What do you think?
Rate this book
Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'n' Roll Stories from the Drummer of Guns N' Roses, the Cult, and Velvet Revolver
In DoubleTalkin’ Jive legendary drummer Matt Sorum takes music lovers behind the scenes of a remarkable life in rock. Sorum, whose albums have sold tens of millions of copies around the world, provides an honest, engaging account of the highs and lows of superstardom. Sorum recounts his childhood years idolizing Ringo Starr and surviving an abusive stepfather. After leaving high school, Sorum sold pot to get by. Over time, his drug dealing escalated to smuggling large quantities of cocaine, a career that came to a halt following a dramatic shoot-out. Sorum fled his old life and settled in Hollywood, where he’d enjoy a rapid ascension to rock ’n’ roll immortality. He caught his big break drumming for the Cult, and only a year later was invited to join Guns N’ Roses, with whom he’d record two of rock’s most iconic albums: Use Your Illusion 1 and 2.
Sorum opens up with forthright honesty, sharing anecdotes from his time touring the globe, battling drug and alcohol addiction, and navigating volatile relationships with Axl Rose, Slash, and the rest of the GNR team. His career with the Cult, Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Motörhead, the Hollywood Vampires, and Kings of Chaos costars an ensemble of rock royalty, from Gene Simmons and Billy Idol to Steven Tyler and Alice Cooper.
Double Talkin’ Jive goes beyond the clichés of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll, telling the very human story of what it takes to make it in music, and the toll stardom exacts from those who achieve success. Sorum invites fans to revel in the debauchery of the good times, but also paints a stark portrait of life after the party. Music fans of any generation will find value in the pages of this evocative, thoughtful, and candid autobiography.
Sorum opens up with forthright honesty, sharing anecdotes from his time touring the globe, battling drug and alcohol addiction, and navigating volatile relationships with Axl Rose, Slash, and the rest of the GNR team. His career with the Cult, Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Motörhead, the Hollywood Vampires, and Kings of Chaos costars an ensemble of rock royalty, from Gene Simmons and Billy Idol to Steven Tyler and Alice Cooper.
Double Talkin’ Jive goes beyond the clichés of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll, telling the very human story of what it takes to make it in music, and the toll stardom exacts from those who achieve success. Sorum invites fans to revel in the debauchery of the good times, but also paints a stark portrait of life after the party. Music fans of any generation will find value in the pages of this evocative, thoughtful, and candid autobiography.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2020
25 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 29, 2022
I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know about G’nR and Scott Weiland (well, maybe except that Slash is a bit shady in his business dealings). It felt like so much was left unsaid. Axl Rose came off surprisingly well - just the usual “he was late”; “he was moody”. These are things people already know. The Use Your Illusion tour lasted 28 months and Matt was there and THIS is what he comes up with for a book? I think Sorum was seriously leaving out anything that would make Axl Rose litigious. Same with the section on Velvet Revolver. No real new insights. If a reader is fan enough to read the book, we already know this stuff. If a person is not a fan, they’re not going to read this book anyway. So what’s the point?
If you’re interested in G’nR, I suggest Duff McKagan’s book “It’s So Easy… and Other Lies” (also talks about Scott Weiland and Velvet Revolver) and Steven Adler’s “My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, Drugs and Guns and Roses”. If you’re interested in Weiland’s life, I recommend “Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock and Roll and Mental Illness” by Mary Forsberg Weiland (Scott’s ex-wife and mother of his children.) Avoid Scott Weiland’s autobiography “Not Dead and Not for Sale” - it’s lighter on content than Sorum’s.
If you’re interested in G’nR, I suggest Duff McKagan’s book “It’s So Easy… and Other Lies” (also talks about Scott Weiland and Velvet Revolver) and Steven Adler’s “My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, Drugs and Guns and Roses”. If you’re interested in Weiland’s life, I recommend “Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock and Roll and Mental Illness” by Mary Forsberg Weiland (Scott’s ex-wife and mother of his children.) Avoid Scott Weiland’s autobiography “Not Dead and Not for Sale” - it’s lighter on content than Sorum’s.
April 9, 2020
Matt really should have waited until he was no longer so upset with his ex-bandmates because now he'll be known as a bitter old man jealous of GNR's success.
