Matt Sorum's Autobiography

[Spaghetti4twenty]

I have a hard time believing Duff really feels that way about Frank. I guess it’s hard to tell because I’m not the bassist but it seems like they get along on stage and from a fan/listener perspective, I never really had a problem with Frank’s drumming. 
 

I don’t really remember anyone complaining until the reunion started. I doubt he is the one who decides the tempo for the songs, and I don’t really recall him ever fucking up his parts (quote me with a video if I’m wrong...) If anything, slash and axl are the two weak links of the live show and all the fan animosity towards Frank is because people want to see Steve or Matt because it’s nostalgic 

[History2010]

35 minutes ago, DK6 said:

This conversation doesn't ring true at all.

Gone from arguing to a Duff stroking Matt's ego in a split second.

Sounds like a load of crap to me.

People hate on Frank a lot but the idea that they needed to constantly rehearse with Frank because he is such a bad drummer is ridiculous. Frank had been professionally drumming for 27 years when that conversation allegedly happened.  Frank had been in GN'R for 10 years at that point. They certainly weren't doing full band rehearsals because of Frank. 

[MaskingApathy]

5 hours ago, DustNBones1990 said:

I mean.. do we really believe Duff is bitching about Frank? 
I of course could be very wrong but I just can’t imagine Duff doing that.

I can believe it.

[Beto 22]

15 hours ago, DustNBones1990 said:

I mean.. do we really believe Duff is bitching about Frank? 
I of course could be very wrong but I just can’t imagine Duff doing that.

To me it sounds like Matt is trying to big him self up and cause trouble hoping current GN’R members will come across these statements and question them. There may be a reason he’s not behind the kit… snidey stuff like this. They know him better than we do 🤷🏻‍♂️

I really believe that Duff bitched about Frank. If he really meant it, I cant say. Probably no and did it just to make Matt feel better .

Duff is not the saint he likes to make people think he is.

There's rumours that he was the one that stood the most against Izzy share of the money and receive a flat rate salary.

So I really do believe the part that he was pissed about Izzy

Edited January 31, 2023 by Beto 22

[Heather14]

Matt must have heard Izzy's side of the story and I wanted to read that in his book. Maybe he couldn't write it because it would have ended his friendship with Izzy. 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Heather14

[D4NNY]

I don’t like to be judgemental or rude but personally I think Matt is full of shit. If he was a true friend to Duff or Slash he would just be happy for them, plain and simple. I understand why people would like him and be a fan but theres too much snidey remarks coming from him over the last few years that now it’s just like.. of course you’re not there with them. Why would they want that kind of personality around. Too much drama and shit stirring. The band/trio went through enough drama and hurt over the past 20 years before the partial reunion. No more is needed. 

[RichardNixon]

RE: Eric Dover

What did Matt say about him? It's buried in this thread.

 

[BluegrassBlues]

Everybody is of course going to have their own version of what happened, and to them that is their truth because that is how they experienced it. Me personally, I'd love to hear Izzy's thoughts and if the rumor that Duff was against the money he wanted is true, I just want to know the real story lol 

[jonah]

23 hours ago, RichardNixon said:

RE: Eric Dover

What did Matt say about him? It's buried in this thread.

 

Nothing. Just says he didn’t have a say in hiring him and that slash did it without consulting him. Also that snakepit was supposed to be his and slash’s band not just slash’s. 

[Sweersa]

Matt had a decent run with GN'R both in live performances and in the studio, and again with VR, to a slightly lesser extent than Gun's of course but still, that's a hell of a career and one he should be very proud of. 

[Ratam]

2 hours ago, Sweersa said:

Matt had a decent run with GN'R both in live performances and in the studio, and again with VR, to a slightly lesser extent than Gun's of course but still, that's a hell of a career and one he should be very proud of. 

Agreed, pity that his ego don't to leave alone.

[Bluefish18]

Never liked Matt from the first moment I saw him.  It was the Hard & Heavy video when he's sitting with Duff, and they are talking about the size of the audience for his first gig with the band, and he says something like "75,000 people, times $50 a ticket...." and then laughs.  And a fan asks for an autograph and he basically shits on the kid for asking while he's talking to someone- get over yourself, bud; you were in the Cult for fucks sake, not The Stones.  You're not that big a deal.

