2005.05.07 - Sp1at - Interview with Matt

Interview with Matt Sorum

1) How is the tour going?

MS) It's going great- we have been getting amazing crowd reaction at our shows. Rock and roll still has the ability to reach people in a very primal place.

2) How may new songs have VR written for the new album and can you name your current favourites?

MS) We have all been writing a little bit, but until we get into the studio it's hard to tell what might end up on the next album. I always like the more uptempo songs. We actually just recorded a new song this week for an upcoming major motion picture release that you will be hearing about shortly.

3) You have worked with Axl, Ian, and Scott. What strengths do each of these guys bring to their band?

MS) What they all have in common is a great ability to entertain a crowd. They each bring a different passion to the songs that they perform, and each one realizes that it is a rock show, not just a songfest. It's pretty amazing when I consider that I have been blessed to play drums behind three of the greatest front men of all time.

4) Why won't VR play songs from Snakepit, Loaded, Duff, Scott or your solo albums?

MS) We want to make sure that the focus is on Velvet Revolver. It would be pretty easy to just fall back into a greatest hits of our collective past mode, but that's not what VR is about- we want to always stretch and challenge ourselves to create something new. That being said, we usually try and change things up from tour to tour and even show to show- so you never know. Tonight we are going to cover a Pink Floyd song.

5) What went wrong with Buckcherry singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson?

MS) Nothing- they are great guys and great musicians. We just ended up in a situation where we had an unbelievable chemistry with the current lineup. Don't you agree?

6) What was your relationship with Izzy back when you recorded the UYI albums?

MS) Izzy has always been a great friend- I always love working with him. He was really a key driving force in the creative direction of GnR.

7) How important is trust and friendship to you?

MS) I would be hard pressed to think of many things more important. In a business where you are surrounded by people whose motives may not be readily apparent, it's always nice to have friends that you can depend on that keep you grounded.

8) Do you think that you can be arrogant at times?

MS) I hope not. There is a lot of pressure that goes along with trying to create a great project. Sometimes there are so many things pulling me in different directions that I get distracted and don't have as much time as I would like to just hang and be myself.

9) What is the most important thing in your life at this moment in time?

MS) Not taking anything for granted. Being able to enjoy life and the people in my life and live in the moment and realize how fortunate I am to be doing something that I love for a living.

10) Is the next VR album still scheduled for the end of the year?

MS) It's too soon to tell. We are not going to have much studio time until September, now that we have added the Ozzfest dates.

Matt Sorum was interviewed on May 6th 2005 in Atlanta

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