Matt Sorum Says He 'Wasn't Asked' To Take Part In Guns N' Roses Reunion

[RJ88]

Just now, DieselDaisy said:

Gilby is about as popular as Hitler on here now. Matt - NB critics above in this very topic. Matt's stock has plummeted drastically since it was apparent he didn't make the hybrid. He was god of the hour on the Hall of Fame thing. And even Izzy - yes, some have dared to criticise Izzy, saying that Fortus is this ''much better player'' (merely subjective), and Izzy has ''no interest in Guns'' (unconfirmed circumstantial speculation). Further, look at the nugnr members who didn't make the hybrid. I know everybody hated Ashba and Pitman anyhow but Stinson, Bumblefoot are about as popular as, well, poor old Gilby Clarke which is about as unpopular as it gets!! All this shite about ''Richard's loyalty'' and ''longevity of service'' could equally apply to them - more so in fact, Tommy - yet they have been dispensed with (by this forum) with barely a parting whimper.

( I cannot believe I am actually defending nugnr members, nugnr being a band a generally loathed, but somebody has to point out these double standards!)

The people who hated nugnr still hate them of course, but they have suddenly found a long lost love for Richard Fortus and Frank. Fortus is being elevated to levels of godliness on here - it is truly absurd. If Ashba was a hack, Fortus was also.

It is like Tony Blair or some seedy political specimen flip-flopping.

Fortus was always pretty well liked here. Him and Tommy were probably the two most popular new guys

[Nick Cobraetti]

38 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

I think I have read about all I want to hear of this, old member bashing 'Fortus is god' hysteria. The ironic thing is, If the reunion had Stinson in place of Duff,  you lot would be saying things like ''Stinson was one of the earliest nugnr members and a loyal band mate of Axl'', and that ''Duff never wrote many songs anyway and does not have the legendary status of Stinson''. If it was Axl, Izzy, Duff, Matt, Richard and Bumblefoot, you lot would be still stuck in full-on Slash hate mode, commenting on ''Axl and Izzy being the songwriting giants of old gnr and founding members, so as good as a reunion as we would possibly get''. The usual lines about Richard and Bumble's technical proficiency would be stated, and swipes at Slash's solo career. If this line-up had Gilby instead of Richard, Richard would be simply another used tampon, like Bumble, Stinson, Pitman and Ashba are now. Nobody would be talking about him at all!! You would all be saying things like, ''Gilby blended well with Slash in the '90s and was a good replacement for Izzy, so this reunion will suffice''.

Illusion was recorded 1990-91, so this merely raises the question, why did Axl persevere with Sorum until 1997, until after Slash had left, when work on what would become Chinese Democracy had proceeded? Axl suddenly decided for reasons only known to himself that he didn't want to write with Gilby and unceremoniously dumped him. He has just dumped Pitman recently - there is no one more ruthless at sacking band mates than W. Axl Rose. Yet he stuck with Sorum until 1997. And it was not even a musical difference which led to Sorum's sacking but an argument, an incident of Sorum defending Slash against some comments by Tobias I believe.

You can always trust Axl to speak a bunch of contradictory pap.

Don't think I've bashed anyone, in fact I started by saying I LIKE Matt. Also don't appreciate being lumped in with some generic 'lot' or being told what my thought processes are/would be...

In any case: How many people Axl has fired is irrelevant, as is the question of whether Axl dug Matt during the UYI era - we know he did. The fact is at some point later Axl soured on Matt's playing AND his personality and that's why he's not there TODAY, which is exactly what I said in the first place.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Nick Cobraetti
clarity

[3rd Wheel]

12 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

If Ashba was a hack, Fortus was also.

This is such a flawed statement I don't even know where to begin.

Let's sum it up briefly: If A and B share one similar quality (in this case, joining GNR post-UYI), that does not mean they share all similar qualities (being, as you called it, "a hack").

Just because two people sit at a gambling table and one has a gambling addiction, that does not automatically mean the other is an addict.

You also just toss Tommy Stinson into the group with Gilby (who I don't see ripped here as much as you indicate) and Bumblefoot and all other former members. From being on this forum for 10 years and returning regularly the past four months, I can easily determine not all former members are viewed equally. Not even close.

General consensus: Izzy > Adler > Matt/Tommy > Gilby/Bumble > Bucket > Ashba. And if certain members were in and others were out -- i.e., as you detailed, Duff out and Tommy in -- the feelings of former members would again fluctuate and not everyone would be tossed into the pit and viewed equally.

