Late-night talk shows have long been a great source for classic live performances from music's biggest names, particularly in the 1980s and ‘90s, when the likes of Leno and Letterman would battle it out nightly for supremacy. One music legend making an appearance was reason enough to tune in — but when two show up, well, that's must-see TV!
That's what happened when Brian May invited Slash to stop by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 5, 1993, to trade solos on the Queen classic track “Tie Your Mother Down.”
May was on The Tonight Show to promote his debut full-length album, Back to the Light, which (although officially released in September of the previous year) had only just dropped in the U.S. market to align with the now solo artist's supporting tour.
Performing two songs on the night — with a short chat in between — May kicked off his appearance with a solid rendition of the album's title track. Jump to around the one-minute mark if you'd rather skip Leno's questionable Cockney accent in the intro.
Backed by Cozy Powell on drums and Neil Murray on bass, as well as Jamie Moses and Spike Edney providing guitar work and keyboards, respectively, May delivered his trademark treble-boosted tone through several Vox AC30s. However, things really get interesting during the second song of the night: the May-penned cut “Tie Your Mother Down,” from Queen's 1976 album A Day at the Races:
With the song powering toward the solo section, May encourages the audience to "Please welcome Mr. Slash!" The Guns N' Roses guitarist enters, with a Les Paul slung low and a cigarette hanging from his lip, and delivers some slippery and sleazy pentatonic phrases throughout the performance. The pair even treat the audience to a good old-fashioned guitar duel to bring matters to a close.
At the time, Slash was performing on the Skin N' Bones leg of GNR's Use Your Illusion tour, one that had seen Brian May open for the band on some of the dates.
In the interview section of the clip, May sheds some light on the creation of the Red Special, the guitar he famously built in his teens with help from his father. "It came out of pieces of the old fireplace," May explains to Leno, confirming the story that apparently had some doubters. "People think it's a wind-up, but yeah, it was made from pieces of fireplace, tables and motorbike valve springs. It's a piece of junk, really, but it works."
Following the performance, May supported Guns N' Roses on 14 dates of their European tour, revealing at the time how the support slots took the pressure off him while he was finding his footing in the new role of frontman. Although the tour was riddled with injuries, dramas and controversy for GNR, May praised the band, telling MTV, "You hear all these stories about Guns N' Roses, but these people are professionals." The tour would be Slash's last with the band until he rejoined in January 2016.
May and Slash were no strangers, of course, with Guns N' Roses playing their part in the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in April '92, as well as May later joining the L.A. rock band onstage for a couple of tracks during their own show at the London venue.
Earlier in 2024, the Queen guitarist dropped a couple of hints regarding a new partnership with Gibson that seems likely to result in a signature run of the Red Special. "We have spoken about such things, and it would be lovely to have an edition of the Brian May guitar based in the States," May told Guitar World, before mentioning that he has a "great relationship" with Gibson.
No more information on the release has been revealed as of yet; however, we may not have to wait too long for an update.
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