Double Talkin' Jive

Overview

Matt Sorum's brutally honest biography that dares to be reckless

Cocaine smuggling, shoot-outs, and never-ending decadent parties: Matt Sorum's Double Talkin' Jive could almost be described as the autobiographical equivalent of the film Blow. But rather than becoming a premier drug smugglers, Matt Sorum becomes a world-famous drummer in Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, and the Cult. Sorum drops out of high school to become a drummer, but turns to selling pot to support himself, and later smuggling large quantities of cocaine. When Sorum is given the chance to play in the Cult, he is finally able to make a living as a drummer. The very next year Slash and Duff Mckagan recruit Matt to join Guns N' Roses, and with that, Matt's life is transformed. When Axl Rose starts turning up at the recording studio more and more sporadically, sometimes not at all, Matt recounts in keen detail how he and the band stagger toward their downfall. Matt and his Guns N' Roses bandmates Slash and Duff form Velvet Revolver with Dave Kushner and Scott Weiland. When Weiland suddenly leaves the band, Matt steps in as drummer for Motörhead during their US tour, and then starts his own all-star band, Kings of Chaos. During his time as a professional drummer, Matt battles alcohol and coke addictions, but meeting his girlfriend, Ace Harper, helps him manage to go clean. Matt Sorum's autobiography, written with writer duo Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson, avoids all the usual rock biography clichés.

Reviews

"A colorfully dark look into the f * * * ed-up psyche of a legendary and badass drummer. I want to read it over and over." —Jonas Åkerland, Film Director

"Still alive and playing like hell . . . This is the stuff from which rock documentaries are made." —Robin Zander, Cheap Trick

"A fun read. . . . all the essentials about Matt's rock 'n' roll success story are here. I found it particularly illuminating about his time in and relationships with Guns N' Roses and negotiating all the personalities involved!" —Billy Idol

"Matt is a true journeyman drummer who's got the chops and the showmanship to have a great career with all the ups, downs, and sideways that you would expect from a cat like him, though with his share of surprises he really needed to get his story told. Double Talkin' Jive is his version of what it's like to have 'the best seat in the house' with some of the wildest, hardest rockin' bands to come down the pike." —Joe Perry, Aerosmith

"I have witnessed the sheer power, drive, and determination of Matt from the outside for a long time now, as the drummer for the likes of the Cult, Guns N' Roses, and Velvet Revolver, but I have also seen him from the inside when we have shared the stage as the Kings of Chaos. Always smiling, always ready, and as solid as Mt. Rushmore, you could say he's one of the last of a dying breed, a big hitter who can also show restraint, the real deal." —Joe Elliott, Def Leppard

"Matt lights up rooms, corridors, clubs, theaters, arenas, and stadiums with the kind of infectious rock 'n' roll energy that is increasingly becoming obsolete. His dedication to his craft remains virtually peerless, and when the sticks are resting, you'll have to go a long way to find someone cooler in rock 'n' roll. Dive into these shenanigan-saturated pages immediately and find out for yourself!" —Lars Ulrich, Metallica  

"Devotees of the rock groups in which Sorum participated will take to this like catnip."–Library Journal

Author Biography

Matt Sorum is a former drummer for Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three albums. He was also a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver, among others, and is currently in the Kings of Chaos, the Hollywood Vampires, and Billy F Gibbons's Big Bad Blues Tour. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has played drums with Motörhead, and has released two solo albums. Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson cowrote Samantha Fox's Forever. Billy F Gibbons is the guitarist and lead vocalist of ZZ Top.