STEVEN ADLER: MATT SORUM Wouldn't Take Part In GUNS N' ROSES Reunion Unless I Was Involved

[stella]

So how would Del have had Steven's number at hand in Vegas?

Look on Canter Banter.It was the show that he attended and Del asked Marc for Stevens number I think.

It was the same night that Axl played the CD demos to Marc.

Ah. That makes sense.

I still think 99% of what Adler says is completely false. According to him, everyone's always telling him how wonderful he is, and yet none of the other AfD or Illusions people want to work with him.

[tinyrobot]

Yep. I am guessing that perhaps the conversation went more like "I don't think you should see Axl, but I will ask" or "Come back later, I can't give you an answer now."

People keep bringing up the times that TB/Del turned away Slash and Duff but neither was the same. Slash? He was by his own admission drunk off his ass. A lot of people might have had the response of "go home, you're drunk" and things with Slash are so complicated with Axl that it might have seemed the safest thing to do at the time.

Duff? Wasn't actually turned away. He was admitted to Axl's hotel room and was able to walk right in and see him. They did claim that Axl was in the shower but perhaps that's what they thought - or perhaps they wanted to tell Axl before Duff saw him.

With Erin, it seems as though she just bought a ticket to that show.like anyone else might. It doesn't seem as though she reached out to Axl or tried to see him at all. From that photo she posted, it seems as though she wasn't anywhere in the venue where Axl or TB would have seen her - it's unlikely they would have picked her out of a crowd.

I don't know about Slash... It is pretty unclear to me if He couldn't see Axl because someone decided for Axl instead of asking, if it's because Axl didn't want to see him or because Axl was either sleeping or out of the house at the moment. I will never know the truth on that one.

As for Duff, I believe him 100% that he was stopped and if it wasn't for Axl opening the door and inviting him in, there wouldn't be an Axl-Duff reconciliation by today.

[dalsh327]

Steven was a part of something great but it's almost like he's defined or imprisoned by GNR's success. Ed King is always going to have his "Sweet Home Alabama" contribution to Skynyrd and he laughs at what Skynyrd has turned into. He was still Rock Hall inducted as was Adler. Dickey Betts wasn't invited to the Allmans farewell show but he'll always be considered the voice of many Allmans songs esp. "Ramblin' Man".

Adler will always have his big hair and cowbell intro to "Night Train" but there's just songs like "Rocket Queen" or "Paradise City" when he and Duff are together and it just has a spark to it that Frank & Tommy don't really have the same way, or Sorum and McKagan don't really have playing the AFD songs (although Duff and Frank did sound good together).

Edited March 6, 2015 by dalsh327

[Dr. Who]

Can you blame Del for stopping Steven at the gig?

The last time Axl had seen or likely spoken to Steven was over a decade prior. In court. When Steven had successfully sued Guns N' Roses for 1.5 million$

I understand a lot of you feel Axl is obligated to speak to any old member of the band if they approach him, but, I am sure there are people in your personal lives you wouldn't want to talk to. Regardless of other people wanting you to.

[stella]

Yep. I am guessing that perhaps the conversation went more like "I don't think you should see Axl, but I will ask" or "Come back later, I can't give you an answer now."

People keep bringing up the times that TB/Del turned away Slash and Duff but neither was the same. Slash? He was by his own admission drunk off his ass. A lot of people might have had the response of "go home, you're drunk" and things with Slash are so complicated with Axl that it might have seemed the safest thing to do at the time.

Duff? Wasn't actually turned away. He was admitted to Axl's hotel room and was able to walk right in and see him. They did claim that Axl was in the shower but perhaps that's what they thought - or perhaps they wanted to tell Axl before Duff saw him.

With Erin, it seems as though she just bought a ticket to that show.like anyone else might. It doesn't seem as though she reached out to Axl or tried to see him at all. From that photo she posted, it seems as though she wasn't anywhere in the venue where Axl or TB would have seen her - it's unlikely they would have picked her out of a crowd.

