Exclusive: Interview with Velvet Revolver Drummer Matt Sorum
July 26, 2004
KNAC
By Laurie Steele
Drummer Matt Sorum really needs no
introduction: From The Cult to Guns N’ Roses, the man has played with slew of
artists, including Tori Amos, Poe, and Sammy Hagar. He also owns a production company and
has worked with artists such as Candlebox and Ronnie Spector. He’s been nominated for
two Grammy’s. If you’ve been living under a rock the last year, you need to know
that now Sorum is the drummer of this year’s hottest buzz band, Velvet Revolver.
Here’s Matt with VR’s upcoming plans to support their debut album, Contaband.
KNAC.COM: With Guns ‘N Roses’ Chinese Democracy in seemingly endless
limbo, did you fear the worst when [Velvet Revolver’s] Contraband was pushed back
from an April release to May and then finally June?
SORUM: No, because we knew it was done. We finished it sometime around
Christmas and I think that was just a record company thing, you know, as far as like the
setup, and doing a lot of press... we've done so much press, uh... Duff and Slash went to
Europe on a couple week run over there, we had to do a video, there were a lot of factors.
And we just really believe in Clive and Ashley and everyone at RCA. We said, Ok, cool, but
we weren't worried. No! [Laughter]
KNAC.COM: Do you think having the single "Set Me Free' on The Hulk soundtrack
helped push the project forward in generating some pre-release buzz?
SORUM: Well, you know, that was really the first original track that we
had collectively as a band, and at that point, we didn't really have the name Velvet
Revolver. At that point we were Scott Weiland, Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave
Kushner, and, sort of after that whole thing started to take off is when we really knew
that we wanted to push forward with this and include Scott as our front man and singer and
he agreed at that point and we came up with the name Velvet Revolver. And obviously, the
track being out on the radio and everything, without any radio promotion [from record
labels] or any record company, was a major factor in getting a lot of energy behind the
band, you know. And then, when the labels started courting us and everything, then things
started getting really exciting. So, that really helped us, you know, step up and it was
really exciting for everybody.
KNAC.COM: I know you were involved in the first incarnation of Slash's Snakepit,
before going back to Guns ‘N Roses, before bailing out of that. And I don't know how
much information you can provide on this, but what does Slash's involvement with Velvet
Revolver mean for Slash's Snakepit and fans of that project?
SORUM: That whole Snakepit thing? You know, that was a way for me and
Slash to go and play music in the beginning when we were waiting around for Axl. So, you
know, I think it turned into more of a thing for Slash, cause just... you know, Slash just
loves to play his guitar, and he is the consummate musician, you know? He's always got his
guitar and you know, as far as the fans digging on this music, the people that dug
Snakepit... you know, Slash is up there doing what Slash does best, and that's playing the
most awesome rock guitar. And I think any fans of that band will be a fan of this band,
and vice versa.
KNAC.COM: But you don't know if he has any plans to continue it as a side project?
SORUM: No, this is his band. We're all in this. This isn't just a fly by
night thing -- this is serious. You know? We've all made a commitment. We've made a
commitment to RCA for three records, and we're down with this. Scott's committed to this
and this is a real band. This isn't just a project, so that's for sure.
KNAC.COM: If the timing worked out, would you be amenable to going out on tour
with the new Guns ‘N Roses?
SORUM: No. You mean with Axl? [Laughter] Nuh huh. Nononononono. No. This
is a great band--
KNAC.COM: --When I say that, I mean Velvet Revolver touring with the new project.
SORUM: Ohhh. Who would open? [Laughter]
KNAC.COM: Well Guns ‘N Roses, of course!
SORUM: Oh, I doubt that! But, you know, um... I don't know. Actually we
were offered a gig in Lisbon, Portugal opening for Guns ‘N Roses [Laughter]. The NOW
Guns ‘N Roses, whatever that consists of, but we actually said okay. We'd love to be
there. It'd be very exciting. I think it would be quite a spectacle. Sure. Why not?
KNAC.COM: The next question you sort of answered for me, stating that you have a
three record commitment to RCA, but what plans do you have beyond this tour and this
album? Are you going to go immediately back into the studio for the next album, or... how
long of a tour are you planning for the Contraband album?
SORUM: Well, we were just talking about that actually. We hope to take
this all the way through next summer. We've got plans to go to Europe in August, we're
gonna come back and do a couple month run through the States, end of September, October,
November, a lot of radio shows around Christmas, we're talking all the way through next
year, Japan, Australia, and come back and see how things go next summer as well. So, it'll
be a long tour. And we're all up for it, so um... and as we're going, we're writing songs
already. I mean we're already putting the material together for the next record, and this
band's just totally constantly coming up with new ideas and riffs, and that's what's great
about this pro... this band, is we're all just like.... so many ideas and songs come every
day, and we'll have another record ready by the time we get off tour as well.
KNAC.COM: So are you looking on your long tour to do a smaller tour with Velvet
Revolver headlining, or are you hoping to jump onto something like a Lollapalooza or an
Ozzfest and be part of a bigger festival show?
SORUM: Um... we'll we're talking about when we go out to... when we go
over to Europe and do the festivals and then doing gigs on our own as well, but when we
come back, the response has been so great on this leg... all our gigs sold out in like 5,
10 minutes, we're doing 2-3,000 seaters, and they're just like... the tickets are just
gone. So, we're hoping to back after Europe and do larger size venues and headline on our
own with you know, some cool support act or whatever.
KNAC.COM: This was definitely the hot ticket in town this month, that's for sure.
I think that you definitely have a very large fanbase, which may have started out by being
fans of the individual projects, but I think Velvet Revolver has evolved enough with its
own material to have generated it's own fanbase. So, that being said, are you looking at
swinging back through here before you wrap up the tour? Because there were a lot of people
who were very disappointed they couldn't get tickets.
SORUM: Well, you know what's really cool, I mean, I think for all of
us… we look out in the audience and we see a wide variety of fans, you know? We see
really younger fans, with all the KROQ kind of play that we’re getting, you know, the
active rock and modern rock stuff, and we’re getting 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 year olds,
and then we have fans that are a little older, and it’s cool, it’s all mixed.
It’s very exciting for the band. We love when we kick into the new material, and it
seems that when we play “Slither” live, it’s seems like that’s the
highlight of the night, and that for us, is the biggest inspiration, you know, even when
we play a couple of the old songs. It’s like the best point of the evening is when we
kick into “Slither” pretty much, I think for all of us. And as far as coming
back, I mean, yeah, man, we’re gonna… we’re gonna hit it hard when we do
the next American leg. We’re gonna hit every place again for sure. And in larger
venues, hopefully.
KNAC.COM: We’re gonna hold you and the label to that.
SORUM: [Laughter] |