Idolator: velvet revolver

Scott Weiland Wants You To Justify His Love

Maura Johnston — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EDT

The (slightly NSFW) video for Scott Weiland's "Paralysis," the first clip off his forthcoming solo album Happy In Galoshes, is a weird blend of the clips for U2's "Desire," Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus," and Madonna's "Justify My Love" that in the end I guess is supposed to remind us that Mr. W. can still score some primo tail—and be existentially tortured by it.

As the oddly amelodic track grinds on, Weiland and his ladyfriend romp around in a hotel room and try to make communal smoking sexy; said ladyfriend stalks the streets of Los Angeles in a way that makes one wonder if she's supposed to be some sort of golden-hearted hooker; Weiland dives nose-first into a pile of sheets (although it's unclear whether or not his reasons for doing that are related to his former beloved's scent or some inadvertent klutziness); he walks around California's dustier parts a lot in search of a place to rest his head; and he gets his mouth licked in his sleep. If this were a video by an artist with a better sense of humor, that last lick would have been the result of an overly friendly pooch outside of dreamland, but alas.

Scott Weiland - Paralysis [Yahoo!]

Duff McKagan Starts Speaking My Language

Dan Gibson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EDT

When he lived the rock and roll lifestyle by putting in time in Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, the Duff McKagan lifestyle was inaccessible to me. But now, as Duff's "loving parent" side comes out with pieces like the one in the Seattle Weekly music blog Reverb about broaching the delicate topic of sex with his daughter, I'm starting to feel some kinship.

Last week, I was faced with a hurdle every parent must eventually face. You see, my wife and I have two daughters, the older one just entering middle school this year. With middle school comes the sudden pressures of acting “grown up,” looking “cool,” and talking about. . . wait for it. . . SEX. The dreaded moment has come for me as a father: the moment for THE TALK...

I don’t know how many people read this column, and I also don’t know if anyone who reads this is a parent, but let me tell you guys something: Apparently, oral sex in middle school is approached as nonchalantly as maybe kissing was back when I was that age. There is no way my two angels are gonna be ANY part of that nonsense, believe you me! If iChat and YouTube are the new hiding places for extracurricular activities such as this, how do I find out? Fuck, my mind starts to go a million miles an hour thinking about the responsibilities and safeguards we “information age” parents have to juggle. I don’t want to spy on my kids. There HAS to be trust. They are dealing with so much more data than we did at that age. I will, however, shut down anything that brings harm to my daughters. If I were to find out that anything bad was happening, all of my Utopian hubbub would go out the window, and it would get real 1950’s in the McKagan household, and in a hurry.

I feel you, Duff. As a parent of two, those days are sneaking up on me more quickly than I'd like to admit, and the world is only getting scarier by the minute. And to think, you have the frightening example of the Celebrity Rehabbing Steven Adler hanging over your shoulder. I don't have anything to match up with that, although the fear of having things go as wrong as they did for the poor Hudsons with their daughter Katy keeps me up at night.

The Birds, the Bees, and My Daughters [Reverb]

Velvet Revolver To Drag Out Lead Singer Search For As Long As It Will Keep Them In The Press

Maura Johnston — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EDT

But you probably figured that. [Hollywood Insider]

Lenny Kravitz Will Not Be Going Velvet Revolver's Way

Maura Johnston — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:15:00 EDT

The truth quotient of the rumor that Lenny Kravitz would be replacing Weiland as the lead singer of Velvet Revolver has plummeted from 38% to zero, if Kravitz's just-issued statement to Rolling Stone is to be believed. "I know and love the Velvet Revolver guys but there is no truth to the story about me joining their band," he told the magazine. Looks like bloggers everywhere will have this story to kick around for a little longer! But where will it go next?

Now Kravitz has joined the long list of people who aren't singing for Velvet Revolver—a star-studded roster of names that includes an ex-MTV VJ who now blogs, a guy from who's married to a Playmate, an ex-Gilmore Girls cast member, and any of the contestants from the CBS game show Jingles—which lead singer should be the next piece of grist for the ever-churning rumor mill? Clearly, this needs to be solved by the always scientific method of Internet polling:

Exclusive: Lenny Kravitz Tells RS "No Truth to the Story" About Joining Velvet Revolver [RS]
Earlier: Is Lenny Kravitz Really Going To Fill Weiland's Velvet Shoes?

