Matt Sorum's Autobiography

[DeNfr]

 

didn't want to open a new thread about it but there's this long new interview of Matt here :
 

 

 

[DeNfr]

a lot of interesting GNR stories & VR ones, recording Locomotive & Shotgun Blues, November Rain & Estranged as a one 20 minutes long song, how Izzy wrote half of UYI stuff, the RNR Hall of Fame etc

[Underhardy]

That was a great conversation/interview. Regardless of his reputation on these forums, Matt’s a solid dude in my book. 

[DeNfr]

56 minutes ago, Underhardy said:

That was a great conversation/interview. Regardless of his reputation on these forums, Matt’s a solid dude in my book. 

same here, never quite understood the hatred from certain fans, major role on Use Your Illusion albums, major role on the 2 and a half year of touring, funny dude with tons of stories and a good memory, accomplished musician.

I suppose he was loved by these fans until he had some argument with Axl, some can't help themselves to take sides.

[meadsoap]

2 minutes ago, DeNfr said:

same here, never quite understood the hatred from certain fans, major role on Use Your Illusion albums, major role on the 2 and a half year of touring, funny dude with tons of stories and a good memory, accomplished musician.

I suppose he was loved by these fans until he had some argument with Axl, some can't help themselves to take sides.

It's was his trash book where he shit on all the people who got him to where he is that turned most people off. Before his autobiography leaked, he wasn't spoken of that negatively.

[ShadowOfTheWave]

Matt Sorum has always acted like he was a founding member of GNR, and also as someone who had a major hand in writing their biggest hits. He was neither, so his ego has always come off as not only out of control but way undeserved.

[DeNfr]

8 minutes ago, meadsoap said:

It's was his trash book where he shit on all the people who got him to where he is that turned most people off. Before his autobiography leaked, he wasn't spoken of that negatively.

I've read it early on (I think it was delayed several times and partially edited?) I didn't noticed him trashing people or being ungrateful.

[janrichmond]

Just now, DeNfr said:

I've read it early on (I think it was delayed several times and partially edited?) I didn't noticed him trashing people or being ungrateful.

Did you read the leaked version?

 

[DeNfr]

2 minutes ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

Matt Sorum has always acted like he was a founding member of GNR, and also as someone who had a major hand in writing their biggest hits. He was neither, so his ego has always come off as not only out of control but way undeserved.

I think he takes credit when it's due, like his songwriting part in Velvet Revolver, but I never heard him bragging about things he had nothing to do with. and he was a member of GNR, recognized as such by the Rock N'Roll Hall of Fame. 

[janrichmond]

I liked him as a drummer but he did come across as a bit big-headed, especially in his unedited book. 

[DeNfr]

2 minutes ago, janrichmond said:

Did you read the leaked version?

 

yep, that was I implied

[History2010]

8 hours ago, Underhardy said:

That was a great conversation/interview. Regardless of his reputation on these forums, Matt’s a solid dude in my book. 

He has a bad reputation professionally as well. Not just on this forum. Everyone agrees he's a great drummer but is difficult to work with and has a notoriously bad attitude.

[Rayno]

16 hours ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

Matt Sorum has always acted like he was a founding member of GNR, and also as someone who had a major hand in writing their biggest hits. He was neither, so his ego has always come off as not only out of control but way undeserved.

That's nonsense. He never acted that way.

8 hours ago, History2010 said:

He has a bad reputation professionally as well. Not just on this forum. Everyone agrees he's a great drummer but is difficult to work with and has a notoriously bad attitude.

This could be very true, at least I heard something very similar some 20 years ago - from Slash's publicist at the time (we were in touch because of an interview).

Edited November 7, 2023 by Rayno

[6lake sa66ath]

Excellent interview, thanks for posting.

[DeNfr]

12 hours ago, History2010 said:

He has a bad reputation professionally as well. Not just on this forum. Everyone agrees he's a great drummer but is difficult to work with and has a notoriously bad attitude.

so bad reputation he worked with almost every goddamn L.A musician, played in Motörhead which is a band famous for loving assholes, generated on his name (or bands he co created) numerous collaborations (Camp Freddy, Kings of Chaos) . if you have a bad reputation, you don't play with all these guys. 

that said, yes he's a rock n'roll guy, he has a big mouth, and probably not shy to express his feelings looking right into your eyes. if he had arguments with Axl or Scott closed to fistfights, you can say he's not the spineless type.

some don't like that, myself I prefer these kind of persons who say things in front of you and are loyal (defending Slash when Tobias said shit about him, in front of Axl, not something I'd say, Duff would have done) than sycophants who would say anything to keep the payroll.

