Matt Sorum's Autobiography

[MaskingApathy]

17 hours ago, jafeijo said:

I don't consider Matt a replacement per say, he's almost a original member. Most of my favorite drum parts in UYI were written by him and Adler certainly could not replicate them even in his best day.

I'm totally aware he didn't write all of the songs in it and for sure the guy behaves like he's equal to original members. Anyway, he's the best drummer GNR has ever had IMO, only a few rock drummers created a certain "signature style" of drumming and to me he's one of them, also the chemistry him Slash and Duff developed in studio with GNR and later in VR is top notch, to me almost a Hard Rock subgenre of it's own. 

100% agree.

[Free Bird]

He was on the pay roll as was everyone aside the AFD5

[DeNfr]

another video I missed from a month ago, I've been watching for just three minutes and he's already giving credit to GNR 

 

[Ugly_Kid_Jose]

anyone could send me the leaked original.version, please?

[ZoSoRose]

On 1/28/2023 at 8:07 PM, Dacroix said:

I read the original version and I remember copying some parts in a notepad

AFTER TOURING FOR SIXTEEN MONTHS STRAIGHT, I developed a kind of 
constant anxiety. It felt like I never got any peace, and by the time we 
played the Astrodome in Houston on September 4, 1992, I’d suddenly had 
enough. 
The whole band had taken a bow, like usual, to thank the crowd from 
the stage when Axl, Duff, and Slash went back out for a second go. 
I realized I was furious, but I didn’t say anything until that evening, 
after we’d flown to Dallas and started the after-party with cocktails and 
blow in Duff’s room at the Four Seasons. 
“What the hell was that?” I said. 
“What?” said Duff, pretending not to know what I meant. 
“The three of you going out there alone.” 
Slash shrugged. “We started the band, so we get to take an extra bow.” 
“Fuck you guys,” I said. “I’m your drummer now, since your last one 
took too much heroin.” 
“Yeah, but we started the band,” Slash repeated. 
“Fuck you,” I shouted, storming out of the room.

 

-----

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".

 

----

 

Duff and I talked a lot about how we could find a replacement for Paul 
Tobias. Neither of us really believed that Slash had quit for good, but we 
couldn’t think of anyone to replace Paul. At least I couldn’t until I went 
down to Cirque du Soleil in Santa Monica and saw a band with a great 
guitarist. His name was Robin Finck. 
I called Axl right away. “Hey, Axl. I just saw this fucking cool guitar 
player.” 
For once, Axl sounded happy, and he said, “OK, I’m gonna go check 
him out.” 
A couple days later, Axl went to see Robin play. He called me back 
afterward. “Yeah, he’s gonna be great to replace Slash.” 
“No, no, no,” I said. “I meant for him to replace Paul Tobias. . . . Let’s 
get rid of Paul. Slash will come back.” 
But Axl had already made up his mind, and he repeated, “Nah, he’s 
gonna replace Slash.”

 

-----

 

About 2016 reunion:

Duff can’t even look me in the eye and tell the truth, and that’s what breaks my heart.

 

(...)

I continued to call Duff, but he was constantly evading me, and I realized he wasn’t telling the truth. “Duff, what’s going on?” I said.  “Well, Axl wants to use his drummer,” he said. “But the guy can’t even play the drums. I’ve gotta talk to Axl and say I really can’t play with this guy.”  “Wait! Back up!” I said. “What do you mean you don’t think he’s very  good? And you can’t fucking tell Axl? That would be the first thing I’d say  if I was the bass player and you were the drummer. Why do you think Iasked you to play in the Vampires? Because you’re my favorite bass  player.” 
“Come on, man.” 
“No. . . . Go to Axl and tell him you want me on drums. Period. Now’s  the time.” 
“Oh, man,” Duff said, his voice kind of shrinking. “I already signed the deal.” 
“What deal?” 
But he didn’t want to say any more. 

