STEVEN ADLER: AXL ROSE Should Have Released 'Chinese Democracy' Under Different Band Name

Sonic Excess recently conducted an interview with original GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Sonic Excess: In 2005, ADLER'S APPETITE recorded an EP with original material. Do you have any plans on going into the studio and recording a full-length album?

Adler: Absolutely! Next week (first week in April 2009),once we finish this tour up, I am going to go home for a few days and just sleep. We have done 22 shows, so I am going to sleep for a few days, then I am going to have a couple meetings with Slash. I have been working with Slash. I am producing the record and playing on it, of course, so that will be in a week or two that we finish with this (the final date on the tour).

Sonic Excess: Is that going to be Slash's solo record?

Adler: No, that is going to be my record, but I am going to play a song on Slash's solo record too, so I will be doing some recording with him on that, but he is going to be producing my record.

Sonic Excess: Now are you going to have any guest appearance on your record?

Adler: Of course, we want eight cover songs. With each song we do we want at least one person who played on the original version to play on my record. I am thinking about changing the name to ADLER'S GNR too, because you cannot copyright the letters. I am one-fifth of the band just like he is one-fifth of the band (Axl Rose). At least I'm out their playing the songs people want to hear.

Sonic Excess: So this is not going to be just a regular recording, it is going to have everyone on it?

Adler: Yeah. I want to do it old school with a two-inch tape and not with computers. I want an old sound — not perfect and crispy. I do not want to take away the magic of the songs that I redo. Nowadays people go into the studio and record a song, the drummer will play 30 seconds of the beat and type the rest of it in on a computer. I want it all real, that's how we did "Appetite", it was done in one take. It was anything goes, whatever happens happens.

Sonic Excess: The last time I did an interview with you, I had asked you about the new GUNS N' ROSES lineup and you said that "there is no new GUNS N' ROSES." Do you still feel the same way and have you heard "Chinese Democracy" yet?

Adler: Yeah, Axl should have named the band W.A.R. for W. Axl Rose and I think that would have been much better.

Sonic Excess: Axl Rose did a recent interview with Del James and when asked about a GUNS N' ROSES reunion, Axl gave a reason for not considering it and listed why involving every former member Axl said "Steven [Adler] brings assorted ambulance-chasing attorneys and the nightmare of his mother. One gig, or even a couple songs, could mean years of behind-the-scenes legal aftermath." What is your response to that?

Adler: I do not know why he would say that. My mother thing is over and I do not know why he is still going on with that. Now that I'm back in control and have power of attorney, I don't know why he would say ambulance chaser. I don't get it.

Read the entire interview from Sonic Excess.

Fan-filmed video footage of original GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler and his band ADLER'S APPETITE performing the GN'R classic "Rocket Queen" on March 15, 2009 at Big Momma's in Seymour, Tennessee can be viewed below (clip uploaded by "TartynPink").