MATT SORUM

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MATT SORUM, JOE ELLIOTT, GLENN HUGHES, SEBASTIAN BACH Call For End To Bear Bile Farming In Asia

Posted by aliblackdiamond on May 15, 2013
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Source: Blabbermouth.net

Joe Elliott (DEF LEPPARD), Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), Duff McKagan (GUNS N’ ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER), Matt Sorum (GUNS N’ ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER), Gilby Clarke (GUNS N’ ROSES), Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) have called for an end to bear bile farming in Asia in a new video produced for Animals Asia.

Bear bile farming sees more than 10,000 bears — mainly moon bears — kept on bile farms in China, and around 2,400 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.

The video below was put together for the charity by Matt Sorum, who was moved to action on finding out about Animals Asia just a few weeks ago.

Animals Asia has named Matt as their newest Ambassador for the United States.

Matt commented: “Watching the Animals Asia movies was a shock and an education for me. I previously had no idea of the issue but felt compelled to do anything I could to help. I was inspired further when I met [Animals Asia founder] Jill [Robinson], and when she later asked me to be the U.S. Ambassador for Animals Asia, I was honored to accept. This is all about those of us in the west standing up, alongside those who inspire positive change in China. We must continue to grow the number of voices in opposition to this cruel, horrific industry.”

For more information, go to this location.

SAMMY HAGAR, MATT SORUM To Join Little Kids Rock’s 10th-Anniversary Celebration At Facebook HQ

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 21, 2012
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On Saturday, September 29, Sammy Hagar (CHICKENFOOT, VAN HALEN, MONTROSE) and Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N’ ROSES, THE CULT) will be at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California to support music education at the inaugural “Rock Their World Celebration”, a fundraiser and celebration of national nonprofit Little Kids Rock‘s decade of service, restoring and revitalizing music education for disadvantaged public schools nationwide. More information on this event is available here.

 

Little Kids Rock is a leading nonprofit provider of free musical instruments and music classes to underprivileged children. Started by a single Bay Area teacher in California in 2002, it has since grown to attract the support of over 1,200 public school teachers who have proactively banded together to provide free, Little Kids Rock music classes to children in their schools. Over 200,000 public school children in 24 cities in 12 states have since benefited from the program.

Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in public schools. Little Kids Rock was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to underprivileged children in U.S. public schools, and has served more than 200,000 students at over 1,200 schools in 24 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock honorary board members include Taboo of the BLACK EYED PEAS, Joe Satriani, Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King and Ziggy Marley.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

Former GUNS N’ ROSES Drummer MATT SORUM Defends His ‘November Rain’ Performance

Posted by aliblackdiamond on August 7, 2012
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Former GUNS N’ ROSES drummer Matt Sorum has defended his performance in the classic GN’R track “November Rain”, insisting that “drumming isn’t all about fancy drum fills and splash cymbals.”

Ex-DREAM THEATER and current ADRENALINE MOB drummer Mike Portnoy, who normally doesn’t shy away from his two cents on any music-related discussion, took to his Twitter account on August 4 to pose the question: “‘November Rain’ is an all-time classic song… but why on Earth did Matt Sorum play the SAME EXACT fill every 4 bars? (23 times, to be exact!)”

Two days later, Sorum finally replied to Portnoy, writing on Twitter, “That fill was Axl‘s [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES singer] idea as a musical phrase that carried on through the trilogy, ‘Don’t Cry’ and ‘Estranged’. Those albums, ‘Use Your Illusion’ [parts] 1 and 2 have sold 20 million combined.”

He added, “Remember, kids, drumming isn’t all about fancy drum fills and splash cymbals. Ask Charlie Watts, Ringo [Starr] and Phil Rudd.”

In a 2009 interview with Music Radar, Sorum spoke in more detail about his drumming approach on “November Rain”, explaining, “The track I get the most amount of grief for, from drummers, is ‘November Rain’. The reason I did that tom fill so many times is I felt it was a musical part. A lot of drummers were like, ‘Why’d you play the same fill so much?!’

“Me and Axl were sitting in the studio late one night, having a couple of drinks and listening to Elton John, a song called ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’.