A week or so later, I was due to play in my own all-star band, Kings of  Chaos, in Cabo San Lucas. Duff was booked to play the gig, and he flew down on the day with his wife. As we were sitting in the van on the way to  the show, I asked him again, “So what’s going on?”  “We’re just rehearsing with these guys. We’re trying to wait till Axl makes his decision.”

(...)

Got a text message from Axl’s  manager, Fernando, who I had first met (along with his mother, Beta)  when he was a young kid from Brazil that Axl decided to take under his  wing. 
“Hey there bud,” he wrote. “How are you? Just reaching out to see how  your schedule is looking. Wondering if you’re interested in joining the  band on a few shows and a few songs. Let me know.”  I stared at my phone; I could hardly believe my eyes. I replied a little  later, copying my manager, saying I would check my calendar. Johnny and I hadn’t even left the island before my manager called to 
say that Fernando had offered to pay all my travel expenses and hotel costs if I agreed to join the band. That was the only form of payment I would  get. I asked my manager to get back to them with a polite no thanks.

 

(...)

“I don’t know why you didn’t come play with us when we called to  ask.”  “We?” I said. “Why didn’t you call me yourself instead of getting your  manager to do it?”  “Well, I thought that management could handle it.”  “That ten-year-old kid?”  “He’s not ten anymore,” Duff said, “he’s thirty-five.” We sat in silence for a few minutes. Duff looked down at the table the  way he always had when he felt uncomfortable or cornered. “There  would’ve been money,” he eventually said. 
I stared at him, at a loss for what to say. After a while, I said, “One good thing about all this is that Izzy and I started hanging out again.”  As the words left my mouth, Duff got a dark look in his eye. “Fuck Izzy!” he snapped. I knew his reaction was because of Izzy turning them down, so I calmly said, “Well . . . Izzy says fuck you too.”  Duff didn’t reply. Instead, he just poked at his food—he didn’t really seem hungry—and then checked his watch and said, “I’ve gotta go.” 
“Where?” I asked. 
“Rehearsal.” 
“Rehearsal? Didn’t you guys just get off a three-month tour? Why are you rehearsing?” 
“Because we don’t have you on drums,” Duff said. 
We got up. As we were leaving the restaurant, two guys came over to 
us, wanting to take photos. 
Duff froze and explained that it wasn’t the right moment. I immediately knew why: he was afraid Axl would find out he had been to 
see me.

What I do know for sure is that our friendship wasn’t the only thing  that had ended—our twenty-eight-year musical partnership was over too. I wouldn’t be able to call him or Slash and ask if they wanted to play with 
me. The GNR machine had taken them back. I knew I wouldn’t be able to 
rely on those guys any longer. For the first time, I felt completely on my 
own.

 

 

 

 

 

The Robin story is hilarious. Axl was bananas

Matt never got over himself. Dude has always had an ego. I dig him as a rock n roll cartoon character and like him okay on UYI and VR, but I’m fine it was never going to be him on NITL. Axl is an insecure nut but I wouldn’t go for him, either, if I was Axl. Matt is too headstrong and would stir the pot. The guys in the band now just want a professional and milquetoast relationship that allows them to have fun and rake in the money. A wise and admirable move at their age. Much better for fans, too.

 Matt wasn’t entitled to shit with the reunion. He isn’t an original and he burned his bridge with Axl.  Why would Matt’s status affect Duff signing? That’s just petty shit. They started the band, not him. The reunion always going to hurt some feelings, but he should have sucked it up, taken the guest spot, and supported them. Then he’d have his friends, still.

Im bummed Steven couldn’t have a bigger role, but I totally get why that wasn’t possible. The drama with him and his mom during NITL proved he couldn’t handle it. Izzy is a bummer, too. Who knows what went down. Untimely, they proved this was a stable lineup and the right call. 2016-2023 is a hell of a run, so far.

If Frank couldn’t do it, I’d take Brain over Sorum

Edited November 29, 2023 by ZoSoRose

[Ace Spade]

5 hours ago, Ugly_Kid_Jose said:

anyone could send me the leaked original.version, please?

 I second this. Where the fuck can we find this leaked version with all the real dirt. 

 

I'll pay.

