GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has recorded a version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" in honor of a Hollywood stuntman's attempt at Evel Knievel's jump across Idaho's Snake River Canyon. Eddie Braun, who idolized Knievel growing up, will use a steam-powered rocket to launch over the Snake River a few miles down from Twin Falls, Idaho on September 17. Braun reportedly spent $1.5 million of his own money on the Snake River project and his rocket, which he calls "Evel Spirt." He has also created a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the effort "to bring this to the masses." Slash received John's permission to record the new "Rocket Man" version for use as the theme music for the Kickstarter campaign. Each person who donates to the campaign will receive a download of "Rocket Man" performed by Slash, Myles Kennedy and THE CONSPIRATORS at Sunset Sound Studio in Hollywood. "I approached the rock icon Slash, who I knew to be an Evel Knievel fan, and asked if he would be interested in being involved with my rocket project," Braun writes on his Kickstarter page. "He gave us the most awesome gift we could ever dream: a theme song! "Slash got permission from Sir Elton John to re-record his 1972 hit song 'Rocket Man' specifically for our project. Slash suggested we include the song with every reward so every single backer of our Kickstarter campaign gets it. So that's what we're doing! "I'm so honored to have been given the most epic theme song, by the most epic guitarist of all time!" Braun, who was a kid when he met Knievel in California after Evel had done a jump, told the Independent Record it took him three years to get through all the bureaucratic red tape, but he has all the necessary paperwork completed and permission from the federal government to make the jump. "In 1974 Evel left one side of Snake River Canyon," he said. "I hope this time his spirit lands on the other side. How many people get to fulfill a dream of their hero?"
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