Jetboy: “Slash is a liar and he knows it.” on Todd Crew OD.

Throughout his recently published biography, Slash describes Todd Crew, of Jetboy fame, as his drug addicted best friend- the best friend he fervently tried to protect, but in the end, could not keep away from the thrill of the rock star lifestyle.

Slash paints a picture of Todd as a pushy dope fiend, dragging him through the streets of New York to score heroin and other drugs. He explains that the day of Todd’s death he had tried to thwart his drug use but was "overruled." He claims that, while later that night he did inject Todd with heroin, he only did so because he could "tell it wasn’t strong at all"- performing the injection with the intent of regulating how much of the drug Todd was given. Slash further goes on to say that Todd must have been shot up later by a fellow party goer.

"What I gave him wasn’t strong enough to cause what happened," says Slash.

However, Todd’s former band mates and the members of a recently reunited Jetboy believe something entirely different happened that night.

I sat down with Jetboy, who were close friends of Todd Crew, to get the band’s opinion on the death of Todd and the comments made by Slash about the glam rock band Jetboy:

indiemusicreviews.net In Slash’s biography he says he stayed with Todd while everyone left, and that "he died in his arms". I understand you were told different information?

Jetboy: Absolutely…Slash is a liar and he knows it. The few people that were there that night know what really happened and that Slash is 100% full of shit. Todd over dosed twice that night. The first time, Slash didn’t even bother calling 911. After they revived him for a minute, everyone freaked out and left, Slash included. When they came back, Todd had over dosed again. We believe they found Todd dead. That’s when Slash finally called 911- when it was too late. It’s a perfect alibi "I wasn’t there. When I got back Todd was dead." Slash only cared about saving his own ass from criminal charges, which is exactly what happened. Slash walked away with no repercussions.

indiemusicreviews.net So you’re saying that Slash killed Todd?

Jetboy: Todd was killing himself, but Slash definitely aided him in his demise. Just read what he wrote in his book. This is what we believe happened:

Todd arrived "fucking drunk," according to Slash, to his hotel at 7am. Todd had just broken up with his long time girlfriend and was distraught, so you know he was not thinking clearly. Slash took him to a Western Union so he could get money to buy heroin. Slash buys a bottle of Jim Beam (Todd’s choice of booze) after Todd can’t even stand up straight and is falling down drunk. Slash shoots Todd up with heroin after Todd is, according to Slash, "in no state to be messing with drugs." Slash and Todd go to the movies where Slash smuggles in a case of beer and they continue to drink excessively.

Slash and Todd go back to the hotel where Slash proceeds to shoot Todd up with more heroin (Todd had been drinking for 18 hours straight at this point.) Todd over doses the first time, and Slash revives Todd temporarily, but then panics and leaves instead of calling 911.

Slash comes back to the Hotel room, finds that Todd has overdosed again, and finally calls 911 after it’s too late. Now Slash has the perfect alibi: "I wasn’t here when it happened."

indiemusicreviews.net Slash says in his book that you [Jetboy] kicked Todd out of the band and replaced him with Sam Yaffa from Hanoi Rocks with little or no discussion. Why was Todd kicked out of the band?

Jetboy: We did fire Todd from the band. It was the choice we made after many talks with him over his alcohol abuse. When Todd joined the band he was not a very big partier, wine coolers were his drink of choice. As time went on and the band started to do well, Todd’s drinking got worse. He ended up drinking a bottle of Jim Beam every day. Before we let Todd go, our manager at the time approached Guns N’ Roses to ask If they would join us in having an intervention for Todd. Their answer was, "He’s fine. You guys just don’t like to party as much". After our last attempt to talk with Todd (which ended up with no change) we made the decision to let him go. Our management then contacted Sam Yaffa and he was into the offer. So Sam was in, Todd was out. This is where the feud began and it would never be the same between Guns N’ Roses and Jetboy after that. Right after Todd had been fired from Jetboy, things got really ugly between both bands. Not all of the members. It was really just three of them. When we would see each other out at clubs or shows it was just a bad vibe. Even the G N’ R groupies would give us attitude. It amazed us on how people just involved themselves with our business when they had no fucking clue what went on! And what the real fucked up part is, none of those people knew the real Todd, the guy who was a good friend, smart, loving, caring, and who came from a very good family. All they knew was the Todd who loved to party, and that’s really sad.

indiemusicreviews.net Slash also says that you stole Todd’s equipment and refused to give it back. Any truth to that?

Jetboy: We had gotten an advance from Elektra records and each member bought some new gear. When Todd was fired, our manager let him take everything but the gear the label had paid for. He got all his stuff back other than a new amp or something. Secondly, this was not our choice, nor were we involved in it. Our management did all of this. What’s funny about this part of Slash’s twisted little fairy tale in his book is maybe two years later, Guns N’ Roses fired their original drummer Steven Adler for drug abuse and they had Matt Sorum already set up to replace him. They then had Steven sign a contract which forfeited all his earnings from the day he was fired onward. We’ve always wondered what amount of money that added up to. We bet it was way more than an amp. So again, who the fuck is this guy to judge us? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Look what his band did to his high school buddy, Steven.

indiemusicreviews.net Did Slash know Todd had a problem with heroin? Wasn’t that why Todd was kicked out of the band?

Jetboy: The first thing Is, Todd did not have a problem with heroin, he had a problem with alcohol. Todd would dabble in drugs, but his choice was booze. So when they scored dope, it was Slash who was the experienced dope user, he says this in his book. To think that Slash is looked up to by so many people out there is fucking disgusting. We actually went to Todd’s parents and asked them for help. Todd’s mom  flew down to L.A. and brought Todd back to the bay area to get him  into rehab. Unfortunately, Todd Bailed and went right back to the Guns N’ Roses house where his heroin use continued.

indiemusicreviews.net Slash talks about a Goth band being there when Todd over dosed. Do you know who that was? Anyone famous?

Jetboy: This we don’t know anything about.

indiemusicreviews.net Slash also alludes to possibly scoring the heroin that killed Todd at Chosei Funahara’s, bass player of the Plasmatics house. Do you know anything about that? Would you blame Chosei in any way had that been the heroin that killed Todd?

Jetboy: This is something we are not too sure of enough to comment on

indiemusicreviews.net Did Todd’s Parents sue Slash? If so what happened with that?

Jetboy: I don’t think so. It says in the book they had him investigated.

indiemusicreviews.net Did you ever see a police report about this?

Jetboy: No, but It sure would be interesting to see. With how things are today, twenty years later, I’m sure many questions about Todd’s death could be answered.

indiemusicreviews.net What would you say to Slash if you saw him today?

Jetboy: Hmmm, that’s a tough one for us. It would be nice to have something positive said about Todd after all these years and all these drug stories. At the end of all this, we lost a good friend who just took things a little too far and could not handle it. As for Slash, shame on you for going down this road with your "best friend" Todd, and for all the shit you’ve said about Jetboy on your way to the top and back down. Fuck you! Why don’t you say It to our faces?

By Marion Pierson