STEVEN ADLER: I Love SLASH More Than Anything

Mike Kerwick of NorthJersey.com recently conducted an interview with former GUNS N' ROSES and current ADLER'S APPETITE drummer Steven Adler. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

NorthJersey.com: Axl Rose has always been one of rock's most polarizing figures. On Page 98 [of your tell-all autobiography, "My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses"], you write, "Of all of us, Axl seemed to be the most strait-laced." I think that would surprise some people. Was Axl actually the tamest member of the band?

Adler: When it came to drugs and fighting and things like that, he definitely had some issues to work on. He was just always there. He was a singer and he really did care about how he came out and what sound … it was very important to him. When we recorded "Appetite", he would sing word for word. He does care a whole lot, I know that.

NorthJersey.com: When you hear Axl's name now, what are the first feelings that pop into your head?

Adler: A superstar that I was thankful enough to know and have a part in my life.

NorthJersey.com: How about when you hear Slash's name?

Adler: It's an honor that we're still friends. I love him more than anything. With Slash, I called him up when I started doing Dr. Drew "Celebrity Rehab". I told Dr. Drew I don't think I'd be able to accomplish and achieve the goals that I have if I didn't have an opportunity to talk to Slash and apologize to him. I apologized to all the guys. For 20 years, I blamed them for my downfall. And they had nothing really to do with it.

NorthJersey.com: You point out in the book the irony of a band glorifying drug use, then firing a drummer for his drug use. Are you still bitter at all about the way things ended between you and the band?

Adler: No more. It would be really cool if we could do a reunion with the five of us. Would be great, but I'm not relying on that. It's been too long. I've got to take care of myself. If I want to be successful I can't rely on anybody but myself.

NorthJersey.com: In one section you wrote about the incident where your lip split, your teeth cracked and there was blood dripping all over the floor.

Adler: Ah, the stroke incident.

NorthJersey.com: Yeah. And then you get to the hospital, you still want to get dope. Was that one of the lowest moments?

Adler: It was definitely a low point in my life. Once the convulsions stopped, I went right back and kept doing it again. I was definitely trying to kill myself. But I have to say that honestly God or Satan, whoever runs the show, definitely had my back.

NorthJersey.com: How long have you been clean now?

Adler: Well, it's been 2 1/2 years since they started the Dr. Drew thing, and I relapsed twice. … I don't know, like five months.

NorthJersey.com: Some people will wonder what makes this time different.

Adler: This time I have goals, I have dreams that I want to fulfill. And I know damn well there's no way in hell I'm going to be able to accomplish those dreams and those goals if I'm using drugs.

NorthJersey.com: Gut feeling: Will we ever see the original Guns N' Roses lineup on stage again?

Adler: I would love that more than anything. But like I said earlier, I can't rely on that. I try to rely on that, but after 25 years already, I can't rely on it [any] more. I wasted too much time in my life. I want much, much more happiness than I had in the past.

Read the entire interview from NorthJersey.com.