Recommended Aussie Tunes:Psycroptic | The new single "A Fragile Existence" | Listen

Interviews : “Australia, I’m coming, so beware” – An interview with Steven Alder (ex-Guns N’ Roses)

By on May 9, 2018

Steven Adler, the one-time drummer for Guns N’ Roses is bringing an outstanding cast of musicians to Australia to perform the album Appetite for Destruction (’87) in full!

At the height of their infamy, Guns N’ Roses were the zeitgeist and their enduring influence is the yardstick against which all rock bands are measured. Appetite for Destruction continues to inspire and define rock’n’roll. Featuring the much-lauded ‘Adler swing’, it was through Adler’s percussive groove, Slash’s iconic Les Paul wailing, Izzy’s ‘so tight its loose’ rhythm guitar, Duff’s punching bass lines and Axl’s inimitable vocal… that rock‘n’roll delivered what it had been promising since the Rolling Stones iconic, Sticky Fingers in 1971

“I really appreciate that. That was my dream what you just said… was for people to say that about me, my music and my band.”

That was Adler’s response to my feedback he is the bloke keeping the original GN’R flame alive in 2018. As an attendee at the QE2 stadium gig in 2017, the current day GN’R bought flames, volume and a heck of a lot of hits. What they didn’t bring was the nasty, spit-on-your shoes vibe that characterised the band’s heyday. It was dangerous music and you felt as though you had a ticket to a boxing ring just listening to “It’s So Easy” and “My Michelle”. Adler, as the keeper of the bands flame, is keen to bring that sense of danger to stages across Australia.

“What people can expect, basically we’re going to start off with “Reckless Life” (Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide– ’86) and we’re going to end with “Paradise City” (Appetite for Destruction) and everything and then some in between. So, all Appetite, a little Use Your Illusion (I & II – ’91) songs that I didn’t get to play on, but I helped write with the guys”

Something else about Adler’s Australian tour is the opportunity for fans to meet and hear from Deanna Adler, Adler’s mother. Deanna wrote about her perspective on the many trials and tribulations she saw Adler experience in the book Sweet Child of Mine: How I Lost My Son to Guns N’ Roses. No doubt plenty in the Australian audience will have read the book and will have a question or two for Deanna. Adler is excited that he can bring ‘mum’ to the show for the fans.

“They get to meet my mom, they get to be introduced to her, the person who hatched me. I wasn’t born, she said I was hatched. I was actually traded in the hospital. My grandmother said, ‘No, I don’t like that one, I’m going to take this one’, and that one was me.”

Finally, Adler has this word of warning for Australian fans intending to attend the show.

“Australia, I’m coming, so beware. I don’t know who the other bands are that are coming before me, but you better bring yourself a pair of extra shorts, because we’re going to blow your mind!”

Listen to the full conversation with Steven Adler here:

Catch Steven Adler in Australia for his special Q & A and live performances with his band Adler’s Appetite this May.

Wednesday 16th May – Discovery, DARWIN *James Young not appearing.
Thursday 17th May – The Gov, ADELAIDE
Friday 18th May – Capitol, PERTH
Saturday 19th May – The Backroom, BRISBANE
Friday 25th May – 170 Russell, MELBOURNE
Saturday 26th May – Max Watts, SYDNEY

Tickets on sale now! Click here for more details.

About

Andrew is a musician who has spent many years performing on the stages of the pubs and clubs of Queensland. A devotee of the broad church that is rock, punk, funk, jazz and of course all genres of metal... he now shares his enthusiasm via a burgeoning pursuit of music journalism. Follow him on twitter @andymckaysmith