Matt Sorum - the weak link in VR?

[Ines_rocks!]

Well I?m keeping what I said but I respect your opinion  .

[Alan]

imo dave is who stops VR from sounding dated

[Eclipsed107]

Matt is one of the most overrated drummers I've ever heard.  So many people praise him for how great he is, but he's an average drummer at best.

That's why his resume' sucks..

What resume?

He played on the Illusion albums, but was he really that much of an improvement over Adler?  If Adler wasn't so fucked up the albums would have sounded pretty much identical, maybe a little more punk rockish...

He played on one album with The Cult, Slash's first solo album and one of Duff's and both of Velvet Revolvers.  Which one of those albums was great?  Most consider the one Cult album he played on to be one of their worst.  Many consider the VR albums to be not nearly as good as they should be. 

Besides Velvet Revolver the guy has only been a hired gun (no pun intended) and has never found a home of his own.

The guy hasn't done anything great in his career that someone else couldn't have done, and honestly if Gn'R didn't take him in, who knows if he'd still be in music today.

... I don't mean to be so hard on Matt Sorum, truth is he's a good, talented drummer.  But people walk around and talk like he's the king of the hill among drummers, and I haven't heard it.

Besides the Use Your Illusion albums I haven't heard one album with him on it that I'd consider above average, and almost all of the drums were written before he came into the picture on UYI.  All he had to do was learn them and play them, which is what he did.

[Falcon]

?But people walk around and talk like he's the king of the hill among drummers, and I haven't heard it.

I tend to think "people walk around" (especially those fans who are this era of GNR focused) thinking he's "just average" when the quality of people he's worked with and continues to work with don't hold that same opinion.

[JimBobTTD]

?But people walk around and talk like he's the king of the hill among drummers, and I haven't heard it.

I tend to think "people walk around" (especially those fans who are this era of GNR focused) thinking he's "just average" when the quality of people he's worked with and continues to work with don't hold that same opinion.

I think people walk around thinking about what to make for dinner, or TV shows or some gossip crap. I suspect that almost everyone can go WEEKS without thinking about Matt Sorum!

[AxlsMainMan]

Steven's drumming on Appetite' alone is superior to any offering I've heard from Matt Sorum.

[Ali]

?But people walk around and talk like he's the king of the hill among drummers, and I haven't heard it.

I tend to think "people walk around" (especially those fans who are this era of GNR focused) thinking he's "just average" when the quality of people he's worked with and continues to work with don't hold that same opinion.

I don't think he's just average at all, but he doesn't have that sense of groove and looseness and fluidity that Steven Adler has and that Brain has.  For that reason, I think he wasn't the best drummer for GN'R.  That groove is what allowed you to really lock into the songs on Appetite.

Ali

[Trist805]

I think Matt and Duff really compliment eachother's playing and really lock in with eachother.? ?I don't get what ppl say when he has no groove.? ?Have you heard these two play together?? IMO they both make eachother sound better.? Wasn't this also the main thing for why he was chosen for Illusions?? They needed someone who could fit in with the band, not just image wise, but also could fit the sound.? ?I know he is a different style than Steven tho and some ppl don't like that cuz Matt plays TIGHT and Steven plays LOOSE.

[don_vercetti]

I think Matt and Duff really compliment eachother's playing and really lock in with eachother.   I don't get what ppl say when he has no groove.   Have you heard these two play together?  IMO they both make eachother sound better.  Wasn't this also the main thing for why he was chosen for Illusions?  They needed someone who could fit in with the band, not just image wise, but also could fit the sound.   I know he is a different style than Steven tho and some ppl don't like that cuz Matt plays TIGHT and Steven plays LOOSE.

Loose is what suits Gnr.  That's why Matt wasn't a good replacement, Steve was loose and groovy, Matt is tight and hard.  But everyone else was hard, and Steve bought some much needed swing to the proceedings.  Very few fully appreciate his work, but listen to any AFD songs played with Matt (even with Izzy still in the band) and they don't sound anything like as good. 

Funnily enough though, I know there's a lot of other change, but Brain/Frank both sound a lot better than Matt did. 

[Eclipsed107]

I think people walk around thinking about what to make for dinner, or TV shows or some gossip crap. I suspect that almost everyone can go WEEKS without thinking about Matt Sorum!

 

Oh don't lie to us.  You know you can't go WEEKS without thinking about Matt.   

[SpiritDave]

ummmm, keyboards were needed for a lot of the songs.   Dizzy brought a new dimension to the songs and it was a good thing for the band..   

but I do agree.. those drum solos on the UYI tour were horrid.     And I do think a drummer that had some rhythm would have made those albums pretty close to perfect.

I'm not a massive Dizzy fan.  I do agree to some amount with what you say about them tho ... I like the keys on the tracks.