I don't know about Slash... It is pretty unclear to me if He couldn't see Axl because someone decided for Axl instead of asking, if it's because Axl didn't want to see him or because Axl was either sleeping or out of the house at the moment. I will never know the truth on that one.

As for Duff, I believe him 100% that he was stopped and if it wasn't for Axl opening the door and inviting him in, there wouldn't be an Axl-Duff reconciliation by today.

I believe Duff 100% too, and I do believe that he was stopped when he tried to go to Axl's room, but it doesn't say that *Del* tried to stop him. Duff knew Del from way back and probably would have mentioned that. And I just went back and checked Duff's book - it actually says that Axl's management *called* Duff - they actually tracked him down in the conference center where he was doing his meetings - and freely told him what room they were in. The fact that they actually reached out to Duff and gave him that information makes me think that they wouldn't have barred him or prevented him from seeing Axl altogether at that point. Axl had actually mentioned that Duff was the only alumni he'd work on a project with in one of the forum chats before this, and he didn't seem to ever express the same hatred for Duff that he did for Slash or even Steven.

With Slash, point taken that someone made the decision for Axl. On the other hand it seems as though TB has tried to protect Axl from things that will upset him. They may absolutely be wrong in that. The thing is, though, is that they're not locking Axl in the house or keeping his cell phone or computer. He knows exactly where Slash is and how to reach him - at the very least there has to be current contact information for Slash's management because of the administrative work that has to be done with the GnR brand. They live in the same general area. If Axl were interested in talking to Slash in any capacity he could easily reach out.

Edited March 6, 2015 by stella

[Free Bird]

but, I am sure there are people in your personal lives you wouldn't want to talk to. Regardless of other people wanting you to.

I, for my part, would like to take this decision on my own.

[Ragnar]

Jesus, Steven, shut the fuck up already.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Dark Knight

[Padme]

Can you blame Del for stopping Steven at the gig?

The last time Axl had seen or likely spoken to Steven was over a decade prior. In court. When Steven had successfully sued Guns N' Roses for 1.5 million$

I understand a lot of you feel Axl is obligated to speak to any old member of the band if they approach him, but, I am sure there are people in your personal lives you wouldn't want to talk to. Regardless of other people wanting you to.

Well that depends, Was Del following orders when he asked Steven to leave the gig? Maybe, if there are such rules. By looking at the Steven and Duff cases it seems Del was assuming too much and he was wrong.

[supercool]

Jesus, Steven, shut the fuck up already.

yeah, we need more ashba, adalberto and fortus interviews.....

[Ragnar]

Jesus, Steven, shut the fuck up already.

yeah, we need more ashba, adalberto and fortus interviews.....

What ?

[GUNNER PT]

From Steve to Steve ...

[Intercourse]

If all of these guys just met up alone without the hangers on etc and just fucking man up about their personal failings in this cabaret..25 years of nonsense would be buried in a few hours.

Duff may have to implement a few arm bars to settle things down but I believe they'd get there.

[stella]

Nowhere in Duff's book does it say that DEL tried to stop him from seeing Axl. He says "members of the entourage" tried to stop him. He never names Del, and since they go way back, he would have. And in Duff's book he ALSO says that Axl's management reached out to HIM first. THEY called him. They told him which room they were in. That kinda makes it clear that their goal wasn't to ban Duff from seeing Axl.

And in truth with the exception of Axl and Slash...they're all cool wtih each other. Axl's played with Duff, Izzy and Gilby. He's hung out with Matt. He even hung out with Steven again, although Steven burned the bridge all on his own by spending the next six years pleading in the press for a reunion every chance he had. The others have all reconciled any issues they had with each other. Duff, Izzy, Matt and Slash have all worked together. They don't want Steven in their projects for obvious reasons but they don't have an issue with him.

So the one remaining severed relationship is Axl and Slash - and on a professional working level I honestly don't think they can ever mend it. People move on. People do other things.

Edited March 6, 2015 by stella

[stella]

but, I am sure there are people in your personal lives you wouldn't want to talk to. Regardless of other people wanting you to.

I, for my part, would like to take this decision on my own.

