Ex-GUNS N' ROSES Drummer: AXL Never Had That Much Hair When I Hung Out With Him

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current ADLER'S APPETITE drummer Steven Adler recently spoke to "Smart-Ass Midday Goddess" J.D. Page of Worcester, MA's WWFX-FM 100.1 The Fox about his work with GN'R, his cocaine-induced stroke and his current band. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

J.D. Page: I wanna know, just off the bat, so that I don't tread on any sensitive areas. What is the question you are most sick of being asked?

Steven Adler: "Stroke shit. The coke-induced stroke. But that one's getting a little old. That, and 'What's Axl like?' I couldn't even tell anymore. I don't even know the guy."

J.D. Page: He's turned himself into a human quilt.

Steven Adler: "Yeah, he did, didn't he?"

J.D. Page: I mean, look at all the surgery and adjustments and implants and tucks he's had done…

Steven Adler: "I have nothing to say against him except for all I know is he never had that much hair when I hung out with him. But that's alright. Some of us have it, some of us don't."

J.D. Page: Do you find that when people ask you about the stroke, is it out of genuine concern, or is it out of morbid curiosity and they just want the dirt?

Steven Adler: "I think it's half and half. So many people have been so wonderful to me and so nice to me, but I also get the 'Hey, you're all drunk and high' and stuff, because sometimes when I talk I slur a little bit. But that's from the stroke."

J.D. Page: I understand completely. My grandmother had a stroke and she ended up being a complete vegetable, so I think you got off a little lucky.

Steven Adler: "I think I did, too. In fact, I know I did. And I've never been more appreciative of being able to play for people. It's so wonderful. And I appreciate meeting and love meeting everybody I've met."

J.D. Page: That's a complete change from an interview I saw you do back when GUNS N' ROSES was just totally blitzkrieging the entire world.

Steven Adler: "I'm still the same person, but it was a different time."

J.D. Page: You found some lessons, learned the hard way.

Steven Adler: "A lot of lessons, and they were hard lessons, but I made it through it. I never thought I'd make it that far — most people don't."

J.D. Page: The rock 'n' roll lifestyle took a toll on not just your physical self, but your spiritual, your mental outlook, and have you recovered from it?

Steven Adler: "It's recovered a lot, but you know what? The rock 'n' roll lifestyle is pretty much my whole life anyway. Since I've been 12 years old, I've lived that same life. So nothing really changed except that I made more money. And I didn't have to go to work every morning. I survived, and I'm thankful for what I've done. Even if I never get to play with GN'R again, if we never get back together, I'm just so happy that I had the opportunity in my life to play with them and do the music that I've done."

J.D. Page: You were a part of rock 'n' roll history. That can never be erased.

Steven Adler: "Yeah, I'm OK with that. I mean, I would love to, more than anything, play with the guys, but if God doesn't see it that way, then I'm still glad I did what I did with them. 'Cause they're great, great guys. Slash, especially Izz, and Axl — the jackass that he is, he's a really wonderful guy. And I love being a part of their lives."

J.D. Page: What do you think of the whole success with VELVET REVOLVER? Have you heard "Contraband"?

Steven Adler: "I've heard it, and I saw them play in Vegas. Anything that Slash and Duff do is gonna be great. They're so cool you can't stop looking at them."

J.D. Page: What about your album? You've got something coming out, don't you?

Steven Adler: "So far, we've got 10 songs down. I want 20-25 songs to be able to pick from, but everything's been going so great, I've been playing so much. My band — Robbie Crane, Keri Kelli, Brent Muscat, Jizzy Pearl — I've just been having the greatest time with."

(Thanks: J.D. Page / 100.1 The Fox)