This book isn't a story but more like bullet points all connected together.
There is also too much name dropping it makes you have second hand embarrassment.
You think he is a very sweet genuine person only to then become very resentful towards the people he was once kind to.
This book says more about him than the people he talks badly about.
I was rooting for you Matt, but you disappointed me.
This book isn't a story but more like bullet points all connected together.
There is also too much name dropping it makes you have second hand embarrassment.
You think he is a very sweet genuine person only to then become very resentful towards the people he was once kind to.
This book says more about him than the people he talks badly about.
I was rooting for you Matt, but you disappointed me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2022
Review from 2021-11-24. (Accidentaly removed my entire library...)
I went in to this book liking Matt Sorum and after the 300 or so pages this book contains ended up really disliking him.
In this fairly poorly written autobiography Sorum manages to involuntary present himself as the asshole in just about every social encounter he finds himself in. He also manages to re-write history and make himself seem like he was the main member of just about every band he's ever been in. That combined with how he in an obvious way lets his current day thoughts about former band members influence how he writes about them makes this book feel like a 300 page long fictionalized declaration of what a cool and good guy he is. It doesn't exactly help the book that Sorum writes about his sex life like he is a 13 year old kid who just lost his virginity either. Just about every chapter (even those that really doesn't need it) includes several stories about girls he's slept with, often written in a braggy tone.
It becomes painfully obvious that Matt Sorum is a man without any sense of self-distance that has written one of the worst rock biographies out there. With that said though, the book still has some enjoyable parts. When Sorum describes his first tours he manages to convey the feeling of a young musician getting his first taste of success, the chapter of him smuggling drugs to Hawaii during the mid-80s is something that stands out from your average rock biography and the chapter about recording the Use Your Illusion records gives an interesting insight into the creation of two of the early 90s most celebrated records. Apart from that Double Talkin' Jive is nothing but a poorly written watered down version of every rock biography that's ever been written.
Let's hope that the re-release of this book is severely re-written, otherwise it may be better off shelved with just a few copies out there for those who managed to get the ebook in the short amount of time it was up on Amazon.
I went in to this book liking Matt Sorum and after the 300 or so pages this book contains ended up really disliking him.
In this fairly poorly written autobiography Sorum manages to involuntary present himself as the asshole in just about every social encounter he finds himself in. He also manages to re-write history and make himself seem like he was the main member of just about every band he's ever been in. That combined with how he in an obvious way lets his current day thoughts about former band members influence how he writes about them makes this book feel like a 300 page long fictionalized declaration of what a cool and good guy he is. It doesn't exactly help the book that Sorum writes about his sex life like he is a 13 year old kid who just lost his virginity either. Just about every chapter (even those that really doesn't need it) includes several stories about girls he's slept with, often written in a braggy tone.
It becomes painfully obvious that Matt Sorum is a man without any sense of self-distance that has written one of the worst rock biographies out there. With that said though, the book still has some enjoyable parts. When Sorum describes his first tours he manages to convey the feeling of a young musician getting his first taste of success, the chapter of him smuggling drugs to Hawaii during the mid-80s is something that stands out from your average rock biography and the chapter about recording the Use Your Illusion records gives an interesting insight into the creation of two of the early 90s most celebrated records. Apart from that Double Talkin' Jive is nothing but a poorly written watered down version of every rock biography that's ever been written.
Let's hope that the re-release of this book is severely re-written, otherwise it may be better off shelved with just a few copies out there for those who managed to get the ebook in the short amount of time it was up on Amazon.
August 9, 2023
Matt should’ve waited a few years to write this book. He throws little jabs (and big jabs) at Duff and Slash throughout the entire book. It’s clear he is hurt he wasn’t included in the reunion. He was involved in one of the most infamous tours in music history and he barely talks about it.
July 15, 2020
Matt comes off as whiney and ungrateful Doesn't go into much detail about his experiences aside from the constant "woe is me" attitude. No wonder this got pulled from distribution.
April 8, 2020
I've read almost every rock and roll memoir out there, and they never get boring. Every rockstar has a different story to tell, a different angle, and a different point of view. Matt Sorum's story is unique because of that. We know Slash's story, and we know Duff's story, but this gave us a whole new light on Guns n Roses and Velvet Revolver, especially. I found myself laughing every chapter with stories he would tell, and some of them are so outrageous and hard to believe that you know they have to be true because of his rockstar status.
