AN ABERCARN guitarist, who has performed on stage with Guns N’Roses star Slash, has been named as 2017’s best guitarist in a magazine poll.

Chris Buck, 26, of West End, Abercarn, started playing guitar at the age of 13, and now plays in the band - Buck & Evans.

He was announced as Total Guitar magazine's best guitarist in 2017, pipping 13 other musicians to the title in the public vote.

"It is a bit surreal to be honest," said Mr Buck.

"I had zero idea that I’d even been nominated but to be named is the winner of it is amazing.

"There is something special about it being a public vote.

"I guess it means more than if it were a panel of bigwigs making the decision as it shows that there’s an appreciation for what I do.

"It is great that it was a Total Guitar competition as that’s the magazine I used to read when I was first learning to play.

"I think it had Sum 41 on the cover so that shows how long ago that was."

Mr Buck said that he first played with Slash in 2012, after receiving an email from the guitarist's manager - Alan Niven.

"I first played with Slash in 2012 as my band share a manager with him," he said.

"I received an email from Alan Niven, the manager of Guns N’ Roses who took them from clubs to his last gig with them at Wembley Stadium.

"He replied to the video that I was posting on YouTube at the time and it was fairly curt – “Good job. Keep it up”.

"Unbeknownst to me he was dip-feeding these videos to Slash."

"It resulted in a phone call from Slash who was performing in Birmingham with The Conspirators.

"He asked me if I wanted to come along and play.

"A few of my friends were attending the gig as it was the closest one to Wales so there are lots of videos of me on stage with him.

"It is quite fortunate as it is a real blur. I remember coming on stage and leaving stage but I have no idea how I played.

"The band played with Slash again in 2015 and we performed a 45 minute set with him.

"I remember going through Paradise City with him and that was very surreal."

Aside from putting a few jealous guitarists noses out of joint after winning the accolade, Mr Buck is concentrating on his own music career

"My band was recorded its first album and although there is no concrete date in place, it should be ready for April or May time hopefully," he said.

"Then it will be going out on the road to tour that.

"We have played the Download festival in 2016 which has been helpful in generating a bit of industry attention.

"I’m very lucky to do something that I love in playing music – I guess I’m not really that good at anything else."