Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum opened up about being left out of the band’s historic 2016 reunion. He revealed he had no advance notice when Slash and Duff McKagan rejoined forces with Axl Rose.
Sorum was asked if he was surprised by the reunion. He said, “Not really. I guess it was gonna be coming down the pike eventually. But like I say, when they got back together, I didn’t know anything about it, to be honest with you.”
“So when it happened, they did it the way they wanted to, and they’re off doing that.”
Sorum also reflected on the challenges of mega-stardom. “I think when you get too big, that could be challenging. When Guns N’ Roses got huge, when we came out with ‘Use Your Illusion’ and everything, but after that is when things got very challenging. You’re so big, what do you do next? When I see these bands that are out touring and have a career that spans the test of time — obviously GN’R, it took them 25 years to get back together, but what I’m saying is it can be a little bit daunting when you’re big like that.”
He pointed to Metallica as a rare success story. “Metallica’s pulled it off because they’re a machine. They understand. And obviously you saw the documentary [‘Some Kind Of Monster’] about what they went through. But they figured it out. And I’ve said to people, ‘Look, I could be a counselor for your band if you’re having problems.’ ‘Cause I know what not to do.”
Sorum learned about the reunion through the rumor mill. He was touring South America with Slash and Duff McKagan at the time when the internet exploded with news of the classic lineup’s return. He was on the road with two of the key members. Yet he was kept completely in the dark about what was happening back home.
Duff McKagan eventually broke the news to Sorum directly. McKagan told him that Axl wanted to use his own drummer, Frank Ferrer, and that the deal had already been signed. There was no room for negotiation. The decision had been made without consulting Sorum at any point.
Sorum was invited to appear as a guest on the reunion tour. He turned down the offer because there was no money involved. He had been a core member of the band during the “Use Your Illusion” era and played on some of rock’s biggest records. A guest spot with no compensation did not feel like the right move.
Over time, Sorum has made peace with the situation. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that they’re doing their own thing, and I’m doing mine,” he said. He admitted he was not completely happy with how things unfolded. He now looks back on his tenure with the band with a great deal of pride.