Is Lenny Kravitz Really Going To Fill Weiland's Velvet Shoes?

Maura Johnston — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Like the Timex Social Club, I spend a lot of time lamenting the rumors that surround me every day. How do they get started? And where do they get crazy? In Truthmongerer, I'll try to suss out the kernels of truth in the rumors that are taking up airspace in gossip columns, blogs, and our tips inbox.

THE RUMOR: The new lead singer of Velvet Revolver is none other than Lenny Kravitz.

TRUTH THRESHOLD: 38%.

LIKELY TRUTHS: The "source" of the Sun story that broke this rumor is claiming that Kravitz has been spotted in the studio with Slash, Duff, and Matt Sorum, a scenario that isn't all that far-fetched. Kravitz is no stranger to playing with many of the members of Guns N' Roses, what with Slash appearing on his album Mama Said and Lenny jumping on stage to perform "Always On The Run" during a Guns N' Roses show back in the day. That sort of pre-existing chemistry could definitely serve as a hedge from relations devolving into the sour sniping that marked Velvet Revolver's end.

LIKELY FALSEHOODS: But would Kravitz want to subsume his identity into a band that wasn't his? Kravitz's latest solo effort, It Is Time For A Love Revolution, didn't sell too badly, reaching the 189,000-scanned mark before it dropped off the Billboard 200 back in April. And his name recognition has, after all, led him all the way to the racks at Kohl's.

Itz Lenny for Revolver [The Sun]
[Photo: Getty]

Velvet Revolver-related factoids that you ...

Maura Johnston — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:45:00 EDT

Velvet Revolver-related factoids that you can slip into your happy-hour chatter. 1. Ex-Spacehog vocalist Royston Langdon will probably not be the band's new lead singer, despite the guys getting along famously. 2. The band is working on new music, and feeling closer than ever now that Weiland is falling into drum risers that don't belong to Matt Sorum. 3. Duff McKagan hasn't heard those Guns N' Roses tracks that leaked in June, claiming ignorance about blogs, BitTorrent sites, or any of those other places on the computers where one can find illicit files. [RS]

Velvet Revolver's Remaining Members Find A Nice Young Man To Jam With

Maura Johnston — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:53:00 EDT

What with the heat and the humidity, you probably forgot all about Velvet Revolver's search for a new singer—which means that the time is right to note that Spacehog's Royston Langston is now in the mix for the gig, with Entertainment Weekly reporting that jam sessions between the former Guns N' Roses members and the former husband of Liv Tyler were "successful." (Now there is a rock and roll adjective.) "They all got along great," a tipster told EW. "It was really a refreshing change for the band." And given that Matt Sorum hasn't irritably blogged about Langston's rock and roll attitude, I'd have to think that at the very least, all the guys had fun. But do you think that Duff can do those falsetto backing vocals on "In The Meantime"? Because that would maybe drag me out to a show... if I could get discounted, or at least service-charge-free, tickets. Video of that track after the jump.

Spacehog's Royston Langdon in the running for Velvet Revolver frontman [Hollywood Insider]
Spacehog - In The Meantime [YouTube]
[Photo: Getty]

Weiland Launches Giant Loogie At Interviewer's Audacity

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EDT

The Los Angeles Times' Chris Lee has provided a little bit of gross context for his Stone Temple Pilots profile on the paper's blog. At the same time Weiland was giving the writer quotes like "I live my life the way I live my life. I don't have to make any apologies," he was also launching "huge green" loogies at the wall behind the DeLeo brothers, who did not seem ruffled by the sudden appearance of expectorate. While I admire Weiland's indignation ("hey, how does it feel to be going to jail for six hours?" is indeed a douche move), Lou Reed knows that while loogies may not be forgotten by those who witness their deployment, retorts along the lines of "What are you, a fucking asshole?" read better in print.

Where's your head at right now just before going to jail?

All these questions are ..., man. Who do you interview? To what level?

A lot of famous musicians. Not Michael Jackson-famous, though.

Do you interview Keith Richards? David Bowie? Do you interview people who over a 20-year career who aren't ... born-again Christians? Who aren't part of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

Um, yes. A lot of those guys. I interviewed Bowie but not Keith.

Then you should know. Our contribution is music, you know? This is the problem with the press. Are you part of the paparazzi?

I write for the Los Angeles Times.

Is there a difference anymore?

Well, the paparazzi don't write. They take pictures.