But Axl *has* made this decision on his own. He knows where Slash is. He always has access to correct contact information because of the business stuff. If he wanted to talk to Slash he could do that at any time with or without TB's approval.

Plus, in thinking about this more...whatever one thinks of the idea of a reunion, I don't think anyone can deny that it would make a significant amount of money. They would sell out arenas. If they did a song or an album it would probably be a major seller, even in this sickly music climate. If TB and Del really are leeches and their goal is to squeeze the most money out of Axl that they possibly can, without any regard to what is best for him emotionally, wouldn't promoting a reunion really be in their best interests?

Edited March 6, 2015 by stella

[mixk]

Del James, saw me in the audience, in the back, and said, 'You'd better leave. I don't want Axl getting pissed.' I left, I went home, I was walking in the front door and my phone's ringing. I pick it up, and it's Del. And he says, 'I'm so sorry. Axl wanted to talk with you.' So I went back.

A pretty good example of the kind of damage those "protecting" Axl have done over the years.

This is true. And it makes me sad.

[tinyrobot]

I believe Duff 100% too, and I do believe that he was stopped when he tried to go to Axl's room, but it doesn't say that *Del* tried to stop him. Duff knew Del from way back and probably would have mentioned that. And I just went back and checked Duff's book - it actually says that Axl's management *called* Duff - they actually tracked him down in the conference center where he was doing his meetings - and freely told him what room they were in. The fact that they actually reached out to Duff and gave him that information makes me think that they wouldn't have barred him or prevented him from seeing Axl altogether at that point. Axl had actually mentioned that Duff was the only alumni he'd work on a project with in one of the forum chats before this, and he didn't seem to ever express the same hatred for Duff that he did for Slash or even Steven.

With Slash, point taken that someone made the decision for Axl. On the other hand it seems as though TB has tried to protect Axl from things that will upset him. They may absolutely be wrong in that. The thing is, though, is that they're not locking Axl in the house or keeping his cell phone or computer. He knows exactly where Slash is and how to reach him - at the very least there has to be current contact information for Slash's management because of the administrative work that has to be done with the GnR brand. They live in the same general area. If Axl were interested in talking to Slash in any capacity he could easily reach out.

So they reach out for Duff first, then don't let him in? O_o

This ppl are fuckin' weird...

Yeah, I know the case with Slash is different and apparently Slash is dealing with it in a different way too. Now he @ Axl on Twitter, so intermediaries and psycophants back off or are you gonna invade Axl's Tw account too?

[RussTCB]

Jesus, Steven, shut the fuck up already.

yeah, we need more ashba, adalberto and fortus interviews.....

I see both sides of this. The first thing I thought when I read this thread was "NO ONE FUCKING CARES STEVEN". But then as supercool says; what's the alternative? More of Ashba & 4tus talking about how we're on the brink of greatness while absolutely nothing is going on in reality?

[tinyrobot]

I'm all for reunion and shit but at the same time, if reunion takes place in any form (tour or album) we wouldn't see CD2 ever again and we would never hear the "2 albums worth of material" that Axl allegedly recorded...

[Słash]

Steven is a nice guy, Today what he has, its cause of GNR and he can never forget those times, If i was him then maybe I would have acted in the same way, Im happy that he is getting sober, but its hard to move on from what gave him so much success, All he wants to do is to have his old friends back and tour with his friends which made awesome music, God knows why people keep on bashing him

[Ragnar]

Jesus, Steven, shut the fuck up already.

yeah, we need more ashba, adalberto and fortus interviews.....

I see both sides of this. The first thing I thought when I read this thread was "NO ONE FUCKING CARES STEVEN". But then as supercool says; what's the alternative? More of Ashba & 4tus talking about how we're on the brink of greatness while absolutely nothing is going on in reality?

If reunion ever happens I`m sure Steven won`t be involved. It will crush him even more.

