ Roses, Slash has worked with Velvet Revolver and has released solo material during his career.
When did Slash first join Guns N’ Roses?
Slash joined Guns N’ Roses as lead guitarist in 1985 and stayed with the band until 1996.
When did Slash rejoin Guns N’ Roses?
He rejoined Guns N’ Roses in 2016 and has been the band’s lead guitarist since then.
What is Slash best known for?
Slash is best known as the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses and for the guitar work that helped the band reach worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Olivia Hartley is Business & Economy Correspondent at DailyCity.co.uk, reporting on the city economy, property, retail, hospitality and employment.