“Axl goes, ‘Do you hear that?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I love Nigel Olson, man‘. He says, ‘Do that on the song we’re going to record tomorrow!’ We’d rehearsed it but I didn’t have all the fills and stuff, it was just a groove. In the end of ‘November Rain’, I get into that whole marching band trip.”

 

Source: Blabbermouth.net

MATT SORUM, KISS, STEVEN TYLER Guests In New Adopt The Arts PSA

Posted by aliblackdiamond on May 6, 2012
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According to Ultimateclassicrock.com, Adopt The Arts, an organization co-founded by former drummer Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N’ ROSES), has created a public service announcement (PSA) in the hopes of saving arts programs in public schools. The organization was created in March as a response to the decision by the Los Angeles Unified School District to eliminate all funding for elementary school arts programs.

The issue is close to Sorum’s heart. His mother is a music teacher and he credits his time in his school choir and orchestra as responsible for his success as a musician. He also cites studies that suggest that, without the creative outlet given by music and arts programs, children suffer academically.

The PSA stars actress Jane Lynch, who is also on Adopt the Arts’ board as an arts teacher encouraging her students, as well as Sorum, KISS and AEROSMITH’s Steven Tyler. Check out the PSA below:

You can learn more about Adopt the Arts and donate to their cause at their website.

Source : Bravewords.com

 

MATT SORUM Thinks Phone Call From DUFF To AXL Could Have Made A Difference

Posted by aliblackdiamond on April 14, 2012
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Former GUNS N’ ROSES drummer Matt Sorum spoke to the Artisan News earlier this week about the band’s upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and vocalist Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin‘s decision to skip the ceremony.

“I told Duff [McKagan, ex-GN'R bassist], ‘One of you guys should call Axl.’ I know Duff played with him [a few times in the last couple of years]. [And I told Duff], ‘Why don’t you call [Axl]?’ And then I talked to Slash. ‘Cause I can’t call [Axl]. I’m way down the ladder. I’m like maybe right where Dizzy [Reed, GN'R keyboardist] is, maybe just a little bit above. [laughs] I’m not sure… I said, ‘Slash, why don’t you call Izzy and then [Duff], you call Axl?’ But it didn’t happen, I guess. So I’m just gonna go [to the induction ceremony]… It would be cool to see. I would be happy to be eating my steak, or whatever they’re gonna feed me, watching [the other guys play]… [Laughs] I’d rather hand the sticks to Stevie [Adler, ex-GN'R drummer], actually. ‘Cause I’m cool with that. I don’t need to be going, ‘Hey, you know…’ I’ll go play cowbell or tambourine… I’ll sing the harmonies. I offered my services to Donovan, the folk singer who’s getting inducted. ‘Hey, I don’t think I’ll be playing with these guys, so…’”

In a lengthy open letter posted at GUNS N’ ROSES‘ Facebook page, Rose wrote, “I respectfully decline my induction as a member of GUNS N’ ROSES to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of ‘GUNS N’ ROSES.’”

Rose added that the entire situation left him feeling like he was in an awkward position, explaining, “This decision is personal. This letter is to help clarify things from my and my camp’s perspective. Neither is meant to offend, attack or condemn . . . Since the announcement of the nomination we’ve actively sought out a solution to what, with all things considered, appears to be a no win, at least for me, ‘damned if I do, damned if I don’t’ scenario all the way around.”

The singer also reaffirmed that there is no chance of the original lineup reuniting, and seemed to speak directly to fans still hoping for a reunion when he added, “Time to move on. People get divorced. Life doesn’t owe you your own personal happy ending especially at another’s, or in this case several others’, expense.”

In at least a partial nod to his former bandmates, however, Rose wrote, “For the record, I would not begrudge anyone from GUNS their accomplishments or recognition for such. Neither I or anyone in my camp has made any requests or demands of the Hall Of Fame. It’s their show not mine.”

Rose‘s letter seems to have put the final nail in the coffin for fans hoping to see the original lineup perform at this weekend’s ceremony. Speculation about such an event has been rampant since the band’s induction was announced back in December.