[stella]

Axl *was* very complimentary toward Matt during UYI. There's that MTV interview where he goes on about how much he likes Matt for a good two minutes and says he "saved the band's life." Hyperbole, but he certainly wasn't lukewarm on Matt at that point. And in 1990 they probably would have had top drummers falling over each other to try to get a spot in Guns N' Roses, so if they *hadn't* clicked with Matt, there certainly would have been other options. But interpersonal relationships change all the time, and the choice to list Matt as an "additional musician" on Live Era certainly reflected that change.

GnR already has a drummer right now, and that drummer's been loyal. He also got on well with Duff and Slash seems to like him too, so there perhaps wasn't any thought to replacing him. And Frank was the one who was reported to be rehearsing with the band months ago, so I do -fully believe he was always intended to be the drummer for this iteration of the band. I think the official "back injury" line with Adler is just a kind way to protect his privacy and save face for him and that if he shows up later it will just be as a guest.

 

Edited April 15, 2016 by stella

[CardinalGunner]

Matt is a fine drummer and I love the Illusion albums and there is no denying he played his role there.

That doesn't mean Frank should be replaced with Matt.

[Russel Nash]

don't understand all the fuzz about sorum here. Even his tw in the tw feed. The guy is no longer associated with GNR, like Bumble, Dj, etc. Don't bring me the recordings, any drummer could do what he did.

He was a beast live, but to me it was always a bit boring.

If it was Adler i get the point.

 

[starlight]

4 hours ago, Iron MikeyJ said:

Ok guys, what if Sorum was the BIGGEST reason why gnr crashed and burned back in the mid 90s? He is clearly a big ego, and not always the easiest to get along with. I've been in many band's, and too many cooks in the kitchen ALWAYS leads to a break up. I hate to say it, but for the sake of the band, some guys really just need to be able to play and be happy to be there. If everyone has big ideas or wants to be heard as an equal, the band will break up. Before you know it, people are taking sides, then Shit gets worse. I have a very strong feeling that Sorum might have been the root of a lot of the Shit between Slash and Axl. Slash is not a confronatational guy, it was Sorum pushing him to make issues out of everything. Go watch the the VH1 behind the music, Sorum admits to it on there. 

The more I think about it, the more I honestly feel that if they hadn't hired Sorum in the first place, maybe gnr never breaks up to begin with? So that now that they are back, and by all accounts getting along great, why bring Sorum back? Because he deserves to be there more than so and so? No. Not a good enough reason, he will fuck Shit up again. I think both Slash and Duff know this, cause Sorum caused a bunch a trouble in VR as well. Honestly he sounds like that he is the cancer that is better off removed. 

When Adler gets the call (which I fully expect to happen) Is he going to show up and cause trouble? No. He is going to show up, play, and have a fucking blast doing it. I can't say the same for Sorum, he is just too damn opinionated. Axl, Slash, and Duff are calling the shots, and that's how it's going to stay. Everyone else is just supposed to show up, do their job, and be happy. Fortus and Ferrer are perfect for those roles. 

1 bad apple spoiled the whole damn bunch...

come on... GNR broke up because Izzy Slash and Duff all left and one of the main reasons was Axl as stated by them in their books and interviews

[madison]

10 hours ago, Asia said:

Out of LOLs at this really That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read on this forum.

 

I'm guessing you're a relatively new GNR fan. 

For those of us who have been following the band from day one, we remember the incredible chemistry and magic that the AFD and Illusions lineups had both onstage and in the incredible music they created together. It was magical - and hasn't been duplicated since then. And like it or not - admit it or not - Matt was part of that, which is why he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame with the band. To pretend he didn't play a role is just disrespectful and, well, ignorant. 

I "get" that you like some of the "replacement" members that were brought in. I like some of them too - but when all of the original members are alive, healthy and want to be part of this reunion, it just makes zero sense to keep replacements onboard when you can have the real guys who created the music. jmo. 

[Chris 55]

3 minutes ago, madison said:

I "get" that you like some of the "replacement" members that were brought in. I like some of them too - but when all of the original members are alive, healthy and want to be part of this reunion, it just makes zero sense to keep replacements onboard when you can have the real guys who created the music. jmo. 

Unless it's about money and contracts and the replacements will work for cheap.

[Babooshka]

26 minutes ago, starlight said:

come on... GNR broke up because Izzy Slash and Duff all left and one of the main reasons was Axl as stated by them in their books and interviews

Izzy and Axl are they only ones who left the band.