I'm not so sure, man. Rolling Stone is borderline these days.

If I've said something that put your nose out of joint, I apologize.

My nose isn't out of joint. I live my life the way I live my life. I don't have to make any apologies. I just find it a little hilarious that you'd ask such a question.

Cccchh-www-thhsptttt [Weiland spits on the wall].

And now, dancing.

Hey Weiland — Say It Don't Spray It! [LA Times]
Scott Weiland Dances [YouTube]

The latest person not singing for Velvet ...

Maura Johnston — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EDT

The latest person not singing for Velvet Revolver: Panic Channel frontman and former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs. "I got an odd email congratulating me about singing for the Velvet Revolver guys, which took me by surprise cause, well... I'm not." Um, duly noted? Who's next to come out of the "No Velvet Revolver for me, but hey, I still exist" woodwork? My bets are on Isaacs' former bandmate Dave Navarro, Sebastian Bach, or Jesse Camp. [Steve Isaacs via Blabbermouth]

Chester Bennington Would Like Stop (Or Start) Those Velvet Revolver Rumors

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT

All you gossiping fools saying that Chester Bennington is going to leave Linkin Park and join Velvet Revolver? He wants it to be made very clear that those rumors are just that, rumors. So stop spreading rumors about Chester Bennington, unknown people who were spreading those rumors. "It would be very uncomfortable for me to join that band because I'm friends with all of them, including Scott," he told Kerrang! "If I was even going to do just one show, or record just one song with them, I'd have to know it was okay with my band, all those guys and Scott [Weiland] too." It does seem odd that people would (allegedly, as I can't find these rumors anywhere) think Chester would leave his cash cow to play with a past-its-prime act like Velvet Revolver, but then again, watching Slash work on a solo is probably a lot more fun than watching Mike Shinoda work on a rap.

Slash and Chester knocked out "Sweet Child O' Mine" at a Camp Freddy all-star gig in Vegas, at the very least confirming that he would be a better fit for Velvet Revolver than a difficult junkie who can only pull off "It's So Easy."

The band also did "Highway To Hell" and "Whole Lotta Love," songs considerably happier and hornier than anything Linkin Park has come up with. If he's not leaving his compatriots in sensitive rap-rock, is he at least going to do more songs that match his increasingly metal look and lifestyle. After all, the guy who sang "Somewhere I Belong" is married to a Playboy Bunny.

Chester: "I am not Velvet Revolver's new singer" [Kerrang! via Blabbermouth]
Chester Bennington, Slash... Playing Paradise City [YouTube]

Slash "Pretty Aggresively" Working On Solo Album

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EDT

He's been talking about it for a while, but Slash sounds gung ho to drop a solo album. "I'm working on it pretty aggressively right now while I have the time cause as soon as Velvet finds its singer, then it's going to be off the races with that," he told Spinner. "I'm using this little period to be able to do as much on my solo record as possible." And don't expect Slash's Snakepit Mk 3, either. "It'll be my first solo record. All the other ones were just me putting other bands together and going out and just jamming. This will actually be a little bit more personal." Maybe an album of movie theme interpretations? Collaborations with his favorite heavy metal singers? Clive Davis' Son Of Supernatural? [Spinner]

Velvet Revolver's New Singer May Come From A Land Down Under

Maura Johnston — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EDT

A tipster has very important innuendo regarding the new singer of Velvet Revolver, which will not be picked by reality-TV committee: "I have some new information coming from fans/family close to the hard rock Australian band Rose Tattoo to which Slash & Duff are HUGE fans of and shared the stage with many times, that Duff has been in communications with an Australian singer currently living in the USA. This guy can apparently sing up a storm and of course is a bloody Aussie, so that in itself along with the great voice will be a good choice for the band from all marketing angles." Well, if there's one thing Velvet Revolver needs after Libertad, it's a better marketing angle. So, we have but one question for all of you: Who can it be, now? (We're pretty sure the candidate in question is not Rose Tattoo singer Angry Anderson, since he's apparently living in Sydney these days.) Poll after the jump!

Previously: Idolator's Velvet Revolver coverage

Weiland Already Delaying Gigs, Apologizing For Himself On STP Tour?

