Here Today... Gone To Hell!

MATT SORUM TO PERFORM AT CHARITY BENEFIT FOR THE KENYA BELIEVE IT COMMITTEE

MATT SORUM?renowned drummer for Velvet Revolver, Guns N? Roses and The Cult?will perform at a special all-star benefit in Kenya Sunday, July 6 at Ngong Racecourse. The concert will close-out the inaugural weekend-long benefit known as ?Kenya?s Biggest Charity Race,? organized by the Kenya Believe It Committee.

SORUM will share the stage with fellow musicians Stevie Salas (guitarist for Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, George Clinton, Chris Daughtry), Bernard Fowler (background singer and vocal director of the Rolling Stones) and TM Stevens (bassist for Joe Cocker, James Brown, Tina Turner) for an unforgettable concert following a weekend of events. SORUM says, ?Playing music has been a gift in my life and has allowed me to visit many different places around the world. But this is an experience that I am truly honored to be a part of. I feel at this time in my life I want to give back and help people in need. Music has always transcended politics and brought hope. I hope that our trip will bring some smiles and happiness to this beautiful country and its people.?

During their stay, the band will also meet with young, poverty stricken musicians in the Kibera Slums, in an effort to provide unforgettable hope and inspiration. Salas, who was instrumental in organizing the performance, has visited Kenya twice in the past. He says: "What left the strongest impression on me were the children...Often they had no toys or material things to play with, but they always had giant smiles and never looked bored. A true inspiration!" SORUM beams, "love supreme."

The Kenya Believe It Committee?with the help of Dr. John Batten, CEO of the Poverty Eradication Network (PEN)?will distribute funds raised to various community projects focusing on maintaining sustainability. Charity Coordinator Jade Foster says, "With food shortages hitting the headlines, we must act now to move Kenya forward as a pioneering example of sustainability."

The three-day event, which begins Friday, July 4 and concludes Sunday, July 6, includes a performance by International Musicians at the Double Inn in Karen, polo matches between the Household Calvary of London and the Kenya Polo Team, a Grand Polo Ball, and a day of horse-racing topped by the all-star rock concert Sunday night. Foster says, ?Our aim is to push a strong message to international tourists and investors that we believe Kenya is moving forward in a bigger and better way."

www.kenyabelieveit.org

http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/698/12944/Velvet-Revolver.html

On his own site it says:

One wouldn?t normally associate MATT SORUM with charity events in Third World countries. But on July 6th, the notoriously hard-partying drummer for THE CULT, GUNS N? ROSES and most recently VELVET REVOLVER will take part in a special all-star benefit concert in Kenya, Africa.

This is the guy who didn't say a word about going to rehab and having to cancel gigs due to it, but now it's ok to use the "hard-partying" image to promote himself and a charity....




/jarmo

Hey at least he's promoting a charity right?  ;D

he'll probably just go there to see the savanna and go to some 5 stars resort while he's "helping" the Kenya cause...  ::)
Besides, I don't think hard partying helps much on charity events... but who am I to know about these things anyway...

Uh, ya he did. 

He mentioned a stay in rehab on CF Radio in '06 and a more recent visit on CF Radio a few weeks
ago.


That was "alleged" by Weiland in a personal attack (with a foot out the VR door and an axe to grind), never proven as fact.

Since when did Scott Weiland become the harbinger of truth?


So what?

If his presence helps the charity, who cares?

Stevie Salas - Guitar/s (Guitar player for Mick Jagger,Rod Stewart, George Clinton, solo artist, music Director/Producer for AMERICAN IDOL, Chris Daughtry, biggest selling album last year in the USA, and for Jordin Sparks this year.)

Matt Sorum - Drums (Drummer of Guns and Roses ,Velvet Revolver, The Cult.)

Bernard Fowler - Lead Vocals (Back ground singer and vocal director of the Rolling Stones for 25 years!)

Jara Harris - Bass ( Bass player for Slapbak, Digital Underground , Morris Day and the Time.)

A MESSAGE FOR KENYA FROM STEVIE SALAS: "You have all the beauties of the world in one country... people... animals... land... and oceans..."

When we told him about our event, he jumped on board, and enrolled his celebrity friends to play...

