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Re: Steven Adler Biography
The story of Steven Adler's life as a member of Guns N Roses, one of rock and roll's most volatile, decadent and out of control bands, is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. His new book, My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses, due for release July 27th, really hits home--but not for being a thrill-inducing rock and roll story. Actually it's just the opposite. Adler's candor and self-reflection make this book a different kind of rock star memoir entirely.
Steven Adler absolutely doesn't try to pretty up his story; there's no attempt to make himself look heroic or, as so often happens in rock star biographies, victimized. Adler puts aside his own ego to tell a story that is bitingly poignant in its brutal honesty.
Adler also proves that sometimes coming clean is the harder part of getting clean. Something he does well in My Appetite For Destruction. At times you feel distinctly, painfully, the breakdown, the regrets, the realization of all that was lost.
Steven opens up with an admission that he had locked himself away in his trailer to do drugs directly after opening for the Rolling Stones in 1989; his dreams had finally come true, but he was in no shape to enjoy it. He couldn't walk around backstage, meeting, greeting, basking in the amazing, historic moment '” the drugs were calling, and he had to answer. It was just one of those moments that he can't take back; he'll never get a chance to do it over. It's the kind of regret that will haunt him forever after.
In the band Guns N Roses you had five men whose dreams all came true, but the joy in their rise to fame was finished before it had begun, lost in the pursuit of the next fix.
They were living in a fog of heroin, cocaine, alcohol and women that never allowed them to really feel what was happening to them, the highs and lows muted by drugs '” except Axl Rose, of course, who had an affliction of his own which, rather than forcing him to get control of his manic abusiveness, acted as a license to further brutalize his bandmates, and Steven in particular.
Being the youngest and most insecure of the group, Steven seemed to generate a specific attention from Rose, much as the schoolyard bully will hone in on the kid he believes is the weakest on the playground, and particularly if he knows that no one will come to that kid's defense.
The glowering burn of Axl's hatred, although it eventually extended to every member of the band, began with Steven and finally culminated in Adler's humiliating eviction from the band.
The rest of the band just shuffled on in true rock and roll style, stepping over the body of yet another fallen comrade. Guns N Roses had to make a choice and they could not be Guns N Roses without Axl's distinct vocals. They all seemed to realize that Axl's was a war of attrition--and he was determined to outlast them all. And he did. He claimed ownership of the band's name and began touring with Guns N Roses, as the only original member.
And yet...
In telling the story of his life, sharing his years in the world's most glamorized and volatile rock band, Steven Adler never seems to lose that part of himself that seemed to make him a target for Axl's wrath, his boyish enthusiasm, his pure joy in traveling and meeting people who he admired. He was, and is, first and foremost a rock music fan.
Steven comes clean on everything '” from emotional, physical and sexual abuse to sharing groupies. He shares his hurt, confusion and anger over seeing his dreams devastated, but he holds himself as responsible for that as anyone else. Only after reading can you truly understand that holding a grudge just would not be a part Steven Adler's nature.
In many cases I wouldn't blame him for harboring resentments, but he seems to be able to step back from the situation and look at it with maturity and a positive attitude. Even in the face of Axl's abuse and Slash's betrayal, he regards his former bandmates in a brotherly fashion, five men who shared an amazing experience, an unbreakable bond that Steven feels should never be let go lightly.My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses is a book that should be read by fans of the band and anyone planning to go into the music business. Adler talks about the people who supported the band, who helped them along the road to success, who were thrown by the way-side as the band climbed the ladder to fame. Those who took advantage of their enthusiasm and naivete He shares the stories of his friendships with other rock stars and growing up with Slash; two neighborhood kids raised by their grandmothers who had two things in common, they couldn't stay out trouble, and they wanted to be rock stars.
He also discusses Axl and others whose need to control the band finally destroyed them. And those rock stars that he had admired who betrayed his youthful adoration. He talks about the bands he met along the way, Motley Crue, Poison, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith and others.
Steven suffered a stroke and many relapses before wrestling his demons into submission. He talks about his rehab attempts and failures, and finally, meeting his wife and finding a support network of people who love him just as he is, and just as it should be.
I'll be speaking with Steven Adler on the release date for My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses, July 27th. We'll talk about the book, the band, and where he plans to go from here.
Re: Steven Adler Biography
the drugs were calling, and he had to answer. It was just one of those moments that he can't take back; he'll never get a chance to do it over. It's the kind of regret that will haunt him forever after.
The life of a drug addict in a nutshell.
Don't know how honest this book will be. Never finished Slash's book but there seemed to be a bit of sugarcoating there. This will probably be the same(or worse), but if he can at least be honest regarding his descent into drug addiction and the consequences of it, it would definitely be worth reading.
This book also comes with a brand new song. Hopefully that track leaks soon.
Re: Steven Adler Biography
There's once again some inconsistencies in past accounts. Steve recounts Axl as a bully of the playground picking on the weakest of the group, yet every account i've ever heard of Steven was that he was considered the most attractive, most likable, most fun, most popular in social circles, biggest ladies man, most indulgent of the group before drugs destroyed him.
He was the Chris Holmes of GN'R.