And I don't think anyone else was needed ... Matt's drumming, in my opinion, is perfect on those albums.  Punchy, solid...

I think it's easy to critisize now ... but I actually think there isn't a single track on UYI I or II that I ever skip now.  Even My World comes on and I'm rockin' to it.  In my eyes, they're the best albums.  Mind you ... I'm a massive GnR fan ... I absolutely love every album they put out, without exception.  Not one track is filler to me.

[r3dhawk6]

A bit of GNR died when Steven left.  I have a soft spot for Steven I guess, but I much prefer the version of GNR that includes Steven.  His whole persona just worked so well with GNR.  Don't know if I'll ever really respect or totally accept Matt's work in GNR.  He was just there.  Every time I see Matt in live footage from GNR I miss Steven.
VR is a different story I suppose because I'm fine with Matt's work in VR.

[Ali]

A bit of GNR died when Steven left.? I have a soft spot for Steven I guess, but I much prefer the version of GNR that includes Steven.? His whole persona just worked so well with GNR.? Don't know if I'll ever really respect or totally accept Matt's work in GNR.? He was just there.? Every time I see Matt in live footage from GNR I miss Steven.
VR is a different story I suppose because I'm fine with Matt's work in VR.

You're right.  A bit of the AFD magic of GN'R did die when Steven was let go.  His sense of groove was extremely important to the feel of the AFD GN'R songs.  It was a new chapter in GN'R's story the moment Steven left and was replaced by Matt.

Ali

[SpiritDave]

I fucking LOVE the Illusions albums... the drumming is fucking SPOT on ... Nothing ... NOTHING wrong with Matt's drumming back then or now.  He's one of the most talented hard rock drummers this world has seen.

I don't understand the Matt hate.  I like him.  He's cool.

[AxlsMainMan]

I fucking LOVE the Illusions albums... the drumming is fucking SPOT on

Maybe you should give 'Appetite or Lies another listen.

In my opinion, Matt doesn't hold a candle to Steven.

... Nothing ... NOTHING wrong with Matt's drumming back then or now.?

I find nearly all of his drumming on the Use Your Illusion albums to be rather tedious, and uninspiring.

He's one of the most talented hard rock drummers this world has seen.

No he's not.

Compared to Neil Peart, Danny Carey, Carter Beauford, Jimmy Chamberlin, Travis Barker, Taylor Hawkins, or Danny Lohner, he's really nothing special.?

[IzzyDutch]

Matt's technically a lot better then Steven but I like Steven's drumming way more.. nice cool sound, great groove and I also like his drumarrangements... they fit the songs and he doesn't always plays the same old beat unlike Matt. I find Matt's drumming on UYI and after also uninspiring.

[SpiritDave]

I fucking LOVE the Illusions albums... the drumming is fucking SPOT on

Maybe you should give 'Appetite or Lies another listen.

In my opinion, Matt doesn't hold a candle to Steven.

... Nothing ... NOTHING wrong with Matt's drumming back then or now.

I find nearly all of his drumming on the Use Your Illusion albums to be rather tedious, and uninspiring.

He's one of the most talented hard rock drummers this world has seen.

No he's not.

Compared to Neil Peart, Danny Carey, Carter Beauford, Jimmy Chamberlin, Travis Barker, Taylor Hawkins, or Danny Lohner, he's really nothing special. 

I love all of GnR's albums.  If you don't ... I'm sorry for you.

You find all of it tedious and boring?  Grow up.  Either that or never listen to those albums again ... if you really truly believe that, then you must have a massive problem even putting one song on, since Matt's drumming is all over every song ... and is a pretty prominent and major part.

You're talking shit.

[AxlsMainMan]

I love all of GnR's albums. 

As do I..

If you don't ... I'm sorry for you.

Don't feel sorry for me..

I'm not the self-proclaimed "One man Matt Sorum fan club.."

You find all of it tedious and boring? 

Yes.

Grow up. 

Yawn.

Either that or never listen to those albums again ...

Ok, Stalin

if you really truly believe that, then you must have a massive problem even putting one song on,

Nope, not at all

Matt's dreary drumming aside, I love every aspect of every song on the Use Your Illusion albums.

since Matt's drumming is all over every song ... and is a pretty prominent and major part.

Oh yeah, his drumming is a real integral part of "You Ain't the First," and "My World.."

You're talking shit.

No, your reply was shit

[Jim Bob]

I agree Stoned.  Both Illusion albums are among my top albums of all time..  the drums are the weakest part of those albums, otherwise they are solid.   I'm certainly not going to stop listening to them just because I dont like Matt.

[AxlsMainMan]

I agree Stoned.? Both Illusion albums are among my top albums of all time..? the drums are the weakest part of those albums, otherwise they are solid.?

?
Thanks Jim Bob, glad I'm not the only one

I'm certainly not going to stop listening to them just because I dont like Matt.