Throughout his career, Matt Sorum has gotten the chance to contribute to some of the most iconic bands, including Guns N’ Roses, The Cult, and Velvet Revolver. Holding a spot with Guns N’ Roses in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the drummer recently discussed his time in the spotlight and how intense fame can be.
Appearing on the Black Oxygen Inspiration podcast, Sorum revealed how Guns N’ Roses being the “biggest band in the world” made the world move fast around them. “It got scary. In retrospect, maybe being a little bit older, I would have handled it differently, but it got a little bit out of control because it became so big,” he recalled. “We were moving fast. There was a lot of people around us. There was a lot of—I can’t say confusion, but … I don’t know. I was starting to kind of get out of sorts because we were the biggest band in the world at that time. There was nothing bigger.”
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Besides the whirlwind of fame and rock and roll, alcohol was Forum’s constant companion, and he admitted the lifestyle of a rockstar overtook him. “I fell into too much drinking. And the band was pretty famous for that. So, in a way, I felt obligated to do it because we were—and I’ve explained it before, I always said that I felt like a pirate on a pirate ship,” he said. “There was just this sort of gang mentality amongst us, and I wanted to be part of the gang. I didn’t have one tattoo when I joined Gun N’ Roses. It’s almost like when you’re a kid in school and you’re hanging with some other guys, this is how that feels.”
Helping Younger Musicians
In May, Sorum shared his memories of that rockstar world with the release of his autobiography Double Talkin’ Jive: True Rock ‘n’ Roll Stories from the Drummer of Guns N’ Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver. Wanting to be honest about his past, he insisted, “I don’t want any people to believe that it was just squeaky clean. If they read my book, the train came off the tracks a couple times.”
Sorum lives a different life now, especially with his 2-year-old daughter Lou. And he continues to offer assistance to younger musicians. “I talk to young bands and I say, ‘Hey, man. How’s it going? How’s your head?’ Success can be daunting—when you’re very successful—because things just change. I mean, family—I wasn’t as close to my family. I was enjoying the ride.”
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