Ex-GUNS N' ROSES Drummer STEVEN ADLER: AXL ROSE Has 'Very Low Self-Esteem'

Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler recently spoke to Music Mania Magazine about his new band, ADLER'S APPETITE and working with GN'R singer Axl Rose, among other topics. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

Music Mania Magazine: So, what have you been doing with yourself for the past 14 years? The world has missed Steven Adler and we are glad that you are back.

Steven Adler: "I wish I could say better things. Pretty much getting high, trying to kill myself. That didn't work after 10 years, so god has better things in store for me. I should have been dead so many times."

Music Mania Magazine: Now, how many drugs would you do, in let's say, 1988?

Steven Adler: "I have always been a big bud puffer and I like having a few drinks. Not to the point where the room spins, but I like to have a few drinks. I have always been a pot head. But the heroin I did was with Slash and Izzy. The first time I did it, I was 17 or 18 and I got so sick from it. I was like, 'What are you guys messing around with this crap for?' I got so sick. A year later I did it again, not remembering how sick I got the first time from it. So now I just smoke my pot and drink me beer and I'm fine. When they kicked me out of the band that's when things got heavy."

Music Mania Magazine: Really? They made it look like you did too many drugs at that time.

Steven Adler: "That's what they said."

Music Mania Magazine: What was the actual story?

Steven Adler: "When I took them to court, and I took them to court 'cause they told me I was signing one thing but it was another thing. They wanted to give me $2,000 and they were like, 'Fuck you, get the fuck out.'"

Music Mania Magazine: You got $3,000,000 from them.

Steven Adler: "Yup. They wanted to take away all my royalties."

Music Mania Magazine: The entire band or just Axl?

Steven Adler: "The entire band, management and everyone. That's why I sued them. When we where in court and my lawyer said to them, 'Slash, Duff, Izzy, how many times have you overdosed?' When you're in court you have to tell the truth. They said '20-25 times' and they said I was the one with the drug problem."

Music Mania Magazine: What do you think of the new GUNS N' ROSES?

Steven Adler: "There is no new GUNS N' ROSES. There is just Axl Rose. He is just using the name because it is successful. I have my own band, Slash has his, Duff had his and Izzy has his. They all called it something different. Axl is just using the name."

Music Mania Magazine: If he asked you to would you rejoin?

Steven Adler: "Of course. But he would have to sign a contract saying that if he doesn't show up, or if he is late that he gets fined. That, or everyone in the crowd gets to kick him in the ass."

Music Mania Magazine: How many times was he late?

Steven Adler: "I'll tell you one and then you go from there. On our very first professional gig… I mean, we played clubs before but our first professional show was opening for ALICE COOPER in Santa Barbara California. We all are in the van getting ready to drive down and he was standing there with this girl and he says, 'I am going to go with her' and he never showed up. We did a 45-minute blues jam. Our first professionals show for ALICE COOPER and he never shows up."

Music Mania Magazine: What's wrong with that guy?

Steven Adler: "I wish I knew, 'cause I would knock it right out of him. The only thing I can think of is that he is very insecure. Like when he jumps in the crowd because someone takes a picture of him. In his sicko head, he is thinking it's gonna be a bad picture and some one would put it out. He would throw down the microphone thinking he sounds like shit. Very low self-esteem."

Read Steven Adler's entire interview with Music Mania Magazine at this location.