[Ratam]

I thinķ if Matt not has been edited his book he now would has same problem that Axl has today.

[BluegrassBlues]

1 hour ago, Ratam said:

I thinķ if Matt not has been edited his book he now would has same problem that Axl has today.

Most definitely! I enjoyed the drama he spilled about the band, the stuff about Slash and Duff specifically I was surprised to read. I thought he would tear into Axl real good but he seemed to be more understanding of his anxiety and had his back more than I thought. So I was was enjoying it for what it was, and then he starts talking about the maybe, possibly trafficked women and I was like nope no thank you. I see why the publisher wanted it edited 

[Rovim]

2 minutes ago, BluegrassBlues said:

Most definitely! I enjoyed the drama he spilled about the band, the stuff about Slash and Duff specifically I was surprised to read. I thought he would tear into Axl real good but he seemed to be more understanding of his anxiety and had his back more than I thought. So I was was enjoying it for what it was, and then he starts talking about the maybe, possibly trafficked women and I was like nope no thank you. I see why the publisher wanted it edited 

is it confirmed that it was the publisher that wanted it edited? iirc Matt said that "he didn't want to come off as jaded" or some shit.

[BluegrassBlues]

9 minutes ago, Rovim said:

is it confirmed that it was the publisher that wanted it edited? iirc Matt said that "he didn't want to come off as jaded" or some shit.

I maybe completely wrong on that, I kinda assumed it was the publisher since those stories were completely removed if I am remembering it right and that was just something he said to cover for it 

[Lio]

49 minutes ago, Rovim said:

is it confirmed that it was the publisher that wanted it edited? iirc Matt said that "he didn't want to come off as jaded" or some shit.

I tried to look that up in this very thread. Except the Sheila Kennedy story (we keep repeating ourselves every few years!), I found that a rock reporter tweeted that the book was canceled, and it disappeared from the publisher's website. It did resurface afterwards in the edited version, I would imagine some people sounded the alarm after reading it.

Matt's book proves to me that most of what the band and their groupies were doing in those days, would be completely unacceptable now. I'm sure women, and especially Penthouse Pets, were treated like sexdolls back in the day. Not just by Axl or GNR, but by many bands. I mean, what are groupies? They offered themselves up to those young guys who had turned into rock stars overnight. I don't think all those guys would ask them what they liked or if they were okay with doing it this or that way. And I'm sure many of these girls 'were okay with it', because they dreamed of a life of partying and luxury, and were drugged/drunk for most of it anyway. Probably only (much) later on they realized that they were being used and abused and it wasn't all that much fun after all.

[Ratam]

3 hours ago, BluegrassBlues said:

Most definitely! I enjoyed the drama he spilled about the band, the stuff about Slash and Duff specifically I was surprised to read. I thought he would tear into Axl real good but he seemed to be more understanding of his anxiety and had his back more than I thought. So I was was enjoying it for what it was, and then he starts talking about the maybe, possibly trafficked women and I was like nope no thank you. I see why the publisher wanted it edited 

Yes, it was the reason. Plus it seem a bit disrespectuful to his current wife and little one too.

[superloconoriega]

i read the unedited version but i cannot find in my computer right now. If any fellow Gunner can hook me up it would be greatly appreciated. 

[evilfacelessturtle]

I haven't read the book but those excerpts above are quite obviously exaggerated.

Quote

“Well, Axl wants to use his drummer,” he said. “But the guy can’t even play the drums. I’ve gotta talk to Axl and say I really can’t play with this guy.”

 “Rehearsal? Didn’t you guys just get off a three-month tour? Why are you rehearsing?” 
“Because we don’t have you on drums,” Duff said. 

Yeah, okay Matt. Sure.

I'm getting flashbacks to a narcissistic drummer I played with at one point. He'd do the same thing when re-telling any story; everything gets maximized and caricatured and read between the lines however it fits his perspective. Duff makes a slight, vague facial expression and he jumps to the conclusion it's because he's disgusted by Frank. 

That said, I do enjoy Sorum's drumming.

