2001.08.DD - Drum! - Matt Sorum: Deja Vu All Over Again With The Cult

Matt Sorum
Deja vu All Over Again with the Cult

by Teri Saccone

Not content to be merely a top-shelf rock Drummer, Matt Sorum is branching out from his rock roots and directing his energies toward film scores and an upcoming solo project. A So-Cal native, Sorum's first brush with fame came with goth-rockers-cum-metalheads The Cult, which he joined durning the band's late '80s Sonic Temple phase. Next came the hedonistic years with Guns N' Roses) Sorum replaced Steven Adler in the mid-'90s) which provided worldwide exposure. After splitting from Guns, Sorum embarked on film scoring - a full-time pursuit for him when he's not on the road. He'll release a solo project later this year and is about to head out on the road with The Cult to support their latest release, Beyond Good And Evil.

Drum!: You're back with The Cult after a long break. What prompted the reunion?

Sorum: I ran into The Cult guys again. They asked me to go out on the road. We put a jam together and played at The Viper Room when Billy Duffy [guitarist] came into town. Then we called Ian [Astbury, singer] who came down and sang with us and the crowd went nuts. We decided to book a tour last summer and it sold out everywhere. Then the labels started coming around and we got signeed. The album itself took quite a while to make. We finished it up this spring. The drums were cut pretty quickly - a couple of weeks. I cut four or five takes, and they edit them together, which is how a lot of people do it these days. On my solo album, I cut everything live. The drums are cut from beginning to end - no edits.

Drum!: How did that solo album come about?

Sorum: Like a lot of other drummers, I sometimes feel I'm not getting enough input in a band situation. I've found that I've got other talents and I can take those talents into other forums. Like the film work that I'm doing, for instance. It's been really fun and there are a lot of cool things I can do with percussion and film, plus I play other instruments, which is helpful. I've scored about five films, and the latest is one for Dreamworks. I've been able to do some very percussive scores and use some Native American instruments, which was fun. Anyway, my solo album happened because I wrote some songs for this Cult album that didn't get on there. So a griend of mine gave someone from Conspiracy Music a tape of my songs and they called me and asked me to do a CD for them ebcause they love my style. It's called Hollywood Zen and it will be out later this year.

Drum!: Describe your style.

Sorum: I would consider it a cross between old school rock and modern bands. I have elements of Primal Scream, some techno mixed in, also some tribal stuff. I also have a lot of drums on that. It was the most fun I've had making a drum record. I rented out an analog studio and brought almost all of my drums down there. I was able to have total freedom because it's my record [laughs].

Drum!: Will you take it out on the road?

Sorum: I want it to be a real band and I'm talking to a girl drummer who's pretty famous. I will be fronting the project - playing guitar and singing. I think all of us drummers are frustrating guitarists [laughs]. But now I have newfound respect for singers after trying it myself. That is really hard.

Drum!: Do you have to reach beyond the rock realm a bit with your film scoring and solo project?

Sorum: I can play rock in my sleep. I've been doing it for so long. I love being in a band and I'm looking forward to going out on the road this summer with The Cult. But I want to expand my horizons. I actually come from an orchestral background. So on my film scores I'm doing totally different stuff - I'm not doing any rock. I just did a film called Fish in a Barrel where I did some Dave Brubeck-type 6/8 stuff, which is pretty cool. I love to play on my little jazz kit with small sticks and K cymbals.

Drum!: Have you changed much personally since leaving GN'R?

Sorum: I've got my life in perspective. I'm all cleaned up. I'm in better shape than when I was in Guns. That was one big party.

Drum!: Will you write a book about your misadventures in GN'R?

Sorum: Yeah, I will write one. I've got some good stories. I will tell it all. It will be a real fun read, I can promise you that!

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Source:
https://web.archive.org/web/20021212234650/http://www.gnrunlimited.com/articles/drum8-9-01.html