[RnRHOFGNR]

On 2/1/2023 at 6:44 PM, Bluefish18 said:

Never liked Matt from the first moment I saw him.  It was the Hard & Heavy video when he's sitting with Duff, and they are talking about the size of the audience for his first gig with the band, and he says something like "75,000 people, times $50 a ticket...." and then laughs.  And a fan asks for an autograph and he basically shits on the kid for asking while he's talking to someone- get over yourself, bud; you were in the Cult for fucks sake, not The Stones.  You're not that big a deal.

Almost $4 million and it was only 1991 so today we're talking about $8 million for one show I bet he was real happy about that.  Anyway from all the drummers GNR have had I think Matts style is probably my favourite.

[Dacroix]

I remember having a drink with my friends, watching the vhs of Argentina 92 and pressing the pause button at the time of his solo and laughing our heads off. The faces he made is something I never understood. Yeah, maybe we were a little drunk and yeah, maybe we should have found something more fun to do.

Even so, he is my favorite of all the drummers the band had.

[6lake sa66ath]

Considering all that was included in this tome at one point or another re: Duff & Slash it’s kind of unbelievable that they both still have played with him and appeared on new tracks for his group Kings Of Chaos.

[matt1313]

Is there any mention of his (Matt's) younger brother in the book?  I know the guy but never want to bother him about any GNR inquiries.  Lol. 

[GoBucky]

On 1/31/2023 at 5:41 AM, Beto 22 said:

I really believe that Duff bitched about Frank. If he really meant it, I cant say. Probably no and did it just to make Matt feel better .

Duff is not the saint he likes to make people think he is.

There's rumours that he was the one that stood the most against Izzy share of the money and receive a flat rate salary.

So I really do believe the part that he was pissed about Izzy

Didn't Izzy play on Duff's EP less than a year before? 

[rocknroll41]

14 minutes ago, GoBucky said:

Didn't Izzy play on Duff's EP less than a year before? 

Yes but that was still before the reunion talks with Izzy hit the snag that they did. Doesn’t seem like he’s been on good terms with them since, sadly.

57 minutes ago, 6lake sa66ath said:

Considering all that was included in this tome at one point or another re: Duff & Slash it’s kind of unbelievable that they both still have played with him and appeared on new tracks for his group Kings Of Chaos.

Yeah I’m shocked about that too.

[Beto 22]

24 minutes ago, GoBucky said:

Didn't Izzy play on Duff's EP less than a year before? 

Yes. But before the meeting. Duff and Izzy always seemed to be the closest on a personal level.

They always wrote songs together and participated in each other's albums.

But strangely after the reunion, at least publicly,there was no mention of Duff regarding Izzy.

Which raises the possibility that he was rumored to have been the most businessman at the reunion.

[denin]

On 1/29/2023 at 3:07 AM, Dacroix said:

When he found out that the name of the band with Slash is going to be called "Slash's Snakepit" and not simply "Snakepit" as they talked, Slash told him it was Geffen idea to sell more: "I guess this was the moment when I stopped really trusting Slash. But  at the same time, I also came to accept that side of him; I now know exactly who he is".

Here, Sorum seems pretty clueless about what it means to lead a band that is signed to a big label. Snakepit was indeed supposed to be just that, then SVO (Slash's Very Own) Snakepit, and finally, Slash's Snakepit. Slash prefers being in a band over fronting a group of players. He would've been fine with "just" Snakepit. In comes Geffen and they talk about brand recognition and the recouping of investment.

Near the end of the Snakepit tour, the Geffen folks actually called Slash and told him, "Come back, Axl says he's ready to work on a new Guns album." Slash said they're still looking forward to do more shows. "Come back or you're on your own dime." That's how the label negotiated with Slash regarding the tour. The name issue was probably a similar story. "Own it up or we drop your band from our roster." 

Had Slash evoked the name Sorum, the label execs would've laughed at his face. How cute of Matt to think someone actually made the effort to stab him in the back - and the same goes for 2016, as he had no stake in the band / partnership anyway. The best he could've hoped for (and got) was a courtesy call to do some shows, and maybe slip back into Axl's good graces while doing it. But he's apparently not that bright politically to begin with.

