STEVEN ADLER On 'Chinese Democracy': 'It Only Went Gold, And That's Not GUNS N' ROSES'

Ryan Ritchie of OC Weekly recently conducted an interview with original GUNS N' ROSES and current ADLER'S APPETITE drummer Steven Adler. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On his stints on the second season of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" and the subsequent "Sober House":

"Doing a TV show was the best experience in my life. I've never given myself a chance to get anything close to being sober. They asked me to do the first season, but I wasn't ready to do it. Then the next year came and I felt different about doing drugs. They gave me an opportunity, and I grabbed on with both hands and my legs and ran with it."

On the fact that many people — including Adler — argue that his GUNS N' ROSES replacement Matt Sorum could never fill those shoes:

"Yeah, I know that. And all the other guys know that. It's just Axl doesn't want to admit it. That's why the songs work — because of all five of us. 'Use Your Illusion' would have been bigger than 'Appetite For Destruction' if it was recorded the way the demo tapes sounded. But every record they did with less members sold less and less."

On "Chinese Democracy", the latest GUNS N' ROSES record that's essentially Axl Rose and a revolving door of other guys:

"He should have called it 'WAR.' W-A-R. W. Axl Rose. It only went gold, and that's not GUNS N' ROSES. They go double platinum in the first week."

On his current band ADLER'S APPETITE, which performs material from Adler's stint in GUNS N' ROSES:

"Axl's one-fifth of what the band was. I'm one-fifth of what the band was. He's doing it by himself. I can do the same thing. At least I'm showing up for the shows."

Read the entire interview from OC Weekly.