Original Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler discussed the state of rock during a recent Reddit AMA with his mother Deanna.
Steven: All I know is that the gods of rock are pissed! I think I am afraid Rock and Roll might be dead. There are just no great bands out there. The last great band that I know of was the Foo Fighters, and that was 25 years ago.
Deanna: I don’t believe it will ever die. When he was playing in the 80s, we would go on sunset blvd and see all these guys with the black leather jackets
Steven: But that was the 80s, this is 2017. Music is completely different now. It sucks!
Deanna: a few weeks ago we were going down sunset blvd. There are so many young people. I don’t think it will ever die. What goes around comes around, it’s always gonna be there. I still listen to oldies but goodies. Good music comes back.
Adler also discussed drumming as an infant.
Steven: You tell ‘em the truth. You threw my drums right on the sidewalk.
Deanna: I didn’t deal well with it.
Steven: I went to school, the drums were on the sidewalk.
Deanna: When he was a baby, he was 2 years old, he would sit on the kitchen floor, while I was cooking and he would take out the Tupperware and the wooden spoons and he would be pounding on the Tupperware. I would play oldies but goodies!
Steven: 50’s. Frankie Valli, Frankie Avalon, Veronica.
Deanna: Yea, that’s what I listened to.
Steven: Frankie Valli is god.
Deanna: So, when he would get the drums, yeah, it was very hard because the neighbors would complain. I would go to work and I’d come home and the neighbor would say, “He’s been playing the drums all day. How much can I take?”. No, it wasn’t good. I don’t suggest getting the drums.
Steven: It wasn’t just that. It was just he’s playing the drums all day. He’s playing the drums and he stinks! If he played good, it wouldn’t be so bad. Tell him to take lessons. That goddamn loud Rock ‘n Roll he keeps playing.
Deanna: I don’t advise any parents to buy their children a drumset.
Steven: Nowadays, you have electric drums, so you can wear headphones, so you don’t bother anybody. Me personally, I love fucking with my neighbors.