[stella]

I believe Duff 100% too, and I do believe that he was stopped when he tried to go to Axl's room, but it doesn't say that *Del* tried to stop him. Duff knew Del from way back and probably would have mentioned that. And I just went back and checked Duff's book - it actually says that Axl's management *called* Duff - they actually tracked him down in the conference center where he was doing his meetings - and freely told him what room they were in. The fact that they actually reached out to Duff and gave him that information makes me think that they wouldn't have barred him or prevented him from seeing Axl altogether at that point. Axl had actually mentioned that Duff was the only alumni he'd work on a project with in one of the forum chats before this, and he didn't seem to ever express the same hatred for Duff that he did for Slash or even Steven.

With Slash, point taken that someone made the decision for Axl. On the other hand it seems as though TB has tried to protect Axl from things that will upset him. They may absolutely be wrong in that. The thing is, though, is that they're not locking Axl in the house or keeping his cell phone or computer. He knows exactly where Slash is and how to reach him - at the very least there has to be current contact information for Slash's management because of the administrative work that has to be done with the GnR brand. They live in the same general area. If Axl were interested in talking to Slash in any capacity he could easily reach out.

So they reach out for Duff first, then don't let him in? O_o

This ppl are fuckin' weird...

Yeah, I know the case with Slash is different and apparently Slash is dealing with it in a different way too. Now he @ Axl on Twitter, so intermediaries and psycophants back off or are you gonna invade Axl's Tw account too?

You know, in thinking about this and rereading the passage in Duff's book again - it was before a gig and they said he was about to get ready for the show. Considering Axl's track record with not turning up for gigs on time, they might not have wanted anything happening that could hold him up or make him even later to the show. So when Duff showed up at *that* moment they may have been thinking "oh shit, we're never going to get him out of here on time now." Duff had to cut his phone call with Axl's management short because he was in a meeting and he just stopped by the room instead of calling back. If he'd called back, maybe they would have organized something to get him there after the show instead. There's one other instance where it seemed like TB was trying to stop Axl from talking to fans and in reality they apparently were worried about getting to a flight on time, so it's plausible.

And with Slash and social media, I think that's the point. Axl obviously has his own phone, can make his own calls and can do his own Tweets. Even if he wasn't brave enough to contact Slash directly, he could always have favorited Slash's birthday tweet to him or replied to it. He hasn't wanted to do so. That's on him. He obviously doesn't want to talk to Slash; there's nobody stopping him from doing so and he's always had Slash's contact info.

Edited March 6, 2015 by stella

[GNRfanMILO]

Maybe im going to say something stupid, but is that crazy to think that Steven wants a "second chance" for screwing it up back in the day? I mean he only lived the AFD era, the club days. He missed UYIs and the longest tour in history... For me, that's why he talks so much about a reunion, leaving aside the drug/alcohol issue.

[tinyrobot]

And with Slash and social media, I think that's the point. Axl obviously has his own phone, can make his own calls and can do his own Tweets. Even if he wasn't brave enough to contact Slash directly, he could always have favorited Slash's birthday tweet to him or replied to it. He hasn't wanted to do so. That's on him. He obviously doesn't want to talk to Slash; there's nobody stopping him from doing so and he's always had Slash's contact info.

I don't know if it's that or the fact that he knows that if he favorited Slash tweet or going further as to reply it, it would have caused such chaos about the reunion stuff that he would have been flooded and sought after to talk about the reunion.

Slash tweet had more than 15,000 favs and RT's. Imagine what would have happened if Axl had taken action on it... I guess Twitter would have gone out of service!!!

Knowing Axl just a bit, I think if he ever talks to Slash again it will be in a private meeting or on the phone, but never in a place like Twitter or Facebook. Maybe that thing already happened and we don't know... but Axl is very fond of his privacy so if his reconciliation with Slash ever happens and then goes public I'm pretty sure it is because they reached an agreement 2 years before, lol.

[stella]

That's true. And I do think, again, that if he and Slash ever talk again or bury the hatchet, it doesn't necessarily mean anything for a reunion or any sort of future work together. Axl's buried the hatchet with everyone else and there hasn't been anything more than a few guest spots here and there. I think that if Axl ever records or works with anyone again on a regular basis it would probably be Duff.

[WAR41]

Steven Adler is still the only member of the AFD GNR who I have yet to see live. I hope he gets back on tour soon.