2007.09.18 - Rockum Radio (Peru) - Interview with Steven

Transcript:
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Gino Alache: You told me in Mexicali that the press in the United States is sometimes rude with you.

Steven: Disrespectful.

Gino Alache: Why?

Steven: American people are very spoiled and have to have it their own way. And people hate to see other people progress, get successful, and doing something that they wanted to be doing. American people are like, if they can't do it, then nobody should do it. That's the kind of attitude I feel when I go to America.

Gino Alache: Okay.

Steven: It's totally different in South America.

Gino Alache: Thank you.

Steven: I mean, there's so much love, and respect, and appreciation, and love for the music.

Gino Alache: Yeah.

Steven: I'm telling you, there's nothing like playing in South America.

Gino Alache: Yeah, the music, huh?

Steven: Love for the music.  

Gino Alache: (?) between their personal life and music.

Steven: And usually they [the American press] don't even know about the person's personal life.

Gino Alache: Okay, the personal life (?)

Steven: Yeah, and usually they don’t even know. It's things that they make up. I, like, have this bad reputation, because of press in America, because of what happened with Guns N' Roses in the '90s, that I'm, like, this super-fucked-up person and this, and I'm on drugs… I didn't invent drugs.

Gino Alache: Of course.

Steven: I didn’t invent drugs. I'm not the only one who's ever done drugs. And I’m sure I’m not gonna be the last person to have done drugs. It’s just a reputation, let’s say what people want to hear. People just wanna bring me down in America. Like I said, if they can't do it, nobody can do it. And it's wrong. South America, it's a different world.

Gino Alache: Different world.

Steven: A totally different world. You just cross the border and it's a different world. It's wonderful.

Gino Alache: Did you play with Guns N’ Roses here in South America?

Steven: I never had a chance. Not with Guns.

Gino Alache: They came with Matt Sorum.

Steven: Yeah, yeah. I missed out on that.

Gino Alache: Matt Sorum was very lucky, because he-

Steven: Yeah, he took over my life, practically.

Gino Alache: Yeah, yeah.

Steven: Everything I worked for, Slash and the guys just gave it to him.

Gino Alache: Yes, he’s not first. When I see older videos, when I watch older videos of Use Your Illusion 1 and 2, the people, the crowds knew, you know, he was the new guy.

Steven: The crowd wasn’t excited about him. They were excited about still seeing Slash, Duff, Izzy and Axl performing. He was just in the background. They were just missing something.

Gino Alache: What is your relation with the others in Guns N’ Roses?

Steven: It's been wonderful, because I've been talking to them a lot lately. They feel the same way I do. It's just a matter of Axl wanting to do it, [being] ready to do it. But all four of us want to do this — you know, have a nice, good reunion and play for everybody, finish what we started doing. That's what we want to do. And Slash, Izzy and Duff — even Axl, but Axl wants to put his record out. I don't know what… I can't say.

Gino Alache: You told me, I just searched it on the internet, and the picture of the Key Club-

Steven: Oh yeah, it was great. But Matt Sorum and that other guy, that singer, that Scott Weiland guy — that's why Slash didn't come up and play, because they kept calling him and being all upset, like, “What are you doing there?” Like little babies, little kids. Like, what the fuck? Just let him come up and play a couple of songs. They were like, “Oh, we don't want you to.” It was crazy.

Gino Alache: That was crazy. The future, how do you see yourself in another ten years?

Steven: God, ten years. I don’t know, Nostradamus didn’t say we last another ten years.

Gino Alache: (Laughs).

Steven: I’m taking it day by day.

Gino Alache: You look very young.

Steven: Drugs. Drugs! Drugs are great. They help keep you young looking (laughs).

Gino Alache: (Laughs).

Steven: Hey, I’m kidding, they don’t. Stop doing them drugs. I’m a fan of marijuana. But the music, that helps keep you young. And playing these shows the way that people just… so much energy and so much love. You can’t help but feel good, young and vibrant, you know?

Gino Alache: Do you have a subscription with High Times?

Steven: Yes, I do!

Gino Alache: (Laughs).

Steven: In fact, this year in November, this November I will be in Holland in Amsterdam being a judge for the Cannabis Cup.

Gino Alache: Okay.

Steven: I’m very excited about that. It’s something I always wanted to do, be a judge and be able to smoke all the pot that I want, all the marijuana I want, and pick the best one for free.

Gino Alache: Ooh! (laughs)

Steven: Yeah, it’s like a dream come true.

Gino Alache: It’s not so bad like people say.

Steven: No!

Gino Alache: There is medicine records, nobody dies, nobody has ever died.

Steven: I’ll probably be the first (laughs).

Gino Alache: (Laughing) Ah, yeah.

Steven: I’ll be the first one in Amsterdam. “You smoke too much weed, you smoke too much. Too much.”

Gino Alache: You told me that your wife is from Argentina.

Steven: Yes.

Gino Alache: I remembered.

Steven: You’re very good. Wonderful lady. Wonderful. I love her.

Gino Alache: Oh, it must be important.

Steven: Yeah, I love her. And she has a wonderful family. I love her family.

Gino Alache: But you live in…

Steven: In Las Vegas.

Gino Alache: In Las Vegas. Oh, okay. In Las Vegas…

Steven: Holland, soon.

Gino Alache: Oh, really?

Steven: I want to go to Holland. Well, I’m going in November. We’ll go from there.

Gino Alache: Oh.

Steven: Day by day.

Gino Alache: Day by day. What will be your historic words for your Latin American fans?

Steven: That I love them, and adore them, and I’m thankful that they appreciate and love the music, and I love playing music for them. And I’m looking forward to tonight.

Gino Alache: Oh, great.