Matthew William Sorum American drummer and percussionist Date of Birth: 19.11.1960 Country: USA

1. Biography of Matt William Sorum
2. Early Life and Career Beginnings
3. Breakthrough and Guns N' Roses
4. Continued Career and Reconciliation

Biography of Matt William Sorum

Matt William Sorum, born on November 19, 1960, is an American drummer and percussionist known for his seven-year stint as the drummer of the band Guns N' Roses. Currently, he plays the drums for the supergroup Velvet Revolver, alongside his former Guns N' Roses bandmates, bassist Duff McKagan and guitarist Slash.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Sorum was born in Mission Viejo, California to parents of English and Norwegian descent. During his high school years, he became a part of the local orchestra's drum section. In 1975, he started pursuing music more seriously and quickly gained recognition as a fashionable musician in the area. He became known for exclusively wearing 'Union Flag' shorts during his performances.

In his first band, Prophecy, Sorum quickly outshined his fellow band members, except for guitarist and lead vocalist Jeff Harris. However, the band disbanded shortly after, and Sorum had to seek opportunities elsewhere. He was then invited by local poet-songwriter Stephen Douglas to join the newly formed band Chateau, alongside several other talented local musicians. Chateau performed all around the country, occasionally even in Hollywood, and had some confrontations with the original lineup of the well-known band Ratt, then known as Mickey Ratt. During his time with Chateau, Sorum wrote four songs that gained significant airplay on local radio stations.

Following the decline of grand rock and the rise of punk and new wave, Sorum left Chateau and headed to Hollywood. He joined several local bands, including Population Five, where he played alongside bassist Prescott Niles from The Knack. After some time working in Hollywood, Sorum met a talented blues guitarist and embarked on a nationwide tour with him.

Breakthrough and Guns N' Roses

In 1988, Sorum was hired to play on the recording of the debut album of the relatively unknown band Y Kant Tori Read, created by Tori Amos. It was through this recording that Sorum was able to secure a position as the drummer for The Cult during their 1989 concert tour. It was during this tour that Slash from Guns N' Roses saw Sorum perform. Shortly after, in 1990, Sorum joined Guns N' Roses, replacing Steven Adler.

Sorum remained with Guns N' Roses for seven years until he was eventually dismissed due to conflicts within the band. He sided with Slash during the internal dispute, which did not sit well with the other band members. In 1999, Sorum, Slash, and Duff McKagan participated in a concert promotion for the independent film "Soundman" by Stephen Ho at the SlamDance Film Festival. The performance went exceptionally well, leading the musicians to realize their potential for collaboration. This marked the formation of the supergroup Velvet Revolver, with Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots as the lead vocalist and Dave Kushner as the rhythm guitarist. In 2004, the band released their debut album and embarked on a concert tour.

Continued Career and Reconciliation

In 2001, Sorum returned to The Cult, assisting with their album "Beyond Good and Evil" and joining them on tour. Currently, the band has temporarily put their activities on hold, but the members are confident that it is only a temporary measure. In April 2006, after nine years since leaving Guns N' Roses, Sorum was able to reconcile with the band's leader, Axl Rose.