Photo Credit: Zack Whitford
Reservoir has announced it has inked publishing and recorded music rights deal with Matt Sorum.
The deal encompasses the acquisition of Sorum’s publishing and recorded music rights catalogs and publishing rights for his future works. Sorum has been the drummer for numerous rock bands, including Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, and The Cult.
Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist Slash asked Sorum to take over as drummer for the band until 1997. He took part in recording and releasing the double album Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II in 1991. He also worked on the group’s subsequent album, The Spaghetti Incident in 1993.
These albums include rock songs, “November Rain,” “Don’t Cry,” “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” and “Live and Let Die.” The Guns N’ Roses classic line-up featuring Sorum was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
In 1994, Sorum teamed up with Slash and Guns N’ Roses rhythm guitarist Gilby Clarke to create Slash’s Snakepit. The group released their debut album, It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere in 1995. Sorum rejoined The Cult from 1998 to 2001 and supported their touring efforts during those years.
He also reunited with Slash and Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, David Kushner, and Stone Temple Pilots’ frontman Scott Weiland to form Velvet Revolver. The group released their debut album Contraband in 2004, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The single “Slither” earned the group a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Hard Rock Performance. Velvet Revolver released their second album in 2007, titled Libertad.
“I am very pleased to enter into this relationship with Reservoir,” Matt Sorum says of the deal. “It is gratifying to know how much the Reservoir team appreciates my work. I am honored to have been in bands that have been such an important part of Rock N’ Roll history with catalogs that have stood the test of time.”
Sorum adds: “I want to thank the entire Reservoir team for helping to make it happen, particularly Rell Lafargue and Jonathan Sturges. I also want to thank my attorney Marvin Katz who represented me in the transaction, as well as fellow drummer and former Atlantic Records president Jerry Greenberg. I am excited about what the future holds as I continue creating new music with Reservoir.”