Matt Sorum's Autobiography

[KeyserSoze]

Just now, allwaystired said:

So it's out? I'm confused here.....

It was cancelled by the published, but leaked by people who got advanced copies of the book in PDF format 

[D..]

28 minutes ago, GnR Chris said:

Or the opposite. There’s a lot of bullshit in it and they knew the book wouldn’t stand up against a lawsuit. 

Bullshit or not, it would be hard to prove a lot of things in the book, like the Stephanie Seymour story, how do you back that up in a lawsuit? It's just word against word.

That said, no lawsuit was filed against Slash when he released his book, right? Why would they do so with Sorum, I don't get it.

Maybe it's not about a lawsuit but rather Matt being offered money to cancel the publication.

 

@GnR Chris We (I mean people on the boards) know a shitton of things about Gn'R, so it's not really that surprising that some things we theorized may actually be true and confirmed in his book (like how Slash & Duff could possibly appreciate Frank's drumming). And a book targets an audience far broader than just messageboards. We don't really influence much in the Gn'R world, we're just a few thousands.

Edited June 6, 2020 by D..

[DieselDaisy]

It is great. I don't take any of this serious. In Keith's autobiography he accused Mick of having a ''small todger''. It is soap opera. When you read enough music biographies you realise rock bands are bitchier than a women's hair salon.

[allwaystired]

1 minute ago, KeyserSoze said:

It was cancelled by the published, but leaked by people who got advanced copies of the book in PDF format 

Thanks! Some sites are still listing it as available for pre-order but I guess they just haven't updated if it's been totally cancelled. 

We don't know the reason for it being cancelled? 

[DieselDaisy]

Regarding Slash it doesn't really tell me anything new - except hearing it from Matt is new I suppose as I assumed he was part of Slash's fraternity. Beneath Slash's ''too cool for school'' rock n' roll persona it is obvious he is a ruthless operator. And the two of them, Slash and Duff, were like cowardly girls around Rose - Izzy also but then he was bailing when Matt joined. And we have been discussing on here since the reunion what a knob Duff has turned into, selling Izzy out etc.  

But yes, Slash and Duff are crucified. Rose emerges rather well. 

The tale of Matt barging in and finding Rose huddled there, anxiety ridden, might just be the closest glimpse of what is going on in Rose's mind when he refused to turn up on stage. There are lots of nuggets like this which are very plausible and fascinating. 

[NeonKinight]

9 hours ago, Blackstar said:

Have you read the excerpt from Matt's book?

I know it's not new and I already knew GnR did it, but Matt's particular "system" and the way he brags about it are disgusting - and kind of hilarious at the same time, only because Matt comes across as a big douche.

Slash never said anything along these lines, as far as I know. He said that Beggars... was Eric Dover's tryout song and he wrote the lyrics, and that Slash and Dover co-wrote most of the lyrics on Snakepit. Later Slash would say that a lot of the Snakepit lyrics were his and Dover was used as a "filter". 

 

[NeonKinight]

11 hours ago, Otto said:

Never heard about this before, do you have a source?

 

[DieselDaisy]

He thought Dover was terrible and wanted to quit the band immediately when Slash hired him.

[Blackstar]

11 minutes ago, NeonKinight said:

 

Where does he say it (min. mark?) I've actually transcribed this interview and didn't hear him say anything like this:

https://www.a-4-d.com/t4085-1995-01-dd-much-music-interview-with-slash-and-eric-dover

Edited June 6, 2020 by Blackstar

[GnR Chris]

Still reading. So Matt claims to have taught the guys about corralling women while on tour. He says he taught Axl pro tools. He taught Sebastian Bach how to eat out women.

 

It’s cool he talks about the women and partying and drugs, but he does so in a bragging sort of way. Comes off almost like a douchey uncle. It doesn’t play as well in 2020 as it would have 20 years ago. 
 

Anyway, Duff had wanted back into gnr for years before finally returning when Stinson’s spot opened up. I don’t believe for a minute Duff has a problem with Frank. Now maybe he did disparage Frank when talking with Matt. But if he did, it’s more likely cause Duff was afraid to tell him, “Sorry, bro. We already have a drummer and it ain’t you.” 
 

[DieselDaisy]

He claims Liz Taylor asked him what hotel he was staying in at the Mercury tribute! Although in the spirit of fairness he mentions Cher wanting to shag Duff.

[LA_0013]

Is the book still available to purchase via download anywhere ? Or completely canned?

[gnr5]

Not that I don't believe Matt (actually my favorite drummer), but the book seems all over the place, he tells the story of quitting Guns in '97 and throws this in the middle of a paragraph "Not too long ago, I spoke to Slash about this period. I asked him how he felt about working with Axl today, and he replied, “It’s just a gig.” "

[rocknroll41]

2 minutes ago, gnr5 said:

Not that I don't believe Matt (actually my favorite drummer), but the book seems all over the place, he tells the story of quitting Guns in '97 and throws this in the middle of a paragraph "Not too long ago, I spoke to Slash about this period. I asked him how he felt about working with Axl today, and he replied, “It’s just a gig.” "

Yeah I’m surprised this was supposed to be the final edit. It’s very sloppy.

Its so strange how Sorum claims to still be on good terms with Slash, yet this book seems to be nothing but throwing Slash under the bus, lol.

1 hour ago, DieselDaisy said:

It is great. I don't take any of this serious. In Keith's autobiography he accused Mick of having a ''small todger''. It is soap opera. When you read enough music biographies you realise rock bands are bitchier than a women's hair salon.

I came to this realization myself some years ago. None of these people are worth idolizing. Only the music should matter.

[Gordon Comstock]

Duff really does come off as "spineless" in this book...