[Nick Cobraetti]

23 minutes ago, madison said:

I'm guessing you're a relatively new GNR fan. 

For those of us who have been following the band from day one, we remember the incredible chemistry and magic that the AFD and Illusions lineups had both onstage and in the incredible music they created together. It was magical - and hasn't been duplicated since then. And like it or not - admit it or not - Matt was part of that, which is why he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame with the band. To pretend he didn't play a role is just disrespectful and, well, ignorant. 

I "get" that you like some of the "replacement" members that were brought in. I like some of them too - but when all of the original members are alive, healthy and want to be part of this reunion, it just makes zero sense to keep replacements onboard when you can have the real guys who created the music. jmo. 

 

Nobody said Matt didn't play a role in the music. But calling him "one of the key people who helped bring GNR to the top of the music world" is way over the top (especially since they were already there when Matt joined). I find your passive-agressive condescension  disrespectful, offensive and tiresome. You know full well that it's not a reunion yet you continually insist otherwise... that's, well, ignorant.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Nick Cobraetti
clarification

[Asia]

18 minutes ago, madison said:

I'm guessing you're a relatively new GNR fan. 

For those of us who have been following the band from day one, we remember the incredible chemistry and magic that the AFD and Illusions lineups had both onstage and in the incredible music they created together. It was magical - and hasn't been duplicated since then. And like it or not - admit it or not - Matt was part of that, which is why he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame with the band. To pretend he didn't play a role is just disrespectful and, well, ignorant. 

I "get" that you like some of the "replacement" members that were brought in. I like some of them too - but when all of the original members are alive, healthy and want to be part of this reunion, it just makes zero sense to keep replacements onboard when you can have the real guys who created the music. jmo. 

I am not a new member and I have no liking or lack thereof for new members, if, according to Axl, Slash and Duff, Izzy and Steven can't be there for some reason, I don't care who replaces them. 

And Matt Sorum is and has always been one of the many replacements, nothing more, who joined the band when the band was on top of the world and he had NOTHING to do with it. At the time Matt was hired they could have engaged whoever and they'd be in exactly the same place. Because this position was worked out by Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff and yes, also Steven long ago. Definitely Matt had nothing to do with it. If you don't know that you must be a recent fan, I assume...

[madison]

55 minutes ago, Nick Cobraetti said:

 

 You know full well that it's not a reunion yet you continually insist otherwise... that's, well, ignorant.

Oh please. You can play word semantics all you like - "reunion" or "regrouping" - whatever. But at the end of the day, we all know this is a reunion. If it wasn't, GNR would not be booking stadiums around the country - they'd still be booking weddings, bowling alleys and small arenas.  They also wouldn't be promoting the band as playing together for "the first time in 23 years." Last time I checked, it wasn't 23 years since Frank played. 

52 minutes ago, Asia said:

And Matt Sorum is and has always been one of the many replacements, nothing more, who joined the band when the band was on top of the world and he had NOTHING to do with it. 

If this was true, Matt would never have been inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame as part of GNR. Wouldn't have happened. 

Like it or not - he played a significant role in the band's success in the Illusions era. 

Edited April 15, 2016 by madison

[ohmygod]

18 minutes ago, madison said:

But at the end of the day, we all know this is a reunion. If it wasn't, GNR would not be booking stadiums around the country - they'd still be booking weddings, bowling alleys and small arenas.  

Madison, that's a real salty response.  Further, they are booking bigger places because they can given slash and duffs popularity and the opportunity to see slash back in GNR, which many people missed before he left. It's no different than when Duff took over for tommy in 2014 for a handful of shows.

It's not indicative that since they are booking bigger venues then it must be a reunion, but rather they are booking stadiums  because they can cash in on the above mentioned things.

This isn't a reunion, no matter how much you or other reunionists say it is. Slash is playing songs he didn't write, dizzy is playing songs he didn't record, and Richard is playing songs he didn't record. 

The band has simply evolved. Duff and slash came back, and Melissa (who has a strong link to GNR by way of brain and bucket and working on GNR material) took over for Chris.

Edited April 15, 2016 by ohmygod

[madison]

3 minutes ago, ohmygod said:

Madison, that's a real salty response.  Further, they are booking bigger places because they can given slash and duffs popularity and the opportunity to see slash back in GNR, which many people missed before he left. It's no different than when Duff took over for tommy in 2014 for a handful of shows.