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EDT

Coming out an hour late, forgetting lyrics, slurring apologetic introductions that get cut off by visibly annoyed band members—sounds like Weiland is back and better than ever! When Slash wakes up in a couple of hours and grabs The New York Times before enjoying his bagel (but after putting on on slippers, a bath towel, and a snake), the description of Stone Temple Pilots' New York show will undoubtedly inspire a smirk.

Scott Weiland, the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, had just a few words for the crowd at the PNC Bank Arts Center on Saturday night, and that was probably a good thing. Two weeks into this post-grunge band's reunion tour, he seemed bedraggled and bushed, like a scarecrow. His first comments were barely coherent, and what came next was dispiriting. "Sometimes you make crazy choices," he said, in a distinctly undefiant tone.

Mr. Weiland noted that this was a hometown show for half of the band, the brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo, who play bass and guitar. "I apologize for ..." he started to add.

"Apology accepted, brother," Robert DeLeo said quickly, changing the subject and hustling on with the show.

... the feeling imparted by these performances was desultory and joyless. The band never rose above a sort of grim competence.

It was the same with Mr. Weiland. While he expertly struck the image of a rock star — strutting and preening, and shedding his white jacket and T-shirt to reveal a sinewy torso — his voice sounded less flexible than usual, and he sometimes seemed nearly out of breath. He forgot some lyrics and flubbed others, and often used a megaphone as a prop, or perhaps a crutch.

There's already footage of Weiland's attempt at apologizing for — I dunno, everything? — on YouTube.

Want more mumbling? Watch Weiland cling to the mic, before eventually sitting down, during "Creep."

Can Weiland make it till Aug. 31, when the tour finally comes to a close at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival? Can I resist noting that Stone Temple Pilots is planning to wrap up its tour in Seattle, which is kind of a "hometown show" for the band's success?

Lead Singer Back in the Fold, Not Back From the Edge [NYT]
Stone Temple Pilots - Lady Picture Show @ PNC Bank Arts [YouTube via Blabbermouth]
Creep [YouTube]

Velvet Revolver Will Not Be Looking For A New Lead Singer On CBS This Summer

Maura Johnston — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:30:00 EDT

Matt Sorum, who has turned into something of a self-styled spokesman for the 20%-less-supergroup Velvet Revolver recently, has publicly nixed the idea of his band finding its lead singer via the Rock Star reality-show franchise. "[The band] basically said 'No!' to that," Sorum said. "We didn't feel it was right for us. No disrespect to him but it just didn't feel right for what we want to do. As many years as we've tried to keep our integrity intact we felt that wasn't the right forum for us to do it so, we got some ideas and we should have that news in a couple weeks." What could those ideas be?

A YouTube contest. It's classier than anything hosted by Dave Navarro, and hey, it's what all the kids are doing these days. Even that young whippersnapper Neal Schon!

Getting Kevin from Plush on board for a gig or two. At the very least, it should give Weiland something to worry about once that first blowup with his STP bandmates hits.

Hiring Sebastian Bach. This way, they can really fuck with Weiland's head.

Making nicey-nice in the press about Axl Rose, because honestly, who on earth is going to buy a third Velvet Revolver album? Didn't you see Libertad's numbers? Which would explain Sorum waxing poetic about his "newfound liking and love" for the G N' R frontman, which is due at least in part to the fact that he usually sold out the venues he was headlining—and that they were big enough to get Sorum his own valet. Sometimes, olive branches have the strangest shapes, right?

VELVET REVOLVER PLAN TO ANNOUNCE LEAD VOCALIST NEWS SOON [Artisan News]

Van Nuys Got 14 Minutes To Save The Weil

Anthony Miccio — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:15:00 EDT

Shut up, that pun is awesome. You will not be able to get it out of your head. And it refers to the 14 minutes that Weiland spent considering the errors of his ways in a jail cell in Van Nuys, Calif. What do you think he thought about as he marked away the minutes on the wall? Was he filled with gratitude at the forgiving nature of the DeLeo brothers? Did he resent the way Slash must be chortling at his predicament? Was he thinking about whether this would be the time he finally cleaned up and got his life together? Did he wish the cops would take more time with his wounded hand, because it likes to heal, he likes to steal? TMZ, please get your hands on the security tape.

Weiland served just 10 of [his sentenced] 192 hours. Of those 10 hours, according to his prison records, he spent a total of 14 minutes in a prison cell. Weiland, who has struggled with substance abuse off-and-on for years, had until May 28th to serve out his sentence; Stone Temple Pilots' reunion tour kicks off May 17th in Columbus, Ohio.

