Written with Slick’s musical collaborator Jeff Slate, a gifted writer and guitarist in his own right, "Guitar" hits its finest notes when the musician recalls his passion for mastering the instrument, a journey that has taken the balance of his lifetime. His steadfast pursuit of greatness is marked by an uncommon humility in a world so often known for its runaway bravado. And this sense of unpretentiousness doesn’t merely extend to his musicianship. When the chips are down — when he can’t get a solo career off the ground or a regular gig — Slick checks his ego and sells timeshares to make ends meet.
Not surprisingly, "Guitar" is filled with dramatic descriptions of the instances in which Slick first encounters the artists who would change his life. His first meeting with Bowie makes for an unforgettable scene. “Man, he was skinny as a rake. And pale,” Slick recalls. “He was dressed the way an English rock star might think a Harlem pimp would dress. Loose, baggy pants matched with Capezio dance shoes. It was a weird combo, but very cool, too. And I was especially struck by the way he moved. He was graceful for a rock-and-roll guy. To top it off, he had bright orange hair under a grey fedora. Then, as he got closer, I noticed he didn’t have any eyebrows!”