It's not indicative that since they are booking bigger venues then it must be a reunion, but rather they are booking stadiums  because they can cash in on the above mentioned things.

This isn't a reunion, no matter how much you or other reunionists say it is. Slash is playing songs he didn't write, dizzy is playing songs he didn't record, and Richard is playing songs he didn't record. 

The band has simply evolved. Duff and slash came back, and Melissa (who has a strong link to GNR by way of brain and bucket and working on GNR material) took over for Chris.

Then, why do all the promotions for this tour say - the "band" is back playing together for the first time in 23 years?  

The ad doesn't say "Slash is back" or "Duff is back" - it says "GNR is back ..... " 

Last time I checked, it wasn't 23 years since Frank played. 

We all know this is being promoted as a reunion. 

[ohmygod]

@madison So your whole argument is based on promotion.....

The lineup is indicative of the reality not what some promoters are doing to make money. Those are two different things and you know that. Your argument may have had some merit if the band was just slash, duff, and axl and some no names in the background who never had anything to do with GNR. But that's not the case at all. 

But whatever fits your agenda... Which seems very biased to the classic lineup tbh. Just like when you mention weddings and bowling alleys as a means to be disparaging about "nuGNR"...

But what you fail to mention is they played Brooklyn bowl as a warm up for them headlining the governors ball, which you and I know is a major festival with HUGE acts.. And they played that wedding for a lot of money. Seven figure money from what I understand. Also, at the time they were on a major stadium tour through Europe at the time playing in front of 10k to 20k plus people nightly and the wedding fit their schedule. Also, is there shame in playing "small" arenas? 

And please don't use any argument that I'm a new fan so therefore I don't remember the past. Ive been around this forum since 03, and an avid GNR fan since Lies. I welcome slash and duff back to replace tommy and DJ. But firing Frank for Steven of Matt would be hugely disrespectful and a step in the wrong direction for the band, imo.

 

Edited April 15, 2016 by ohmygod

[Nick Cobraetti]

47 minutes ago, madison said:

 

If this was true, Matt would never have been inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame as part of GNR. Wouldn't have happened. 

Like it or not - he played a significant role in the band's success 

48 minutes ago, madison said:

 

If this was true, Matt would never have been inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame as part of GNR. Wouldn't have happened. 

 

 

One does not necessarily follow the other. There are many, many artists in the hall because of their band's accomplishments regardless of their personal talent or contributions...again, please tell me what Dennis Wilson contributed to the Beach Boys' success

[CardinalGunner]

Is this being promoted as a reunion?    by the media, yes.  Yes it is.

But the band itself?  No.  They're not doing that way.    Read their press releases (available on gunsnroses.com) and you will see they are very careful in how they are worded.

Axl fronting a Slash-less incarnation of GnR and Slash touring with his band both do well, but not anything near what they do together.   But together they will sell out stadiums in the US.    They do far better together than apart. 

This is still Axl's band.   He owns the name.    I can see why he isn't letting go of HIS guys, in favor of someone who is a Slash/Duff guy like Matt.   Slash (and Duff) have some leverage too, with what their presence adds to the bottom line.     All 3 are probably happy that Axl's guys probably don't need to be paid quite as much as former members from the 80s and 90s would expect to be paid.

Its fine to prefer one drummer or another.     I think we can all agree that just because someone prefers Frank in the band, it doesn't mean that anything Matt did is being minimized.     Or that we somehow aren't "hardcore" enough, simply because we like how the band is right now.     Seeing the shows with Frank behind drums, they are incredible and he does his part there.    Its just valid for a fan to prefer Frank to Matt, and it is to prefer Matt to Frank or Steven to Matt or whatever.   Frank has been there the longest out of any too.

Edited April 15, 2016 by CardinalGunner

[shades]

3 hours ago, madison said:

 

I "get" that you like some of the "replacement" members that were brought in. I like some of them too - but when all of the original members are alive, healthy and want to be part of this reunion, it just makes zero sense to keep replacements onboard when you can have the real guys who created the music. jmo. 

I disagree, what happens when this reunion becomes the disaster it is detined to be, new members should just come running back?

[paranoyd androyd]

7 hours ago, passenger57 said:

I kinda agree with Axl in the above statement. However Matt did save the band back when Steven was fired, so he should be given alot of credit for that.

In regards to Steven's absence Izzy summed it up best ""Adler's sense of swing was the push and pull that give the songs their feel. When that was gone, it was just... unbelievable, weird. Nothing worked. I would have preferred to continue with Steve, but we'd had two years off and we couldn't wait any longer."