Stevie first visited Kenya in 2002, where he says, "It's so easy to make lifelong friends..." He jammed with "Goldfish," a local band for fun in 2006. Stevie, Matt and Bernard will be the final judge for the "KENYAN IDOL" band that wins the best theme song for Kenya Believe It!

Stevie says, "What left the stongest impression on me [of Kenya] were the children. Often they had no toys or material things to play with, but they always had GIANT smiles and never looked bored. A true inspiration!"

Thank you STEVIE, MATT, BERNARD and JARA for coming to rock and roll in Kenya, for Kenya!

http://www.kenyabelieveit.org/index.php/Latest/News3.html

Wow!

Did he laugh when he talked about it?




Of course not by Matt!

(http://i32.tinypic.com/33e6ec5.jpg)



The truth, rock on!



/jarmo

Duff is a cool cat.  I have never seen sorum gone.  I have never seen him wasted on stage.

Probably, so?

Does a laugh take away from the admission?

As noted by Duff in quotes below, both Weiland and Sorum were "gone" and Sorum took initiative to go to rehab and take Weiland with him, (and admitted at least twice on worldwide radio he did indeed go to to rehab) how can that be contrued as you said
"This is the guy who didn't say a word about going to rehab "?


Realizing Matt is a guy who does rub a few the wrong way, here's a direct question:

Can Sorum do/say anything you will not take as self serving/self promoting or does your adamant and consistent disdain for him over ride all judgement and rule opinion?

Here is my attempt at what Jarmo will say.

"When Sorum stops acting like a prima dona glorifying all he does and bashing Axl when its convienent but kissing his ass in case there is a reunion I will then and only then attempt to look at him in an objective light and give him the benefit of the doubt.  The same rules apply for Slash and Duff too.  Until they treat Axl honestly and fairly about the past will I be able to compliment them.  However there was that time in 2006 Slash did a tribute to Jimi Hendrix that was pretty cool.  Everyting else was just neat and nostalgic and after that I lose interest." 

/jarmo

Falcon, how did I do?  Jarmo, I am just kidding, so don't get mad or give me negative karma.  Just having fun.

Damnit Jarmo!  I said I was kidding!  Ugh!

He didn't say anything at the time or when Scott made the accusations.

Only now he does? Not on his blog, not in a magazine but on his friends' L.A. radio show.


You said the accusation was never proven to be right. I showed you the quote where somebody else said it happened. Not Scott.

Are you happy with that?






I think the guy got really lucky and has spent his time talking a lot of shit about his former band mates.

Then when he has another falling out, he tries to make amends. What a character!


Have you ever said anything bad about the guy?  :P


I just think the whole "hard-partying" thing is pretty fucking lame. Considering the Australian tour was canceled due to the "hard-partying", now it's used to further his rock n' roll image.

So, if he's gonna use it as his image, which is up to him to decide, maybe next time he could actually admit that he fucked up? Instead of being quiet about it for months and then act like it was something funny and cool.

That's what I meant with the "laughing about it" remark.

It seems like canceling shows due to addictions are kept quiet in this band, but then some time later it's all "huh huh huh, so I went to rehab huh huh huh. Cool dude! Party!".

Like it's another funny story to tell on radio and laugh about.





/jarmo

Well, I was pretty damn close. 

As far as a drummer goes, Sorum is pretty damn good.  As far as a person goes, that is where the problems start for many.  I like Sorum alright though.

I think he's a good drummer-I'm not sure why people are obsessed with how he is as a person-it's rock n roll-unless your trolling blabbermouth everyday looking to see what he has to say,you probably would not notice

So I guess you wanna talk about how great of a drummer he is...

Instead of the issue that they canceled a tour due to him being in rehab without him saying anything about it until months had passed and it was another cool story to share with his pals.....

Fair enough.



/jarmo

Jarmo, I agree with that part, but falcon's point is that it comes of as disengenious when you say these things because you don't like VR or Matt Sorum at all.  So no matter what, he can't win with you. But I agree he should have manned up then or don't man up at all.

Matt went to rehab which means he at some time admitted to an addiction problem-for all I know, he may be still struggling with it, I don't know-Dave Navarro talks the same way about rehab-addiction can make you say strange, stupid things-been there, done that

It's nice of him to do charity work.





/jarmo

Again, so?

