Matt Sorum

Matthew William Sorum, born on November 19, 1960, in Mission Viejo, California, developed an early interest in drumming after observing Ringo Starr. He honed his skills throughout his school years, participating in jazz, marching, and wind ensembles at Mission Viejo High School. Early in his career, Sorum moved to Hollywood, performing with various bands such as Population Five and Hawk, and later toured the country with a blues guitarist. In 1988, he contributed to the debut album of Y Kant Tori Read, a band fronted by Tori Amos, and subsequently joined The Cult as their live drummer for the 1989/1990 Sonic Temple tour.

Sorum’s career progressed significantly in 1989 when he was recruited by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash to join the band, replacing Steven Adler. During his seven-year tenure with Guns N’ Roses, Sorum recorded pivotal albums such as “Use Your Illusion I” (1991), “Use Your Illusion II” (1991), and “The Spaghetti Incident?” (1993), as well as participating in the extensive Use Your Illusion Tour across 194 shows. Following his departure from Guns N’ Roses in 1997 after a disagreement, he continued to be active in music, rejoining The Cult for their 1999 reunion album “Beyond Good and Evil” and subsequent tours.

A significant turning point came in 1999 when Sorum, along with former Guns N’ Roses bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan, co-founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver. This band, which also featured Scott Weiland and Dave Kushner, achieved commercial success with albums like “Contraband” (2004) and “Libertad” (2007). In 2005, Velvet Revolver received a Grammy for their single ‘Slither.’ In 2012, Sorum was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses, acknowledging his enduring impact on rock music.