2005.01.14 - Rock Confidential - Interview with Steven

Exclusive Interview: Steven Adler From Guns N Roses

by JESSE CAPPS

Hey Steven! It’s great to talk to you man. How’s it goin?

Jesse, it’s pretty dang good! We’re off to Spain. It’s another world in Europe. Hip hop and rap is really big in American and it’s not that way in Europe and Asia and South America. Hard rock is alive and well! Remember a band called Uriah Heep? We were just in Europe this past June and July and the bus driver walked off the bus with a Uriah Heep tour shirt. They were just touring there. That’s how it is there. We played festivals with Saxon, Queensryche, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple in Holland, Anthrax, Rose Tattoo. It was cool to play with Cheap Trick. The only CD I brought with me on that tour was Essentials by Cheap Trick. I always wanted to meet Tom Peterson, too. Guns ‘n Roses played with Cheap Trick once in Long Beach but Tom Peterson wasn’t with ‘em.

What do you think has happened to the rock ‘n roll crowds in America? What’s brought on a change?

I couldn’t tell you. Did you see Fahrenheit 911? It was so frightening. I wanted to turn it off because it was so scary. I had to keep watching it to see what was next. It’s all true stuff. All I see is America turning into fucking Nazi Germany. When you’re in Europe you can’t turn anywhere without seeing a little flyer on a billboard with George Bush’s face with a Hitler moustache and a swastika above his head. He’s hated. It makes me not want to even live here anymore. But, that’s that. I’m going to Europe!

How did you know it was time to get back into playing and get these guys together in a band?

I never expected to make it…I’m going to be 40 January 22. Last year I spent my birthday in Spain. 1500 kids sang “Happy Birthday” to me in Spanish! The 13 years after the G ‘n R stuff, I didn’t think I was going to survive. I had to highlight my hair this afternoon because I have gray hair! I’m so stoked! Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Curt Cobain, all died at 27. I made it. It’s all uphill from here and I have my own hair! 39 and it’s all mine!

If you’re sticking around long enough to see gray hair you’ve done more than they did!

Thank God. That’s what I say.

What was it like working on your first original material in 13 years?

I was scared to death. I didnt’ know what to expect. I haven’t written a song in over a decade. Working with Robbie Crane and Keri Kelli is such a dream. Those 13 years didn’t hurt…it was like I just picked right back up where I left off. It was so easy…“It’s so fuckin’ easy! I was a little worried about Jizzy. He brought the lyrics in for the record and I’m glad he was never hugely successful in the past. He’s fuckin’ hungry! You can hear it in his words. We played those songs for the first time in Colorado and Utah. We would play G ‘n R songs and everybody knew ‘em. We’d play “Hollywood” from Thin Lizzy and they’d be jumping up and down, screaming. We’d play a song they didn’t know and they’d just stand there. It’s so nice to see people consistently get into it even with the new songs. We played this bar in Aspen. Two girls in the front row took their tops off! This was a bar! At a stadium you expect things like that. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. People were getting into it. When we played “Welcome To The Jungle” people started moshing around. I couldn’t think of better people to be playing with. It was very easy writing the new songs.

I wanna wish you much success on your upcoming tour. You’re gonna get to play with Hanoi Rocks, man!

I played with Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, and Rose Tattoo. Now we’re blessed to play with Hanoi Rocks. I have a little history with Andy McCoy. Wanna hear that?

Dude, let’s hear it!

His wife – if she’s still his wife – used to be Izzy’s girlfriend back in the day. She’s the biggest cunt, slut, whore, loser, piece of shit I’ve ever met in my life! After they let me go from G ‘n R, Andy was living up the street from me. We started writing together. He would come down and I would say, “Do not bring that goofy wife of yours!” I’d be in the front yard and I’d see him up the hill and I’d flip him off because he was bringing her. One afternoon we were playing and I had a locked gate. The wife and Erin Everly come over. Axl and Erin had got in a fight. That’s what really did it. This girl gave her valium and some other stuff and kept telling me to give her heroin. There is no way in hell I would ever do anything to Erin, even sexually. The closest we ever got was eating sushi in Studio City once. Three guys came in with shotguns and robbed the place while we were there. They took everybody’s shit but ours! I’ve always been a big fan on Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy. Micheal got to play on the Use Your Illusion stuff. Me, Slash, and Duff wrote the music. I only got to play on Civil War. We’re doing that one live, too.

What G ‘n R tunes are you putting in the set?

