Steven Adler Embraces His ‘Magical’ Guns N’ Roses Past

Back on the wagon and moving forward with his solo career, former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler has earned every bit of the mature perspective he's attained regarding his whirlwind years in the band's classic lineup.

Adler looked back fondly on his past during a conversation with Joel Gausten, addressing the subject during an interview scheduled around Adler's involvement in a new fine-art series titled "50," which was created by using special drumsticks and accessories that turn his rhythms into light patterns that are then turned into visual pieces.

Describing the early GNR as "Five individuals who were wild children who wanted to do what they wanted to do the way they wanted to do it," Adler responded to the question of what made the band's music great by musing, "Nothing was going to stop us. We were going to do it this way or no way."

Another key to their success, according to Adler, was their divergent influences: "I think what made it happen and be so magical is there's five individuals with five different styles. I liked the Queen and the pop music and the Kiss. Axl liked Elton John and ELP, and then we got Izzy with the Rolling Stones and Slash with the Aerosmith and Zeppelin and Duff with the Stooges and the Fartz and things like that. All together, it worked really well."

Singling out Duff McKagan and Slash's distinct playing styles for special credit, Adler continued, "It was magic; we could do no wrong. Even if we went out of our way to do wrong, God would stop it and make it right. It was just such a wonderful time. Even our worst shows were great."

Whatever happens next with his art — visual or musical — Adler made it clear that he's learned the hard way what's truly important. "I live my life one day at a time. Right now, I'm doing the best I can to be the most successful person and the happiest person I can be today," he concluded. "Tomorrow, hopefully I'll wake up and say, 'Thank you, God, for a beautiful morning,' and keep going on. But right now, my future is wide open."

See Guns N' Roses and Other Rockers in the Top 100 Albums of the '80s

Rock's Nastiest Feuds