He was a childhood friend of Slash and rose to prominence with "Guns N 'Roses", but was fired from it following his heroin addiction problems. He tried to return to music and even released several albums as part of his various ensembles, but without significant success. Today we will tell you about the Jewish-American drummer and musician Steven Adler:
(Photo: Marc S. Canter)
1. He was born Michael Coletti in Cleveland Ohio, on January 22, 1965.
2. His father Michael Coletti was Italian-American and his mother Diana was American-Jewish.
3. After his father left the family, his mother moved with Michael and his brother to Los Angeles, California.
4. Since at birth Michael was named after his father, which is not common in Judaism, his mother changed his name to Steven, when she returned to live with her parents.
5. He received the surname Adler after the marriage of his mother to Melvin Adler, who also adopted her two children.
6. Adler grew up in the San Fernando Valley until the age of 13, when he was sent to live with his grandparents in Hollywood, due to his problematic behavior.
7. In "Bancroft" middle school, Adler befriended Saul Hudson, later known as the Slash. They met when Adler had a skateboard accident and Slash stopped to help him.
8. After finishing ninth grade, Adler returned to live with his mother and stepfather, in the San Fernando Valley, where he stayed until the end of high school. During this time Adler learned to play the drums.
9. In 1983 Adler returned to Hollywood and co-founded "Road Crew" with Slash and Duff McKagan. The band did not last long as the three members were unable to find a lead singer.
10. After the band disbanded, Adler became part of the "Hollywood Rose" band, which included members Izzy Stradlin and Axl Rose.
11. The band went through several incarnations until June 1985, then it became the classic line-up of "Guns N 'Roses", which included Steven Adler, Slash, Duff McKagan, Izzy Stradlin, and Axl Rose.
(Photo: Paul Natkin)
12. After only two days of rehearsals, the band began its journey with performances in small clubs in Los Angeles.
13. In 1986 the band signed a recording contract with Geffen Records and released their first EP called "Live ?!" @ Like a Suicide"
14. In July 1987 the band released their debut album "Appetite for Destruction" which became the best-selling debut album of all time in the US. Adler records all the drum roles on the album in just 6 days.
15. Legend has it that the sounds of moaning and sex during the song "Rocket Queen", are by Axl Rose making love with Steven Adler's girlfriend, Adriana Smith, in the studio.
16. In November 1988, the band released the album "G N' R Lies", which also reached the top of the charts and took the 2nd place.
17. In the early 1990s "Guns" began working on their next album, which would become the quadruple monster "Use Your Illusion I & II". Adler was still part of the band and even participated in the recording of one of the great songs from it "Civil War".
18. Moreover, on April 7, 1990, Adler performed the song on stage with the band, as part of the "Farm Aid IV" festival. Unfortunately, after the band's last appearance with Steven Adler, as he was fired shortly afterwards, due to his drug problems.
19. Guitarist Slash said that Adler would come to rehearsals and stare for hours at the refrigerator that stood in the studio, sometimes filtering between his teeth "butter tray" or "spaghetti". He later found out that Adler was hiding his heroin there.
20. Singer Axl Rose said the band gave Adler countless opportunities to solve his drug problem, and that only after nothing helped did they have to fire him.
21. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin said in a November 1992 interview, that he would have preferred to continue with Adler, but they just could not wait for him to "fix himself".
22. After his dismissal from "Guns" Steven sued Axl for his allegedly illegal dismissals. He won the lawsuit and received 2.5 million dollars in damages and 15% of song royalties.
23. During the trial Adler's lawyer asked "Guns" members to comment on the "spaghetti incident", as Adler claimed this was a code name for his drugs. This question will become the title of the album "The Spaghetti Incident?", the band's fifth album from 1993.
24. Adler later re-established "Road Crew", with a new lineup. They recorded an album and attracted the attention of several record companies, but due to Adler's ongoing problems with drugs, the band eventually disbanded.
25. Adler's drug problems only got more complicated. In 1995, Adler was arrested at his home for possession of heroin.
26. In 1996 he had a stroke which led to temporary paralysis of the left side of his face, resulting in a speech impediment. All this happened after Adler took "Speedball" which is a combination of heroin and cocaine by intravenous injection.
(Photo: whatsmyscene.com)
27. In 1998 he formed "BulletBoys", together with DJ Ashba. The band recorded an album, but again due to Adler's problems was unable to realize its potential. This time Adler was charged with violence and sentenced to 150 days in prison and three years probation, provided he goes through a year of mandatory drug and domestic violence counseling.
28. In 2003, Adler formed "Suki Jones", which later changed its name to "Adler's Appetite". The band played songs from "Guns" debut album "Appetite for Destruction".
29. Together with the band, Adler released two mini-albums, the first "Adler's Appetite" from 2005 and the second "Alive" from 2012, including original songs.
30. In 2010, Adler was featured on Slash's solo album, alongside Flea, Alice Cooper, and more.
31. In 2011, Adler formed a new band simply called "Adler". The band released the album "Back from the Dead" in 2012 which featured Slash.
32. That same year, Adler was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" with members of "Guns N' Roses".
33. In 2016, Adler joined the reunion "Guns" - "Not in This Lifetime Tour", in Ohio and played the hits "Out Ta Get Me" and "My Michelle".