Edited February 4, 2023 by denin

[allwaystired]

11 hours ago, Beto 22 said:

Yes. But before the meeting. Duff and Izzy always seemed to be the closest on a personal level.

They always wrote songs together and participated in each other's albums.

But strangely after the reunion, at least publicly,there was no mention of Duff regarding Izzy.

Which raises the possibility that he was rumored to have been the most businessman at the reunion.

Big and Bold. I like it. 

[Ericstacey]

On 1/30/2023 at 11:36 PM, MaskingApathy said:

I can believe it.

I'll just say I believe Axl when he said Slash had showed up at his house, and bad mouthed Duff, Scott, and I think Matt-I think he called Duff spinless-not saying Duff is, but a lot of this went on with VR-to think that none of the band members never bad mouth each other might be a little far fetched. It happens

[Frankfurt93]

On 3/5/2023 at 12:54 AM, Ericstacey said:

I'll just say I believe Axl when he said Slash had showed up at his house, and bad mouthed Duff, Scott, and I think Matt-I think he called Duff spinless-not saying Duff is, but a lot of this went on with VR-to think that none of the band members never bad mouth each other might be a little far fetched. It happens

that story too was twisted and turned. I do believe too Slash went there and said something, what and too whome remains a mystery only they know.

For one, there was information 'Slash told Rose'

For the other, 'Rose was not home, Slash spoke to Beta'

 

Finally, 'Rose pretended not to be home...'  Slash denied...

[SoulMonster]

46 minutes ago, Frankfurt93 said:

that story too was twisted and turned. I do believe too Slash went there and said something, what and too whome remains a mystery only they know.

For one, there was information 'Slash told Rose'

For the other, 'Rose was not home, Slash spoke to Beta'

 

Finally, 'Rose pretended not to be home...'  Slash denied...

He likely talked to Beta and gave her a note that she would give to Axl. At first he denied ever having visited Axl's house and claim it was all fabricated by Axl to promote the next GN'R record  Later he admitted having lied about not having visited the house. He also later said he had been drunk at the time.

He has never admitted to badmouthing his colleagues in Velvet Revolver, though, he insists he only went there to sort out an ongoing lawsuit, but as far as I am concerned, it is more likely that he did badmouth his bandmates than this being a lie spread by Axl and Beta. 

More here: 25. AUGUST 2004-MAY 2006: FINALIZING CHINESE DEMOCRACY; LAWSUITS; RETURN TO NYC (a-4-d.com)

[SoulMonster]

As for why I believe Slash lies about not having badmouthing his comrades:

- Why would he lie at all? He could easily have admitted immediately that he had visited Axl's house. There was no point in lying about that. He could just have said he only went there to resolve the legal matter. No point in lying about having been there at all. The fact that he lied seems like an attempt at denying it all. If he could make people believe he hadn't been there at all, it would also mean the rest of the story about his badmouthing his colleagues was untrue, too.

- When he came clean on having visited Axl's house, he never said "but the part of me saying nasty things about Duff and Matt is a lie!". He never did that. He just stated he had lied about visiting, and then left it at that. Obviously, admitting having badmouthed could have consequences, so best leave the truth about that part of the story hanging in the air.

- The alternative means that Beta and maybe Axl lie. I highly doubt Axl would lie about this, and I don't think Beta would fool Axl about this, and I see no reason why Beta would lie about this in the first place. There is little to gain from such a lie. I mean, in the war between the camps there were always real things to use against each other, making up such a lie seems so unnecessary and risky (if Axl at some point found out or started trusting Slash again).

- Slash offered that he was drunk when visiting the house. How is that relevant unless as an unsaid excuse for having done something regrettable? And it is hard to see why he would need to come up with an excuse for making an attempt to resolve a legal matter, which is a decent thing to do.

So all things considered, I believe Slash said some bad things. Not necessarily exactly what Beta recalled, she could have exaggerated somewhat for effect, but definitely enough for Slash to decide to lie to cover it all up.