[ShadowOfTheWave]

4 hours ago, Rayno said:

That's nonsense. He never acted that way.

This could be very true, at least I heard something very similar some 20 years ago - from Slash's publicist at the time (we were in touch because of an interview).

He absolutely has acted that way. He has never behaved as a replacement, has showed absolutely zero humility or appreciation to Axl or the other guys. Whether it's his 20+ years of interviews since leaving the band or his autobiography, he has been snide, egotistical and has always equated himself to the others, when he has no such importance. Exhibit A: his demanding that Duff force Axl to include him in the reunion.

[DeNfr]

35 minutes ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

He absolutely has acted that way. He has never behaved as a replacement, has showed absolutely zero humility or appreciation to Axl or the other guys. Whether it's his 20+ years of interviews since leaving the band or his autobiography, he has been snide, egotistical and has always equated himself to the others, when he has no such importance. Exhibit A: his demanding that Duff force Axl to include him in the reunion.

the only true thing here is he asked back up to Duff and Slash to be in the reunion. why not? he was the one who were loyal to Slash and got fired for it in the first place,and he was a full member of the band, even if later downgraded in a low move by Axl on the live era credits.

[Spiritual_Chaos]

On 11/6/2023 at 1:52 AM, DeNfr said:

 

didn't want to open a new thread about it but there's this long new interview of Matt here :
 

 

 

Those matching leatherpants makes it into a SNL sketch

[MaskingApathy]

3 hours ago, DeNfr said:

the only true thing here is he asked back up to Duff and Slash to be in the reunion. why not? he was the one who were loyal to Slash and got fired for it in the first place,and he was a full member of the band, even if later downgraded in a low move by Axl on the live era credits.

And he played on most of their catalog and on their most legendary tour too, that's not insignificant. 

[Blackstar]

4 hours ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

He absolutely has acted that way. He has never behaved as a replacement, has showed absolutely zero humility or appreciation to Axl or the other guys.

I don't think he's been like that so much in the recent years in relation to Axl (despite the autobiography)

(This huge Axl picture in the background is like god is behind him, lol)

 

[Rayno]

17 hours ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

He absolutely has acted that way. He has never behaved as a replacement, has showed absolutely zero humility or appreciation to Axl or the other guys. Whether it's his 20+ years of interviews since leaving the band or his autobiography, he has been snide, egotistical and has always equated himself to the others, when he has no such importance. Exhibit A: his demanding that Duff force Axl to include him in the reunion.

Like, seriously? Never heard or read about his appreciation for Izzy, Slash, Axl or even Steven? Really?
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying he's a supernice guy or a walk in a park kind of person, I am just saying you're massively exaggerating.

[jafeijo]

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. 

[Blackstar]

5 hours ago, RONIN said:

Does Matt get publishing for UYI or was it only the partners (Axl, Izzy, Duff, Slash)? Essentially, Matt getting his one-time fee for working on the songs but nothing more? I feel like I read some old interview from Matt where he mentions that Axl gave him a percentage of publishing...

As far as being a full member of GnR - I bet both Matt and Gilby probably had far more power in the band than any of the replacements that followed. With that being said, would I consider Matt to be a member of GnR having the same power dynamic as Adler? No.

He gets a small cut (about 1% - and Dizzy gets 0.5%). He wrote in his book (the leaked version) that Axl initially wanted to give him a bigger publishing share, but Slash disagreed.

[DeNfr]

2 hours ago, Rayno said:

Like, seriously? Never heard or read about his appreciation for Izzy, Slash, Axl or even Steven? Really?
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying he's a supernice guy or a walk in a park kind of person, I am just saying you're massively exaggerating.

even in the video I posted he, again, praised Slash, and how it was rewarding to see his riff ideas loved by Slash when he presented Set Me Free to the band...

[Twinaleblood]

18 hours ago, Blackstar said:

(This huge Axl picture in the background is like god is behind him, lol)

Lol, never saw this before. That's indeed a very odd choice for a happy birthday post. He could have easily picked a picture of the two of them together from back in the days 😅