That said I think players shine more when they are part of the original band and not hired hands being told what to do.

I think in VR Matt's drumming is much more free and fluid. His personality comes out more.
 

Check this out - Case in point - When Steven broke his arm GnR hired the Cinderella drummer.  You can see Slash getting frustrated with him at 4:32
All that aside, Axl and Izzy look super cool in this vid! Slash and Duff look pretty wasted lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkmiXmM4I1s

yeah, Izzy never liked Matt's drumming and always understood why Steven was such a critical part of the GNR sound.

[AncientEvil80]

1 hour ago, ohmygod said:

 

The band has simply evolved.

LOL. More like imploded and this is the remains that they're trying to put together. 

I've had some time to digest all this now, and I am still skeptical - glad to enjoy some good shows, but that's it... If Axl and Slash apparently had the chance to "mend" and get together, then FFS there is no reason in the fucking world why the original GNR (and NO, Sorum is not, as much as he was helpful in UYI) wouldn't get together to play some gigs. Forget the whole fucking tour the world over again. Who cares????????????????? Just some dudes who still thinks they're Gods or heroes... (south american, anyone? No offense)

Goddammit, this band used to be all about the right reasons to RNR and for the music, they were anti-heroes. Beyond and above. Once you compromise on that, the magic is lost. And Axl or whoever still thinks GNR is an arena animal, like freaking Elton John or Queen, to be playing epic stuff in front of 100000 people, simply lost it like that. That's what made the band implode eventually, let's say for musical differences - puh. Izzy surely got it first and got the fuck outta dodge and I applaud him for not taking part to a travesty any longer than he had to.

The band made it to the so-called top of the world because of that magic that came out of Gardner Street (among other hell-holes). End of fucking story.

 

[AncientEvil80]

50 minutes ago, CardinalGunner said:

Is this being promoted as a reunion?    by the media, yes.  Yes it is.

But the band itself?  No.  They're not doing that way.    Read their press releases (available on gunsnroses.com) and you will see they are very careful in how they are worded.

Axl fronting a Slash-less incarnation of GnR and Slash touring with his band both do well, but not anything near what they do together.   But together they will sell out stadiums in the US.    They do far better together than apart. 

This is still Axl's band.   He owns the name.    I can see why he isn't letting go of HIS guys, in favor of someone who is a Slash/Duff guy like Matt.   Slash (and Duff) have some leverage too, with what their presence adds to the bottom line.     All 3 are probably happy that Axl's guys probably don't need to be paid quite as much as former members from the 80s and 90s would expect to be paid.

Its fine to prefer one drummer or another.     I think we can all agree that just because someone prefers Frank in the band, it doesn't mean that anything Matt did is being minimized.     Or that we somehow aren't "hardcore" enough, simply because we like how the band is right now.     Seeing the shows with Frank behind drums, they are incredible and he does his part there.    Its just valid for a fan to prefer Frank to Matt, and it is to prefer Matt to Frank or Steven to Matt or whatever.   Frank has been there the longest out of any too.

Press release tea-leaves reading or not, Guns n' Roses promoting concerts as Guns n' Roses to me means the original band. Anything or anyone less, it's not GNR. I don't give a flying fuck who "owns" the name, let alone why. We're talking about music, not a freaking factory. 

[Nosaj Thing]

Tour is called "Not In This Lifetime", yet it isn't a reunion.  Haha.

[passenger57]

7 minutes ago, Nosaj Thing said:

Tour is called "Not In This Lifetime", yet it isn't a reunion.  Haha.

"Use Your Reunions"

[NineInchGun]

For me, this tour is all about seeing Axl and Slash on the same stage (nothing against Duff, but I wasn't dying to see any of his shows with nuGNR). I have my tickets and don't mind that Frank is drumming.

But I feel for Matt. He has to feel like Slash and Duff were his allies considering all they've done together post-GNR, and I don't blame if he feels betrayed they've agreed to play stadiums with Axl and Frank.

On the same token, I don't blame Slash & Duff for agreeing to play with Frank, presumably much cheaper than Matt. Matt's absence likely has minimal impact on ticket sales. As others have said in this thread, Axl likely wanted a balance that made it feel like it's still his band.

I have no idea what Matt's financial situation is, but I think all AFD/UYI Gunners know that the demand for any solo/supergroup shows plummets with NITL.