On 11/29/2023 at 5:53 PM, ZoSoRose said:

If Frank couldn’t do it, I’d take Brain over Sorum

If Frank was out, I'd love to see Matt Laug join. He was fantastic with AC/DC and Snakepit.

[MaskingApathy]

On 11/30/2023 at 11:57 AM, Rovim said:

is it confirmed that it was the publisher that wanted it edited? iirc Matt said that "he didn't want to come off as jaded" or some shit.

 

On 11/30/2023 at 3:16 PM, Ratam said:

Yes, it was the reason. Plus it seem a bit disrespectuful to his current wife and little one too.

Yeah I think it also had something to do with him having a daughter now and trying to be a family man.

[MaskingApathy]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:53 PM, ZoSoRose said:

The Robin story is hilarious. Axl was bananas

Matt never got over himself. Dude has always had an ego. I dig him as a rock n roll cartoon character and like him okay on UYI and VR, but I’m fine it was never going to be him on NITL. Axl is an insecure nut but I wouldn’t go for him, either, if I was Axl. Matt is too headstrong and would stir the pot. The guys in the band now just want a professional and milquetoast relationship that allows them to have fun and rake in the money. A wise and admirable move at their age. Much better for fans, too.

 Matt wasn’t entitled to shit with the reunion. He isn’t an original and he burned his bridge with Axl.  Why would Matt’s status affect Duff signing? That’s just petty shit. They started the band, not him. The reunion always going to hurt some feelings, but he should have sucked it up, taken the guest spot, and supported them. Then he’d have his friends, still.

Im bummed Steven couldn’t have a bigger role, but I totally get why that wasn’t possible. The drama with him and his mom during NITL proved he couldn’t handle it. Izzy is a bummer, too. Who knows what went down. Untimely, they proved this was a stable lineup and the right call. 2016-2023 is a hell of a run, so far.

If Frank couldn’t do it, I’d take Brain over Sorum

No I can totally understand why Matt felt the way he did. Duff was one of his closest friends (practically brothers; Duff was one of Matt's groomsmen) and they had been through a lot together and he had hoped for some loyalty, instead he got left behind while Slash and Duff got to be in the spotlight again and make lots of money. I think deep down Slash and Duff wanted Matt there but ultimately didn't really have a choice, and that's probably one reason that Duff was evading him because he knew Matt was really hurt by all that. The bit about Matt telling Duff to tell Axl that he wants him on drums, I can totally picture him saying that. He's always been a more outspoken kind of guy (which Duff isn't).

Edited December 4, 2023 by MaskingApathy

[Rovim]

38 minutes ago, MaskingApathy said:

No I can totally understand why Matt felt the way he did. Duff was one of his closest friends (practically brothers; Duff was one of Matt's groomsmen) and they had been through a lot together and he had hoped for some loyalty, instead he got left behind while Slash and Duff got to be in the spotlight again and make lots of money. I think deep down Slash and Duff wanted Matt there but ultimately didn't really have a choice, and that's probably one reason that Duff was evading him because he knew Matt was really hurt by all that. The bit about Matt telling Duff to tell Axl that he wants him on drums, I can totally picture him saying that. He's always been a more outspoken kind of guy (which Duff isn't).

Matt said so himself: he talked too much shit about Axl in the press for him to be a part of it. I always liked Matt as a drummer, but like you said, it was probably going with Axl's drummer, Frank (which he wasn't going to get rid of anyway cause Axl seems too loyal to do that with no good reason) or not rejoin Gn'R. It's not even a choice, cause I think Slash and Duff couldn't wait to rejoin Gn'R. 

where I feel Matt was maybe a little bit too entitled is expecting to fill the drummer spot when it wasn't even available just cause they had history together (and I respect what Matt contributed to Gn'R, I think he was much more than just an "additional musician")

[jamillos]

I think the reasons were several, and one of them was balance. Axl would otherwise have had only 4tus on "his side", basically VR against him again. And yeah, they clearly want to have fun and go easy with any new material, which might be a view Matt wouldn't share. I still would've preferred him.