I couldn't put this book down and read it straight through. I truly loved this memoir and will definitely be recommending it to anyone who loves Guns n Roses or Velvet Revolver, like I do.
I couldn't put this book down and read it straight through. I truly loved this memoir and will definitely be recommending it to anyone who loves Guns n Roses or Velvet Revolver, like I do.
June 17, 2023
By no means a classic. If I wasn’t such a fan of his work, I’d 2-star this, the extra star is in recognition of 40 years of fine playing. He has banked some yarns too, but as an as-told-to memoir it really lacks any proper introspection at all.
February 8, 2023
Not your typical biography/autobiography. Breaks it down story by story. Rather than a direct chronological timeline. Reminiscent of what Dexter Fletcher did with the Rocketman film.
I've heard Slash's version of the events surrounding Guns and Velvet Revolver but Matt's account is completely different.
If you are a guns fan or enjoy a good rock and roll bio, read it. Enjoyed every minute of it. Matt Sorum is a good dude.
I've heard Slash's version of the events surrounding Guns and Velvet Revolver but Matt's account is completely different.
If you are a guns fan or enjoy a good rock and roll bio, read it. Enjoyed every minute of it. Matt Sorum is a good dude.
September 30, 2021
3.5 stars - I enjoyed reading this book being that GnR were and still are one of my all time favorite bands. This book reminded me more of Slash's than Duff's in that is wasn't to heavy, Matt just basically told stories from his life and stories that were happening behind the scenes. I felt that he was very honest and although he was a member of the band (he thought) I'm not sure he ever truly was and when I think of Matt Sorum drumming for a band I always think of The Cult. My favorite chapter was the last one, Matt has gone through many trials, tribulations and failures but kept his head up and has found a comfortable and stable place in life that many in the rock-n-roll world have not.
March 18, 2025
Matt Sorum’s memoir falls way short of expectations and fails to deliver a compelling narrative. As an avid Guns N’ Roses fan, I anticipated insightful commentary from drummer Matt Sorum, considering his experience with Velvet Revolver and The Cult. However, the version of the book I read differs significantly from the leaked online version, which I have no interest in exploring.
The book’s co-authorship remains unclear, and its brevity, less than 250 pages, limits the depth of exploration. Instead of detailed career accounts, the book presents short stories. Sorum’s lack of self-awareness and complicated relationship with the truth further diminish his credibility.
It is plausible that the book’s concept originated from a pitch meeting emphasizing sensationalism, including tales of drug use and sexual encounters, while also making sure to name-drop as many celebrities as possible.
This memoir is a massive failure. It appears to be a superficial attempt to generate revenue, relying solely on drama, as this book has zero substance or insight. The result is a profoundly disappointing read, leaving me with diminished respect for Sorum as an individual and a musician. The book’s underlying tone is one of sour grapes and bitterness.
The book’s co-authorship remains unclear, and its brevity, less than 250 pages, limits the depth of exploration. Instead of detailed career accounts, the book presents short stories. Sorum’s lack of self-awareness and complicated relationship with the truth further diminish his credibility.
It is plausible that the book’s concept originated from a pitch meeting emphasizing sensationalism, including tales of drug use and sexual encounters, while also making sure to name-drop as many celebrities as possible.
This memoir is a massive failure. It appears to be a superficial attempt to generate revenue, relying solely on drama, as this book has zero substance or insight. The result is a profoundly disappointing read, leaving me with diminished respect for Sorum as an individual and a musician. The book’s underlying tone is one of sour grapes and bitterness.
September 19, 2022
A quick light read. But far too vague and not very insightful. Duff slash and even adlers books much more interesting.
September 20, 2022
Surprisingly poorly written, but thankfully the chapters are short.
November 30, 2022
Good read, but glosses over a ton. Not really deep, so that explain me the 2 star review.
May 7, 2022
I couldn’t put this book down! Matt Sorum has lived a life in rock & roll. I loved the raw honesty of this roller coaster ride, there is a real down to earth quality that shines in the book’s redemptive tone.
