2015.09.03 - The Jasta Show/Blabbermouth - Interview with Steven

Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler was interviewed on the latest installment of Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta's official podcast, "The Jasta Show". You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by Blabbermouth.net).

On his time with Guns N' Roses:

"What I accomplished with those guys is everything in the world to me. My dreams came true. I didn't plan on it ending in five years. You know, I thought we were gonna be like The Stones or Aerosmith and be together for forty, fifty years. I had no idea. But you know what? All that time is in the past."

On the recent news about Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose and former guitarist Slash reconciling after 19 years:

"I think that's great, 'cause it's been too long. The world has missed out on 25 years of great music, because those two weren't together. I mean, Slash and Axl, it's like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Imagine if those guys weren't together. It's a shame, and I'm just so glad that they're talking and everything is in the past like it should be. 'Cause I love those guys. Axl doesn't realize that I'm the one who loves him more than anybody. [Laughs]"

On whether Slash and Axl reconciling means that the long-awaited reunion of the classic Guns N' Roses lineup will finally happen:

"I don't know if it's gonna happen. I'm just glad that they are talking.

"It's a shame that we haven't played together. Just like when Kennedy got shot, when John Lennon got shot; that was a shame. Us not playing together, Axl and Slash by themselves not playing together is that kind of shame… And if it does happen, I guarantee I will be the last to know about it.

"If we played together, the whole arena would cry with joy. I go all around the world, I travel, and people always ask me, 'When are you gonna do a reunion? When are you gonna do a reunion?' And I want more than anything to be able to say, 'Oh, we're gonna do it on this day. Or this day.' But I have nothing to do with it. I wish I did. If I did, it would happened a long time ago. God wasn't ready for it."

On whether he would have any problems with another former Guns N' Roses drummer, Matt Sorum, being involved in the reunion alongside Adler:

"That's fine. I don't care. I love Matt. He's great. It would be cool."

On Matt Sorum's drumming style:

"See, with Matt and me, the difference is… He is the perfect drummer. It's just so amazing. If he went in the studio to record a song, he's gonna do it on the first take, but it's gonna sound like a machine. Me, I might not do it on the first take, but it's gonna have feeling to it and soul to it. It's gonna swing."

On being fired from Guns N' Roses in 1990 due to his drug addiction, which caused him to spiral down into depression and more drug use:

"I was no different than the other guys [when it comes to using drugs]. Whatever happened, it took me years to stop the resentment. That's what kept me from getting sober — I resented them. And once I was able to work through it and get it out of my system and realize that today is the only thing that matters… Live for today, prepare for tomorrow, and whatever happened in the past is over. And that's why I love that Slash and Axl are talking. Because whatever happened between those two — I don't know — but whatever it was, I'm just glad it's finally in the freaking past."

On Guns N' Roses being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2012:

"That was awesome. I was so surprised Axl and Izzy [Stradlin, guitar] didn't show up. But Axl and Izzy are like brothers; they're like a team. So if Axl wasn't gonna show up, Izzy wasn't gonna show up. But it was such an honor doing that. I thought for sure that was gonna be our first time playing together [again]. I mean, I never… When they mentioned Axl's name, I never heard an arena boo like that. It was scary. I was, like, 'Wow! These people are really pissed off at Axl."

On the reason for wanting the classic lineup of Guns N' Roses to reunite:

"That's why I think it's so important for us to play together — not because I wanna finish what I started with those guys… You know, 'cause we started something great, [and] I wanna end it on a good note. I wanna end it great and be a part of that. But we owe to the fans to do it. It's, like, we owe it to 'em. I mean, we all — the five of us — have accomplished our dreams, [we lead] wonderful, comfortable lives, because people love our music. And I've never heard a band, ever — and like I said, I've been around the world — where people wanted to have that band back together as much as GN'R, the original guys. I never heard it in my life. Maybe The Beatles. I mean, not even Aerosmith, when they broke up; people weren't, 'Oh, we've gotta see it.'"

https://blabbermouth.net/news/steven-adler-if-guns-n-roses-reunion-happens-i-guarantee-i-will-be-the-last-to-know-about-it