Izzy Stradlin and Matt Sorum’s absence from Guns N’ Roses’ reunion since 2016 has been a long topic of discussion amongst fans. Stradlin accused Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan of not wanting to ‘split the loot equally.’ Sorum recently addressed turning down guest spots that Steven Adler accepted in 2016.
Matt Sorum talks about Guns N’ Roses
In a recently resurfaced interview on Legends: Podcast, Matt Sorum addressed whether he had seen the reunited lineup perform. He also discussed the band’s offer for him to join them as a guest.
He was asked if he had seen Axl Rose perform with original bassist Duff McKagan and Slash since they reunited in 2015, to which 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 opened up 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.
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.
Richard Fortus discusses Izzy Stradlin
Meanwhile, Richard Fortus has reflected on his chemistry with Slash, and explained why he prefers to play certain parts the way Izzy Stradlin did. Stradlin is a founding member and chief songwriter of many Guns N’ Roses classics, though he was never as much of a public face of the band as Axl, Slash, and Duff, likely losing him leverage in any financial negotiations during the 2016 reunion.
Fortus joined the Axl Rose-fronted band in 2002, and has since become a mainstay of Guns N’ Roses, holding down Izzy Stradlin’s old spot through the Chinese Democracy era and Not In This Lifetime reunion. Over the past 20-odd years, the guitarist stood with the band through thick and thin, having played with a wide variety of guitarists who came and went over that period.
A particularly important challenge for Fortus arose in 2016 when he was set to perform alongside the newly returned Slash, after it turned out that Izzy Stradlin wouldn’t be a part of the reunion.
Speaking to Guitar World in a recent interview, Fortus noted how “it’s been a massive change” since he first joined GN’R, adding:
“Robin Finck was my favorite guitarist I played with, besides Slash, and was the one I felt most unified with. With Slash, it’s a whole different level. I’ve never played with another guitar player I feel so in-sync with.”
He also reflected on his approach to playing rhythm in Guns N’ Roses. Fortus noted how he was never pressured to play a certain way. However, he nevertheless prefers to play some parts the way Izzy Stradlin did, out of respect for his predecessor:
“I can’t really speak to the Gilby thing as much, but with Izzy, there are certain things I view as integral. There’s never been a time when Slash has said to me, ‘I think you should copy what Izzy did here.'”
“He’s very much in the moment. He’s come back to me and said, ‘I listened to this live recording we did, and I didn’t realize you were doing that. That’s really cool.’ But he’s never said, ‘I think you should do this…'”
He added:
“He is very trusting of how I approach things. But there are things that – out of respect to the genius of Izzy and what makes this band legendary – I play what I think is integral to the song.”
“There are moments with a lot of the stuff that I interpret in my own way, but I feel very akin to Izzy’s approach and where he was coming from with the songs. I think about that spirit when I approach a song.”
The respect between Fortus and Slash is definitely mutual. The guitar icon said earlier this month how he’s always felt “comfortable” playing with the other ax-wielder:
“Although we did toy with the idea of Izzy coming back, Richard was always there. I felt really at ease and comfortable with Richard staying in when Izzy didn’t work out.”
