Before there was Slash, there was Saul Hudson, a British-born kid who moved to the United States for his formative years. But it wasn't until he became a mischievous teen that he earned the nickname for which people now recognize him.

Speaking with Metal Hammer, the guitar great explained how he had the famous moniker bestowed upon him. He recalls, "My best friend's dad is an actor named Seymour Cassel, and we used to ditch school and hang out at his house and he used to call me Slash and it was just habitual with him."

The rocker says the nickname began to stick over time, but he never questioned Cassel about it until years later. "I was on tour in Europe and I happened to run into him and we went to dinner," says Slash. "He told me that he called me Slash, cause I had to ask him, and he says it was always because I was in a hurry, hustling whatever it was I was hustling at the time and never had time to sit and chat. I was always sort of in passing and he just started calling me Slash."

So, that's how Saul Hudson became Slash. The guitarist is currently touring with his band in support of his new album 'Apocalyptic Love.' Check out our live review and exclusive photo gallery of Slash's recent gig in New York City here.

Watch Slash Recall How He Got His Nickname