Slash, Duff McKagan, Steven Adler and Matt Sorum will be on hand at the ceremony. GREEN DAY will give the induction speech.

Along with GUNS, this year’s class of inductees includes the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, the BEASTIE BOYS, Donovan, the FACES and Laura Nyro.

Source : Blabbermouth.net

 

MATT SORUM’s Art Collection: First 50 Pieces Completed

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 31, 2012
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Legendary drummer Matt Sorum (GUNS N’ ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) has finished the first 50 of his 100 “Epic Rhythm Canvases.” Described as “massive, abstract and unprecedented,” each piece in this collection by Sorum is a drum performance captured through rhythmic light with time manipulation effectively documenting an entire performance accurately.

Prints of the following five different pieces are available:

* Hearts Of Ghosts
* To Sail With Jesus
* Stone Fish
* Cleopetria
* My Skull, My Strength

Working in collaboration with creativity house SceneFour, Matt Sorum‘s fine art debut is an unprecedented, comprehensive study of rhythm light and 100 rhythmic performances captured on canvases. Each piece in the series is epic in size, and all are numbered and signed.

Facts about Sorum‘s art collection:

* There are a total of five different visual pieces in the collection to choose from.
* Of the five pieces, there will a total of 130 total drafts to own, each numbered and signed by Sorum. Once those pieces are sold, no more drafts will be printed.
* All of the art pieces in the collection are large in size. The largest is 60″ x 48″ and the smallest piece is 30″ x 20″.
* Like all SceneFour art releases, you can purchase the piece in full, or you can own a piece through a payment plan (with no interest charged).

Interview with Sorum about his art collection:

Question: With this collection, you’re creating artwork through your rhythms. Are the drumsticks you’re paint brushes? What can you tell us about the drummer becoming the artist?

Sorum: I never considered myself an artist in that form until it was brought to my attention that it could be done. So I think there are similarities to painters. You know the sticks relate to brush strokes. The fact that we’re able to capture that image and create art out of it and the similarities and achieve aspects that artists can achieve with a brush, I think makes solid sense to me. I think there’s a similarity. Whatever motion each human has, in a different way, creates their vision. Great artists have a different feel from each other, nobody is similar, everyone has a different take on things and it comes through in the movement.

Question: Though the art is abstract, there are definitely things that come through visually with each piece. Did you realize that the performances would turn out so highly visual when you started creating these?

Sorum: To see actual shapes and images is kind of a trip, as is the relation to arm movements and physical movements that create mental images in the art. You know it could be a sort of scientific study here. The fact that there’s a face that looks like Jesus in one of the pieces and in another print I really strongly recognized a skull, if you start to get into a heavy process about it…who knows.

Question: There are only 100 canvases in your collection. Can you talk about the limited nature of this collection and how those that will own the work, in essence will own a performance?

Sorum: I think it’s something that they can feel, a different side of you that they’ve never felt before. If they’re a fan of my career, they’ll always have a sense of who I am watching me through my life and now they can look at something that is completely different from what they could expect from me. To me it’s got an emotion inside of it. You’ve heard the music, you’ve seen the concert, you’ve watched the video but there’s something a little deeper here that I looked at and went “Wow,” this takes you more inside of the real feeling that comes from whatever it is I’m presenting as a musician. I like that, and I’m really proud of this. It’s like I can consider myself a well-rounded artist. It’s like, “I haven’t done it all, but I’m getting there.”

Question: You’re the first to do this.

Sorum: I know there’s going to be a lot of drummers that are going to go “wow.” And I’ve presented it to a lot of my friends, but now they’re all going to go, “I want to do that.” And that’s cool you know. I think everyone is going to have a different take on this thing. That’s the beauty of it.

Question: Why did you want each of the canvases so big?

Sorum: The kind of music that I play is large so I couldn’t see it scrunched into a little canvas. I’m kind of known for being a flamboyant grandiose type of player so you know, so it’s a little bit over the top, the showmanship. It should be big, you should be able to look at the wall and say, “That’s exciting.”

To view the collection, visit MattSorumArt.com. Source: Blabbermouth.net