by Matt Sorum’s confession about why he turned down an invitation to perform with Guns N’ Roses was revealed in a recently resurfaced interview on Legends: Podcast.
The drummer addressed whether he had seen the reunited lineup perform. He also discussed the band’s offer for him to join them as a guest.
When asked if he had seen Axl Rose perform with original bassist Duff McKagan and Slash since they reunited in 2015, Sorum said: “No, I haven’t got the invite. ‘Hey, come watch the band.’ I’m, like, ‘Eh, I don’t think so.’”
He then elaborated on why he declined their invitation to perform.
“They invited me to come play [with them as a guest], and I declined,” he explained. “I didn’t think it made sense to go play — what? — two songs and then do what? I mean, I play music. I play with musicians.”
Sorum concluded by reflecting on his current musical journey.
“So that’s cool. Whatever they’re doing is cool,” he continued. “I’m still living this vagabond dream of journeyman. I kind of like where I’m at as far as taking twists and turns…”
Sorum’s absence from the reunion tour marks a notable chapter in the band’s history. This is particularly significant considering his substantial contributions during one of their most successful periods.
Wikipedia reported that Matt Sorum served as Guns N’ Roses’ drummer from 1990 to 1997, replacing original drummer Steven Adler. During his tenure, he recorded three studio albums with the band: Use Your Illusion I (1991), Use Your Illusion II (1991), and The Spaghetti Incident? (1993). He also toured extensively on the highly successful Use Your Illusion tour, which became one of the longest and most profitable concert tours in rock history.
The 2015 reunion that Sorum referenced brought back Slash and Duff McKagan to perform alongside Axl Rose for the first time in over two decades. The Not in This Lifetime… Tour launched in 2016 and became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time. However, Frank Ferrer remained the band’s drummer for the reunion shows rather than inviting Sorum back as a full-time member. Ferrer had joined Guns N’ Roses in 2006.
Sorum has maintained an active career with various high-profile projects since leaving Guns N’ Roses. His official website noted that he has been involved with supergroups like Velvet Revolver and Kings of Chaos. He also toured with Hollywood Vampires between 2015 and 2017. Currently, his main project is Deadland Ritual, which features Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Steve Stevens from Billy Idol’s band, and vocalist Franky Perez.
Spin revealed that Sorum also collaborates with Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top on new music. He plays drums, co-writes, and co-produces in this collaboration. His diverse portfolio of projects reflects his commitment to staying active as a “journeyman” musician rather than relying on nostalgia tours with his former band.
The interview was originally recorded in 2024 and recently resurfaced online.