Does it really matter what form or when he admitted going to rehab? 


Duff also said Scott was equally a mess - doesn't  that make Scott responsible as well?  Weiland sure as hell didn't step up and be held accountable now did he?


Matt has acknowleged his luck many times, hasn't he?  Two former band mates (frontmen) have also talked plenty of shit on him so why do you hold Matt solely responsible?

It's a two way street. 


Dude's had some seriously bad haircuts early on..

Does it matter if it's gone from total silence into being something to laugh and mention in passing (not saying this was the case in this particular case, but it's been like that in the past)? Not really, just shows what kind of a person we're talking about.

I'm just making an observation about what I see posted on his web site promoting himself and what I saw unfold a few months ago.

It's very cool to be the hard-partying rock star. Great image. But please, next time you cancel a tour due to it, admit it. Just laugh and say "hey, I'm a hard-partying rock star, these things happen. The truth, rock on!".

Is that too much to ask?  :hihi:

I'm sure this fans will understand and forgive him. He's in a band that's all about the fans after all.




I think he pointed out that Matt was a hypocrite....

You changed your tune. You went from saying it was never proven that Matt was to blame to saying "but Scott was to blame too".  :)




Funny how you even admitted that "Matt is a guy who does rub a few the wrong way" earlier.....




/jarmo

Harldy changed my tune, just pointing out the Matt may have not been soley responsible as one Scott Weiland alleged in his personal attack on Sorum.

There's obviously plenty of blame to go around, no matter how they chose to handle it - it just doesn't get under my skin or cloud perspective.


Not sure why you deem that assumption as "funny", it's obvous there's a few who just flat out don't like him and will spin everything he does as some sort of self serving master plan only done for personal gain.

Well you could've said so the first time instead of pointing out that the fact that Matt was a reason for canceling those gigs was never proven to be right.


Of course Scott is responsible too.

That doesn't mean Matt is a poor victim and innocent.





Let me ask you this then. Do you think it's cool to first act like nothing and then admit you went to rehab months later in passing like it's a joke?

And also considering his past history with these kinds of problems, do you think it's ironic to be portrayed as a "hard-partying" guy while promoting a charity concert in Africa?



As I said, I don't care about how he chooses to portray himself. If he wants to be the dangerous hard-partying rock star, fair enough. Just stick to it.

Don't act like you're having "health issues" when you're in rehab and can't tour..... That's all.

It's almost like finally their wish, to be the dangerous unpredictable band they dreamed of being in 2004, came true and they don't even stand for it.



/jarmo

Apologies, I should have been more clear.



Agreed on both points.

I just thought Weiland's accusatory press release was just way out of line and reactionary - pointing a finger instead of looking in the mirror.


That stuff just doesn't bother me, there was obviously so much more to the saga the blanks were going to filled in eventually.  As we all well know, sometimes cancellations just happen with or without reason(s) given or responsibility taken.


Probably not the best way to be portrayed considering the event but nothing I'm going to get
riled up about as long as his presence adds to the festivities and helps the charity.


Well, addiction is a health issue.  Personally, I don't need a "full disclosure" explanation or care if someone in that situation decides to public or stay silent.  It's just none of my business one way or the other.

To me it seemed like he felt like Matt was pointing fingers while being partly to blame.


Matt even said in a recent interview that they felt bad about canceling those shows, he clarified that with "we" he meant Dave, Duff, Slash and himself.

No mention of him being part of the reason there either.






I know what you mean by keeping personal stuff private, I agree. But with this band it seems like as time passes, the real reasons come out and it's just joked about and so on.

I just think it's poor taste...




/jarmo

I can see that as well, although I don't think Matt's blog entry justified Weiland's scathing accusatory rant.  It was more of a personal attack than an actual explanation of sorts.


It definitley could've been handled differently/better - no doubt.

All things considered, it could've have been avoided in it's entirety if 
Weiland hadn't fired the opening salvo with the "announcement" about this being the last VR tour (allegedly without the others knowledge) leading to Sorum's clarification blog the following day.   

For me, (as noted above) Sorum's post in no way deserved Weiland's silly retort - it was just beyond overreactionary to display in a public forum.

It does make for good rock and roll theatre though, no matter whose side you fall on. :yes: