2018.02.05 - Forbes - Matt Sorum, Velvet Revolver, Drums His Way Into Digital Age Of Music

Matt Sorum, Velvet Revolver, Drums His Way Into Digital Age Of Music

By Andrew Rossow

Today, we can still hear the epic backdrop behind Guns N’ Roses’ “Knockin’ On Heavens Doors” and “November Rain,” and feel the vibrating sounds behind Velvet Revolver’s “Fall to Pieces” and “Dirty Little Thing.” These beats continue to infiltrate into the classic rock generation’, and now millennial generations’, conscious.

Last Friday, I sat down with the 90’s drummer, Matt Sorum, best known for his role with Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, over the telephone. To be honest, I didn’t get too heavy into classic rock until my freshman year of college, although I had already heard most of the music by then. Once I heard the roll of the drum by artists such as Sorum, it changed my perspective on what quality-sounding music was. I saw this as a rare and unique opportunity to infiltrate the mind of a true artist whose ability to hear the beats, rhythms, and noise comes together to produce many of the hits that we’ve come to love today that have found their way into pop culture films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Interview With A Vampire.

We Aren’t In Kansas Anymore: The Evolution of Vinyl to Online Streaming

We may not be in paradise city anymore, but the genre still lives on, even if digitally altered. The platforms have evolved from vinyl to 8-track to cassette tapes to compact discs (“CD”), and lastly, to mp3. I asked Sorum what he thought about today's recording platforms and how music is distributed.

Andrew Rossow: How has the emergence of digital streaming, digital downloads, and even online radio like Sirius XM, affected how you market yourself, your music, and genre?

Matt Sorum: It’s a new paradigm for music. [As a kid], I started out buying vinyl and having this mystique of musicians, not knowing who they [were] and how to access them. You couldn’t look on their [social media] page[s].

Rossow: So, was this a wake up call for Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver?

Sorum: We were a little behind, watching bands like Linkin Park, who were digitally savvy. It was a marketing component—you had to either jump on board and get with it, or be left behind as a bit of a dinosaur. [Post-Guns N’ Roses], in the early 90’s, [we] still put out vinyl, cassettes, and then CDs came out. When things started to go online with Velvet Revolver, I had suggested the band get up to speed with what [was] happening in the new world.

Rossow: How do you feel about streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music?

Sorum: At first, it came off a bit elitist to me, but [then] [started] to like the idea to get the general public the original .wav forms of the recording. I have Tidal and Spotify on my phone and I love it. [But remember], we spent a lot of time and energy in making a record, then [suddenly] it gets squashed into a digital mp3. It’s a spiritual connection, some might say. You can’t connect with music like that today—you can’t reach for its soul. Today, digitizing music in .mp3 format, diminishes its soul. It’s not the same sound.

[i]"There’s something about connecting with the music by means of its original format; by holding the record in your hand, and watching it rotate until it played its last tune.” –Matt Sorum

The World Wide Web of P2P Sharing and 3rd Party Downloads

Peer-to-Peer sharing programs (“P2P”) hatched from the consumer’s ability to burn CDs. Convenience in burning custom playlists, rather than purchasing multiple CDs simply for one or two songs. P2Ps like Napster, Kazaa, and Limewire paved the way for other hosting platforms, like YouTube, playing host to users around the world. The unavailable becomes more accessible.

As of April 2017, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported music sales dropped by 47% since...[P2Ps] came about. Illegal downloading has negatively impacted the recording portfolios of newer artists, who aren’t yet as established as those artists with recorded albums. Emerging artists have to find alternative platforms in which to be discovered and heard.

Arnel Pineda was just "party entertainment" at 40 years old in the Phillipines, with his Journey cover-band, until his performances were discovered on YouTube by none other than Journey themselves. Pineda's vocals have since brought Journey as close to a Steve Perry like era, as he takes the stage to this day as the band's lead singer.

iTunes Store Today, 'Crypto iStore' Tomorrow?

When asked about the benefits of bringing the music industry into the cryptocurrency market, Sorum was very enthused. “I’m glad you brought that up, because I’m actually working on a tech project right now, [involving] the sustainability of crypto, based on content,” replied Sorum.

Rossow: How do you feel about bringing the music industry as a whole, or even music sales into the crypto-market?

Sorum: I’m a huge supporter of cryptocurrency, but…until crypto is stable enough to hold value, getting to the next phase will be years away. That’s the issue.

Rossow: Do you think it’s advantageous or beneficial alongside the sale of music on platforms like iTunes, Spotify, or other services?

Sorum: I like cash, but pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and loose change—the idea of crypto in a wallet is definitely the future, rather than holding cash and change in a wallet.

Sharing the Drumsticks With a New Generation

In the past few years, vinyl has nostalgically been reborn, reappearing in art districts and music stores, finding its way into the apartments of millennials across the nation. And Sorum has seen that this pattern continues.

“I still have a beautiful vinyl collection,” says the drummer. In today’s digital age, our world of technology is evolving at a fast rate. But, we mustn’t forget the old that helped shape the potential for newer technologies. Sorum is still drumming his way into the homes of rock-goers with the Kings of Chaos, and keeping rock and roll alive through his Adopt the Arts foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on bringing the music industry into the American education system. The foundation works with schools throughout the country, providing a music curriculum as well as vocal and instrumental classes for children and teens.

When asked about what his advice to newer artists and millennials, just starting off their music careers, the philanthropist suggests to “educate yourself on everything you need to know in the digital world—how to promote yourself, your music, and be a real contender in your social aspects.”

On the topic of talent and discovery, we both agreed that utilizing social media pages to connect with fans and record companies is vital, but exhausting to those who don’t yet fully understand how these social media platforms work.

Rossow: What specifically bothers you about this type of ‘discovery’?

Sorum: I still want to see raw talent, but the people who have raw talent still have to be business savvy, which goes hand in hand with their talent. [Artists] need to promote [themselves] in the most artistic way possible and learn about how [they] can promote [themselves] through these platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, and Facebook.

"The first question recording companies ask is what [their] social media numbers are. [It’s not about the music], which is what bothers me about the ‘new’ music industry.” –Matt Sorum, referencing talent discovery

"But most importantly, [to newer artists out there], write a great song. It still comes down to the bare bones of organic music. Stick to your craft. Be current. Be modern. Do what is true to you. Remember to listen to the world.” –Matt Sorum

Rock on, folks.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewrossow/2018/02/05/matt-sorum-velvet-revolver-drums-his-way-into-digital-age-of-music/