As the only member of Guns n’ Roses who was born and raised in California, Matt Sorum knows his setting. Having been in Hollywood since the Seventies, he’s seen so much history in the music and entertainment business. In Double Talkin’ Jive, one of the hardest hitting drummers in rock & roll shares intimate details of his survival story. A beloved rock & roller who has played with the very best in the industry, Matt has put his story into writing with power and precision (just like how he plays the drums!) I would give this book more than five stars if it were possible. Double Talkin’ Jive is a must-read for Guns N’ Roses fans, while it also holds appeal to rock & roll historians, and to anyone who plays in a band or aspires to make music into a livelihood. Matt Sorum is a consummate, world class professional who has prevailed in the fickle, ever-changing music industry. His story is exciting, at times shocking. As a writer, Matt crushes it with vivid imagery, presenting vignettes from his eventful life in a voice that’s all his own. I waited for two years for this book to come out (since it was delayed several times) and it was well worth the wait.
As the only member of Guns n’ Roses who was born and raised in California, Matt Sorum knows his setting. Having been in Hollywood since the Seventies, he’s seen so much history in the music and entertainment business. In Double Talkin’ Jive, one of the hardest hitting drummers in rock & roll shares intimate details of his survival story. A beloved rock & roller who has played with the very best in the industry, Matt has put his story into writing with power and precision (just like how he plays the drums!) I would give this book more than five stars if it were possible. Double Talkin’ Jive is a must-read for Guns N’ Roses fans, while it also holds appeal to rock & roll historians, and to anyone who plays in a band or aspires to make music into a livelihood. Matt Sorum is a consummate, world class professional who has prevailed in the fickle, ever-changing music industry. His story is exciting, at times shocking. As a writer, Matt crushes it with vivid imagery, presenting vignettes from his eventful life in a voice that’s all his own. I waited for two years for this book to come out (since it was delayed several times) and it was well worth the wait.
September 23, 2022
I was solely interested in the gnr parts so i kinda skimmed thru the other parts.
Have read Steven´s, Duff´s n Slash´s Books. It was interesting to get Matt´s view. I was a bit surprised that he did so much alcohol and coke abuse. Especially as he replaced Steven.
Taken all band members views (autobiographies) into account, Axl n izzy seem to be the most normal n nice guys of the crew.
Cant help but feeling that he is sucking up to Axl now in hope that Axl will include him in the current line up. Duff (n Steven to some extent) did that in his book.
Anyways, Slash def seems to be a lesser human. A shady character.
Its always hard to believe all details in books like this, especially when they claim to have been drunk/high most of the time.
As earlier mentioned, it was a fun read but lacked to convey a deeper level of understanding of the human being matt sorum.
Now, i am looking forward for Izzy's n Axl's books...
Have read Steven´s, Duff´s n Slash´s Books. It was interesting to get Matt´s view. I was a bit surprised that he did so much alcohol and coke abuse. Especially as he replaced Steven.
Taken all band members views (autobiographies) into account, Axl n izzy seem to be the most normal n nice guys of the crew.
Cant help but feeling that he is sucking up to Axl now in hope that Axl will include him in the current line up. Duff (n Steven to some extent) did that in his book.
Anyways, Slash def seems to be a lesser human. A shady character.
Its always hard to believe all details in books like this, especially when they claim to have been drunk/high most of the time.
As earlier mentioned, it was a fun read but lacked to convey a deeper level of understanding of the human being matt sorum.
Now, i am looking forward for Izzy's n Axl's books...
April 9, 2020
This follows the author and rock and roll drummer for the Cult and Guns and Roses and Velvet revolver and a few other bands. I waited for this book to come and now I wonder why this because of the flow might be a little better than average I would give a 3.5 rating. I have read a few of these books from various rock stars and they all to seem about the same. I am surprised that this is written by a 60 year old man as it is sophomoric at best and you would think it was written may someone in their early 20's. I was really hoping there would be more to this book concerning stories about the Cult and GNR. GNR covers about 50 to 60 % of the book. Give this a read but do not expect much from it. This guy is definitely full of himself and even though you have heard a lot of the stories concerning individuals in the rock and roll world he definitely throws them under the bus
July 24, 2022
(3). A slightly different kind of rock 'n' roll memoir here. Very fast paced, very fact filled, and almost herky-jerky in presentation. Even though I am a pretty hip rock guy I never knew who this guy was, but he certainly has cut a wide swath through his career in the music industry. He also, like so many of his contemporaries, has had incredible problems with addiction, primarily alcohol and cocaine. Luckily, he has survived all that and seems to have straightened out and still performs. There are lots of wild and crazy stories in this book, it is a rock diary of grand proportions. An interesting inside look. Pretty good stuff.
