Steven Adler on Why He Has Not Been Bigger Part of Guns N' Roses Reunion

The idea of Slash, Duff McKagan, and Axl Rose ever sharing the stage again until recently was only a dream within a dream for countless Guns N' Roses fans across the globe. However, original drummer Steven Adler was also supposed to be a bigger part of the reunion. Instead, he has only gotten to play a couple of songs in a couple of shows during the tour so far.

According to an interview on One on One With Mitch Lafon, Adler was gearing up and rehearsing to be part of the shows. He was to split drum duties with current drummer Frank Ferrer where Adler was to start the show playing Appetite for Destruction songs, Ferrer stepping in mid-show to do Use Your Illusion songs, and Adler coming back in at the end. Before the first show at The Troubador in Los Angeles he injured his back pretty badly. Adler talked about how the booting out of the reunion happened, saying:

“Duff [McKagan] called me and said, ‘Dude, you’re not gonna play with us anymore. You’re not gonna do these shows. And I was, like, ‘You’re the worst f—ing person in the world.’ And I hung up on him. And I tried to call him back and left a message, saying, ‘I’m so sorry I said that.’ … I was feeling that about me, and I said it about him, and I couldn’t apologize to him enough, because he knows I love him more than anything. And I got to apologize, ’cause, obviously, I’d seen him last year and we did shows together. And he understood.”

It's a shame that Adler got the shaft the way he did, but I get that having a back injury like that is kind of a major problem when it comes to a band going on a multi-million dollar world tour. I don't blame GN'R for doing what they had to do. Plus, with Steven Adler you never know when he is going to sneak off and get into trouble with drugs and alcohol again. He has fallen off the wagon more times than any other rockstar, though has somehow managed to keep above the ground. Good on him for that, I suppose. Regardless, it would be cool to see him get back with the band and do the kind of show they originally intended to do soon. The fans deserve to see as much of the original band as possible.