My name is on those songs and I have every right to play ‘em. Fuck, Axl isn’t doing it. The other guys play one or two G ‘n R songs in their set. Our new setlist has us starting out with “Nighttrain” and finishing up with “Paradise City.” Have you seen that commercial for that video game with “Welcome To The Jungle”? The song was always huge but now the younger generation can get into it. We used to open up with “Jungle.”

You’re the lone saviour for G ‘n R fans because you’re actually out there playing it.

We’re keeping it alive. I’m thankful that I’m capable of doing it. I’m almost 40. Nowadays that’s kinda old, ya know? I’m a happy, happy, man. I’m scared of fucking death because things are going too good. The biggest thing I wanted to do with Slash and Duff and that jackass was revenge. The finest and greatest revenge is success. That’s all I wanted. Slash is gonna hear this record we did and he’s gonna flip. It fucking blows that Velvet Revolver crap away. I love Slash and Duff. I wanna like it but it’s crap. I’ve gone from song to song and I can’t like it. I tried to get Slash to play on a couple of things. He was too busy. I wanted to get a hold of John Sykes for “Hollywood,” but Keri pulled it off. You know him, buddy.

Thanks a million for taking the time out for this. What would you like to say to your fans and the Guns ‘n Roses fans everywhere?

I love them and appreciate them and am so thankful that I have friends and fans that I play for. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be alive. I’m alive and doing this because of them. I love ‘em and will do my best to keep a smile on their face. As long as I’m smilin’, they’re smilin’.

https://tinyurl.com/y9vvlnqk

Rock Confidential - February 8, 2005:

Adler's Appetite Canned From Hanoi Rocks Show Over Adler's Interview Comments

ADLER’S APPETITE, the new band led by former GUNS N’ ROSES drummer Steven Adler, were forced to pull out of their support slot to HANOI ROCKS in Nottingham, U.K. after the wife of HANOI ROCKS guitarist Andy McCoy objected to disparaging comments Adler made about her in a recent interview.

Commented ADLER’S APPETITE guitarist Keri Kelli, “Andy’s wife didn’t like Steven’s comments so they kindly asked us not to play and they would still pay us, so that’s what we did.”

[...]

http://www.rockconfidential.com/adlers-appetite-canned-from-hanoi-rocks-show-over-adlers-interview-comments/

Angela McCoy's response (htgth, Feb. 6, 2005):
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Well I was not gonna post anything on this comment cuz Imo it's not news it's his own guilt & He wants us to speak s~t!
Just consider the source! The guy could of spoken about so many topics! His band,etc.. Instead he slagged me off! Im flattered. Really to think that this guy had the nerve to say that just shows us that he's talkin about himself! It's public record what really happened to Erin and this guy is The Biggest wimp Andy or I have ever met! If it was not for Andy that woman would most probably be dead(we thank the divine)And he would be in jail for attempted murder amongst ...!When Andy thankfully went over there she was blue with her panties to her ankles(with the guy well I will not go there)...well....Andy called me to call a ambulance immediatly as he tried to revive her. When the cops came(the guy ran into the shower, he had to save his own ass & his s~t? like nothing was happening.)I ran over w/A eyewitness and actress friend and she(Erin) was not coming to! It was the scariest thing I(we) have ever witnessed. Thankfully she's fine) Actually, I feel sorry for the dude and have not seen him or spoken(Andy too)For some 15 years or so when that went down! Imo: He hadda great gig w/'HANOI' and blew it(your off the gig gig's) !Bye dude & whatever happened along time ago it should be just that, Something in the past! I have so much dirt on you however I'm an adult now and wil not participate in this sandbox play anymore! Please Get new songs &a life Little man! Oh yeah as he pointed out: 'GOT LET GO' FROM GNR!! :jackass: Duh,(Get back in that little closet, you know)...You got fired just admit it you Dufus.(If I'm Goofy, Thanks, We Luv Goofy)You must be sleepy the dwarf...We Thank all out there that understands our view..
Angela McCoy

Wow, suggesting he is being successful and that this is his greatest revenge on Slash, Duff, and Axl, calling Velvet Revolver "crap", and prompting to attack Angela McCoy for her alleged involvement in the 1990 Erin overdose.

Immediate fallout: Being kicked off the tour with Hanoi Rocks, having Angela reiterate her claims that Steven caused Erin to overdose and raped her, and likely pissing off Slash, Duff and Axl, too.

Well done there, Steven!