December 28, 2023
As a GNR fan for over 30 years I never did like Matt Sorum. But I read this book in no time flat and learnt so much about him. I have a huge respect for him now. Playing with Tori Amos?? Amazing!!
I loved that Matt actually admitted he effed up a lot of sh$& with GN’R and that he was “only a drummer” and should of kept his mouth shut in some situations. It perfectly explains the dynamic now between GNR and Matt.
Also, Glad it was confirmed Ian Astbury was a huge douche. Always got that vibe.
It’s so nice to see Matt happily married now with his little girl too.
I loved that Matt actually admitted he effed up a lot of sh$& with GN’R and that he was “only a drummer” and should of kept his mouth shut in some situations. It perfectly explains the dynamic now between GNR and Matt.
Also, Glad it was confirmed Ian Astbury was a huge douche. Always got that vibe.
It’s so nice to see Matt happily married now with his little girl too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2021
Good book. I’ve read all the memoirs written about Guns and from GnR members. I must say that this really adds new perspective to all story related to Use Your Illusion era and the recent events with GnR. It’s business in very pure and raw way which means people get treated as they do in these situations. Matt as a character opens up easily and there are only some rock star boasts. And he even can be selfcritical, which is a good thing.
March 13, 2023
I enjoyed the book, I already knew all the stories from before (except why he left The Cult the second time) but it was nice to read them from Matt's perspective. The problem is the book is way too short! I was expecting to know more from the UYI tour, from his time with the Neurotic Outsiders, stories from the RnR All Starts tour, insights from his Fierce Joy album... he mentions all of that but each chapter is a couple of pages only :(
January 1, 2026
Not at the top of my lists for rock memoirs… Read Duff and Slash’s books if you want to learn how GNR came about along with the creation of their music. This book was just not that interesting and he never really created anything meaningful to the music as far as I could tell. Great drummer but seems best at being in the right place at the right time but never at the beginning of anything other than maybe Velvet Revolver
March 31, 2025
Great read, fast paced --- finished in 3 days.
Autobiography about Matt Sorum who has drummed in many large scale, world fsmous bands. Each chapter is divided nicely into its own unique story, and follows his troubled childhood, through decades of substance abuse and addition to finally finding his solemate.
Autobiography about Matt Sorum who has drummed in many large scale, world fsmous bands. Each chapter is divided nicely into its own unique story, and follows his troubled childhood, through decades of substance abuse and addition to finally finding his solemate.
July 22, 2023
Jag tror inte det så mycket det är boken det är fel på utan Sorums inställning till sig själv. Distanslös och med oerhört pubertal inställning till hela sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Om du ska läsa en biografi över en trummis välj Dave Grohls. Det är något HELT annat.
March 6, 2024
Another bio of a rock star, Matt's story, is interesting; he passed through many things, but in the end, he could survive. He is a fighter and is grateful for his life and the lessons he learned along the way.
May 17, 2024
While I enjoyed the few insights into GNR and Matt’s friendships with Slash and Duff, this ‘memoir’ came off as very whiny and immature. While I understand the need to include his perspective in that time, he could’ve followed up each chapter with a reflection of how he feels now.
April 21, 2020
Brilliant
Very interesting insight into the band his revelations about slash and duff in particular are surprising, a very good candid read
Very interesting insight into the band his revelations about slash and duff in particular are surprising, a very good candid read
October 21, 2021
really enjoyable memoir of a top rock n' roll drummer, too bad that it wasn't longer (for instance by getting deeper into some stories)
July 9, 2023
Entertaining account of Matt Sorum's musical career, yes, he us a bit of a cliche, but a fun one
September 6, 2023
Would be better if he wasn't so high and could remember more things during the 80s and 90s. What can you do though.
January 27, 2025
Some great stories in this one, man I never realized how much Slash hated Lars back in the day, lol
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews