“We cut the tracks at Ocean Way Studios, which was a blast, but Slash kept getting arrested. He used to walk by me in handcuffs with the bail bondsman’s card in his teeth. I would have to take it out of his mouth. He and his girlfriend had this thing going on, and there was always an assault charge being filed. If there was another girl on the same block as Slash, she would go crazy. He’s married to her now, so it all worked out.

“He was so happy to not be working with Axl. I remember Jimmy came down and offered him a million dollars in cash to go back with Axl. Slash told him that even if it were five million in cash, he’d never do it. He really needed a break from that band. He couldn’t stand Axl going on late and the whole thing.

“Slash’s playing was great; the songs were OK. But it was an important step for him as a solo artist. He was very studio-savvy. After we did the tracks at Ocean Way, we went to his studio at his house in Beverly Hills to finish up. He was selling the place, and Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie came by to took at it. Billy Bob was really interested in the house because of the studio. We had a great time hanging out with them.”