Re: Steven Adler Biography
I heard it was the other way around, and that actually came from Slash.
According to Slash, Steven used to pull these practical jokes and poke fun at Axl, just for kicks, because that was Steven's personality. He was a habitual line stepper/ball buster. He singled out Axl, and because of Axl's insecurities, it NEVER went over well with Axl.
So i'm sure when Steven's last allie left in the band was Axl - he was toast. Bring on Matt.
Re: Steven Adler Biography
WHO: Steven Adler.
WHAT: Book signing/discussion for "My Appetite for Destruction" (It Books, 2010).
WHEN: Noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
WHERE: Bookends, 232 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood; 201-445-0726.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: book-ends.com.
As his tour bus rolled through Montana, Steven Adler took a break to reflect. He tries not to look back too often, not when his past is a page-turning mix of glamour and danger.
But Adler, the former Guns N' Roses drummer who partied his way out of the band, has a new book that offers a stunning look at his life '” good, bad and plenty of ugly. Adler will visit Ridgewood Wednesday to sign copies of "My Appetite for Destruction: Sex & Drugs & Guns N' Roses."
He spent a few minutes on the phone with us discussing the book.
Q. You wrote in the introduction, "People love train wrecks." Is this the story of a train wreck?
A very successful train wreck. If you're going to do something, do it right. Definitely it was a major train wreck. Of course it didn't start off that way, but when you're doing drugs and drinking and hanging out with the wrong people, it's bound to turn into a crash.
Q. The book has some stunning revelations, including a passage where you intimate that you were raped. How difficult '¦
No. No. I wasn't raped. That's not in there, is it?
Q. You said you didn't want to get into details in the book, but you said there was a guy and there were two other guys '¦ Maybe you can clarify '¦
Now you're bringing back old memories back to me, I'll get depressed in a second.
Q. You said, "We arrived at this dumpy little apartment. There was another guy there, only he was in his 40s. A completely scruffy-looking loser. Right away, I felt uneasy. Something wasn't right. This guy '¦"
Oh man. Oh yeah. Now I think I'm depressed. Yes, of course, now that you mention it '¦ I guess it was one of those memories that I try to stuff up. But now that you bring it up, I'm gonna cry. Thank you very much [laughs].
Q. Was it tough to include?
You're young. You're living in Hollywood. And things like that happen. You never expect anything like that to happen. '¦ It's something I just had to take it and get stronger.
Q. Axl Rose has always been one of rock's most polarizing figures. On Page 98, you write, "Of all of us, Axl seemed to be the most strait-laced." I think that would surprise some people. Was Axl actually the tamest member of the band?
When it came to drugs and fighting and things like that, he definitely had some issues to work on. He was just always there. He was a singer and he really did care about how he came out and what sound '¦ it was very important to him. When we recorded "Appetite," he would sing word for word. He does care a whole lot, I know that.
Q. When you hear Axl's name now, what are the first feelings that pop into your head?
A superstar that I was thankful enough to know and have a part in my life.
Q. How about when you hear Slash's name?
It's an honor that we're still friends. I love him more than anything. With Slash, I called him up when I started doing Dr. Drew "Celebrity Rehab." I told Dr. Drew I don't think I'd be able to accomplish and achieve the goals that I have if I didn't have an opportunity to talk to Slash and apologize to him. I apologized to all the guys. For 20 years, I blamed them for my downfall. And they had nothing really to do with it.
Q. You point out in the book the irony of a band glorifying drug use, then firing a drummer for his drug use. Are you still bitter at all about the way things ended between you and the band?
No more. It would be really cool if we could do a reunion with the five of us. Would be great, but I'm not relying on that. It's been too long. I've got to take care of myself. If I want to be successful I can't rely on anybody but myself.
Q. In one section you wrote about the incident where your lip split, your teeth cracked and there was blood dripping all over the floor.
Ah, the stroke incident.
Q. Yeah. And then you get to the hospital, you still want to get dope. Was that one of the lowest moments?
It was definitely a low point in my life. Once the convulsions stopped, I went right back and kept doing it again. I was definitely trying to kill myself. But I have to say that honestly God or Satan, whoever runs the show, definitely had my back.
Q. How long have you been clean now?
Well, it's been 2 1/2 years since they started the Dr. Drew thing, and I relapsed twice. '¦ I don't know, like five months.
Q. Some people will wonder what makes this time different.
This time I have goals, I have dreams that I want to fulfill. And I know damn well there's no way in hell I'm going to be able to accomplish those dreams and those goals if I'm using drugs.
Q. Gut feeling: Will we ever see the original Guns N' Roses lineup on stage again?
I would love that more than anything. But like I said earlier, I can't rely on that. I try to rely on that, but after 25 years already, I can't rely on it [any] more. I wasted too much time in my life. I want much, much more happiness than I had in the past.
Re: Steven Adler Biography
Q. The book has some stunning revelations, including a passage where you intimate that you were raped. How difficult '¦
No. No. I wasn't raped. That's not in there, is it?
That right there guarantees that I do NOT read this book. He just admitted that he didn't write it, which calls into question every single sentence in the book. Nothing wrong with a collaborator or ghost writer, but that takes the concept to a new low.
