Slash hosted a party at House of Blues on August 5th in honor of the X-Games in Los Angeles. The soiree, which featured Camp Freddy -- featuring the Cult's Billy Morrison, Dave Navarro, and members of Velvet Revolver and Jane's Addiction -- got Velvet axe-slinger Slash thinking about his own X-Games-like past. "I used to be a pro BMX'er -- thirteen and over, then fifteen and over -- so I follow this stuff," said Slash. "When you talk about Dogtown, I used to take over the pools" . . .
Per usual at a Camp Freddy gig, there were some big-name guests, including Velvet frontman Scott Weiland, who rocked out on Cheap Trick's "Surrender." But the nostalgia trip jumped a decade, into the Nineties, when the crew played Alice in Chains' "Rooster" with guitarist Jerry Cantrell. "I was just telling Jerry that Alice in Chains' Dirt was the pinnacle of what I thought the Nineties and the millennium were about," said Slash. "When I heard it, I was like, 'Ahh, that's the shit.'" Freddy's Morrison felt the same: "I was such an Alice fan" . . .
Disturbed vocalist David Draiman took on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," backed by Slash, Navarro and Cantrell. What was it like to have all that guitar royalty onstage at once? "You're lucky enough to even step onstage with the guys, let alone sing and have them vibe with what you're doing," he said. "It's better than sex!" . . .
Navarro was taking time out from his current day gig, co-hosting Rock Star: INXS. The former Jane's guitarist said that he's having a blast with the TV show. "I get a chance to hang out with the kids at the house, and they're all such cool people," he said. Navarro's own house sounds considerably more exciting, however, with Carmen Electra behind the range . . .
Another musician-turned-TV personality, Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath, was on hand. McGrath, who sang Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever," recently celebrated a milestone with the release of a best-of compilation. "To me, it's just a kick-back-and-smell-the-flowers thing," said the self-effacing pop star. "We had a few songs, hit Number One, annoyed some people, gave some people a fun time, and we're still here." As for the move from music to TV, McGrath said it's an easy transition: "I've been acting like a singer for seventeen years, so I might as well continue doing the acting" . . .
Talking about side gigs, Linkin Park DJ Joe Hahn has gotten into the retail business, opening his own store, Suru, which means "to silkscreen by hand" in Japanese, on L.A.'s Melrose Avenue. There a conveyor belt, encased in glass, showcases their line of custom-made, limited-edition T-shirts. "The theme for the first line was 'things that hurt,'" explained Hahn. "The next theme that we're running is 'dreams and nightmares.'" Shoppers who show up on the right day may even get a bonus treat. "I got my turntables set up there," said Hahn, "so you might catch me messing around."