Slash 'n' Burn

For the agricultural technique, see slash-and-burn.

"Slash 'n' Burn" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 16 March 1992 by record label Columbia as the fourth single from the band's debut album, Generation Terrorists (1992).

"Slash 'n' Burn"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album Generation Terrorists
Released	16 March 1992 (1992-03-16)
Genre	Glam metal[1] heavy metal[2]
Label	Columbia
Songwriters	James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore, Richey Edwards
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology
"You Love Us" (1992) "Slash 'n' Burn" (1992) "Motorcycle Emptiness" (1992)

Content

Musical style

The band has described the track as "the Stones playing metal",^[3] and features guitar riffs influenced by Michael Schenker^[4] and Slash of Guns N' Roses.^[5]

Emily Mackay of British cultural publication The Quietus proclaimed "Slash 'n' Burn" to be "cock-of-the-walk hair metal guitar strutting".^[1]

SputnikMusic adjudged the song "4 minutes of macho metal led by a joyously electric riff", in which "Bradfield takes perfect command of Wire and Edwards’ words".^[2]

Themes

The song's title takes its inspiration from U.S. Army policy during the Vietnam War.^[6]

Release

The single was released on 16 March 1992 by record label Columbia.^[7] It reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart on 28 March 1992.^[8] B-sides "Motown Junk" and "Sorrow 16" were previously available on the "Motown Junk" single, released by the band's previous label.

Track listings

CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Slash 'n' Burn"	3:59
2.	"Motown Junk"	3:58
3.	"Sorrow 16"	3:46
4.	"Ain't Going Down"	3:07

12-inch

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Slash 'n' Burn"	3:59

Side B

No.	Title	Length
2.	"Motown Junk"	3:58
3.	"Ain't Going Down"	3:07

7-inch

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Slash 'n' Burn"	3:59

Side B

No.	Title	Length
2.	"Motown Junk"	3:58

CD (1997)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Slash 'n' Burn"	3:59
2.	"Sorrow 16"	3:46
3.	"Ain't Going Down"	3:07

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9]	84
UK Singles (OCC)[8]	20

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	16 March 1992	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Columbia	[7]
Australia	18 May 1992	CD cassette		[10]