[Nytunz]

8 minutes ago, rocknroll41 said:

Yeah I’m surprised this was supposed to be the final edit. It’s very sloppy.

Its so strange how Sorum claims to still be on good terms with Slash, yet this book seems to be nothing but throwing Slash under the bus, lol.

I came to this realization myself some years ago. None of these people are worth idolizing. Only the music should matter.

Axl dont want u to idolize him anyway.

But some of you are so fucking interested. judging the guys, calling them names and behave like assholes, so i guess your no better. Great moral!

There are humans behind the music, and they made the music you came to love so damn much you decided to join a internet forum, show at least some respect.

And to Quote Axl himself

Don't hail me an don't idolize the ink
Or I've failed in my attentions
Can you find the missing link
Your only validation is in living your own life
Vicarious existence is a fucking waste of time

[allwaystired]

15 minutes ago, Nytunz said:

Axl dont want u to idolize him anyway.

But some of you are so fucking interested. judging the guys, calling them names and behave like assholes, so i guess your no better. Great moral!

There are humans behind the music, and they made the music you came to love so damn much you decided to join a internet forum, show at least some respect.

And to Quote Axl himself

Don't hail me an don't idolize the ink
Or I've failed in my attentions
Can you find the missing link
Your only validation is in living your own life
Vicarious existence is a fucking waste of time

You do realise that the people posting on here didn't actually WRITE the book?! 

Don't blame the people on a forum for discussing band members slagging each other off! 

[Osiris]

1 hour ago, DieselDaisy said:

 

But yes, Slash and Duff are crucified. Rose emerges rather well. 

 

Haha Rose emerges well...

no he doesn’t.

He comes across as a selfish prick who’s so absorbed with himself that he can’t see what’s looking back at him in the mirror. 

And his choice of management... well..

[Nytunz]

9 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

You do realise that the people posting on here didn't actually WRITE the book?! 

Don't blame the people on a forum for discussing band members slagging each other off! 

That was not my point. But i have read comments as people think this is truth and that gnr members are just bad peope... i dont support that kind of stuff

[allwaystired]

11 minutes ago, Nytunz said:

That was not my point. But i have read comments as people think this is truth and that gnr members are just bad peope... i dont support that kind of stuff

I know none of them personally, so couldn't really comment on what sort of people they are, besides reading the views of others who do them know them personally. 

All fun and games when it comes to scurrilous 'kiss and tell- all' books like Matt Sorum's for us casual onlookers! 

[Blackstar]

45 minutes ago, Osiris said:

Haha Rose emerges well...

no he doesn’t.

He comes across as a selfish prick who’s so absorbed with himself that he can’t see what’s looking back at him in the mirror. 

And his choice of management... well..

Oddly enough Matt says nothing bad about Doug Goldstein. He slags Alan Niven a bit, portraying him as a Peter Grant wannabe who tried to screw him financially.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Blackstar

[sackxl]

17 hours ago, The Holographic Universe said:

Matt relates a story of recording Breakdown that is kinda cool. Slash and Duff couldn’t figure it out and left Matt at the studio. Axl eventually a come much later and they still can’t figure it out. Eventually Axl storms off, returns and Axl and Matt finish the song. Duff and Slash later tack on their parts. Matt also says Slash did most of the solos and separate studio and wouldn’t let anyone watch him record because he was nervous. And that Slash played his solos with his face to a wall.

Its good to hear even a tiny bit about songs like this.

 

I think so far from what I've read its a pretty "warts n all" book seems the most honest I've read to the point I'm at.

[sackxl]

All I know is Matt must have had a bad batch of drugs when he suggested Robin Finck to Axl

[Blackstar]

Matt had talked a bit about the UYI songs and his playing on them in this interview from 1991:

https://www.a-4-d.com/t4740-1991-06-dd-modern-drummer-matt-sorum-guns-n-roses-new-stickman

He said then that his favourites were Coma and Locomotive:

My favorite is probably a song called "Coma." The song is about ten minutes long and has a lot of different kinds of parts. It starts out real heavy, almost like Metallica or something, and then it breaks down into a Pink Floyd thing. I overdubbed some timpani over it, and I used a gong on it. I warmed up the gong with a Superball, which makes a really eerie sound, like you’re under water. I have some really eerie effects in the middle where I use triangles and shakers and stuff.
There’s a song called "Locomotive" that I like a lot, which is about eight minutes long. It has kind of a funky groove on it, sort of like "Welcome To The Jungle." At the end it goes into something that almost sounds like "Layla." It goes out with a lot of Phil Collins-type tom stuff. I did timbale overdubs on the end fills.

What he says about the same songs in the book:

Then there were the tracks like “Coma,” which I just didn’t get at all. I mean, a ten minute rock song? [...] Something else I quickly noticed was that the songs varied hugely in length. Some were only three minutes or so—an ideal length, in my opinion—whereas others seemed never to end. “Locomotive” was one of those songs. It lasted over eight minutes, and though I was new behind the drums, I couldn’t help but ask, “Does this song really need to be so long?” Slash looked at me, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth like usual, and said, “Yeah, man, it’s cool.”

[DieselDaisy]

1 hour ago, Osiris said:

Haha Rose emerges well...

no he doesn’t.

He comes across as a selfish prick who’s so absorbed with himself that he can’t see what’s looking back at him in the mirror. 

And his choice of management... well..

He emerges much better than Slash or Duff in this book. Sorum only really slags Rose off over two items, the lateness/riot issues and the Tobias thing. 

On the subject of the Tobias thing, that is probably the one thing that unites Slash's, Duff's and Sorum's books: they all loath Tobias.