Happy Birthday Slash

Throughout musical history there have been musicians who either look the part but have the talent of a door handle or look like a geography teacher but have the ability to astound with their genius.
The likes of Sid Vicious and Cyndi Lauper fall into the former grouping with people like Eric Clapton and Karen Carpenter in the latter camp.
There is also a cluster of musicians with no talent and an image so uncool that they should wear asbestos underpants. Take a bow Rod Stewart and Phil Collins and then take a hike.
Like vampire slayers, in every generation there is one who will stand against the evil forces of Mariah Carey and Justin Timberlake. Our generation, we have the guitarist Slash who is 45 today and scientifically proven to be the coolest man in music. Probably.
The hat. The shirtless torso. The tight trousers. The ever-present cigarette dangling out from between that mop of hair in that way that always made you wonder how he didn't set himself on fire.
As for his guitar playing, anyone who has ever picked up a guitar, real or air, will have pretended to be him. It is impossible to watch him playing guitar outside the chapel in the video to November Rain and not feel the urge to stick a Bensons in your mouth, jump onto the coffee table clutching a tennis racquet and scream 'waaanng waaaang wannnnnnnng' as you pluck the strings. Maybe that's just me though.
Best guitarist ever? Arguably. Coolest man in music? Undoubtedly. Dead before he's 50? More than likely.