by Steven Adler
First published 2010
Steven Adler opens his account of life as the original drummer for Guns N' Roses, pulling back the curtain on one of rock's most volatile bands. Adler lived through GNR's meteoric rise from the Sunset Strip to global stardom, witnessing the creative chaos and personal destruction that fueled their music. His perspective differs sharply from bandmate Slash's bestselling memoir, revealing tensions and events from behind the drum kit. The story follows Adler's parallel journey into severe addiction, a spiral that ultimately cost him his place in the band. He chronicles his battles with substance abuse with the same unflinching honesty he brings to the band dynamics, including his later appearances on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. This memoir captures both the intoxicating rush of rock stardom and the devastating personal cost of excess.
Genres: addiction, autobiography, biography-memoir, music
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: addiction, memoir, rock-star
Setting: Sunset Strip
Period: Meteoric Rise
286 pages · Hardcover · Dey Street Books
Content warnings: addiction, substance-abuse