On November 21st, Weiland, who recently split with Velvet Revolver on very sour terms, was involved in a non-injury collision on an LA highway. The cops who were investigating the scene reported that he "exhibited signs of impairment," and he was arrested. This was his second DUI arrest.

In addition to jail time, Weiland was also ordered to complete an 18-month alcohol program and pay almost $2,000 in fines. He has also been put on a four-year summary probation period.

He's half the man he used to be. This I feel as as the dawn, it fades to gray.

Scott Weiland released from prison after serving 14 minutes [MTV]

Slash Gives Eddie Trunk The Final Word (We Hope)

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The MSG Network^* has released an interview with Slash hosted by Matt Pinfield, who really needs to give up the cheaply toupee'd "Eddie Trunk" persona he's created. Nobody's fooled. Mr. "Trunk" (yeah, right) explains that he's been so busy lately that he's only been able to read 85% of Slash's book, and even that's just because he's had some cross-country flights. Despite this riveting look into the life of a radio personality (what, doesn't he read on the toilet?), Slash is somehow able to go on with explaining just what happened with Weiland, and he hints at why we should give up on the Axl dream.

The closest moment to bitchiness is Slash's obvious disbelief that all will be well with Weiland once STP is back in action. Slash's references to seeking a great unknown singer with a "regular blue collar-type guy...with a decent work ethic" rather than a "pop-star mentality" does seem like a set up for an eventual reality show.

Eddie Trunk Interviews Slash of Velvet Revolver [YouTube via Blabbermouth]

^* Wait, Michael Schenker has a network now?

Slash Getting Rather Catty About Weiland's Dismissal

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EDT

"We gave him the cold shoulder in the UK like nobody's business. There were a couple of arguments around the stage, but other than that, nobody spoke to him. I imagine he was quite uncomfortable. No wonder he didn't have a good time. Then he told everyone in Glasgow that the whole band was over. We were like, 'Oh, well, I guess we've got a surprise coming for you, Scott.'" Oh, snap! Hey, making fun of Weiland is our job, Slash. You don't see me shirtless, wearing a top hat and playing the theme from The Godfather in front of Matt Sorum's drum kit. Yet. The new issue of Kerrang! features even more bon mots from the toxic hairball about Weiland's "extradition" from Velvet Revolver.

[Scott] didn't know that we were already planning on extraditing him. When we started touring the second record, it just felt like we were losing Scott as far as our connection went. During the tour with Alice In Chains [in August 2007], he was just out to lunch. When he came back, he was supposed to go to rehab, so we postponed our Austrailian tour but he didn't really go to rehab. That was the final blow. We had a lot of commitments, like the tour in the UK, which we didn't want to go back on, so we wanted to finish those before telling him.

...No, I never called him ["Junior Axl"]. There were a few similarities though. What became really irritating was that I had the same problem with Scott as I had when I toured with Axl. I just couldn't get the guy onstage on time. That I can't accept. I will not do it again. I will not be in a situation where a guy is making the audience wait half an hour or an hour or more. It's criminal. I don't know who someone thinks he is when tries to get away with that sort of thing.

Ultimate proof that Slash is still an utter fucking rock star? "We flew to Dubai together, I think, when we played recently. Well, I think I remember him being on the plane, anyway."

I'm totally stealing that.

SLASH On Last Tour With SCOTT WEILAND: 'We Gave Him The Cold Shoulder Like Nobody's Business' [Blabbermouth]

Robin Finck Rejoins Nine Inch Nails--Does That Mean He's Not Going To Tour With Axl Anymore?

Maura Johnston — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:10:00 EDT

Trent Reznor announced on Friday that former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck would be back in the fold for his band's summer tour, which will hit Lollapalooza and the Pemberton Festival before traveling to various arenas and amphitheaters. Now, given that Finck was a touring guitarist with Guns N' Roses, and given that Axl has been making noise about maybe putting Chinese Democracy out in time to give everyone in the country a fizzy drink, and given that there's all that Velvet Revolver drama, what does this mean for Axl and his possible touring plans for the next few months? I'm sure that the speculation will be far, far better than whatever actually winds up happening, so, y'know, have at it. [Blabbermouth]

Slash May Have Known Weiland Had To Go For A While

Anthony Miccio — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Has there been another case where the firing of a singer led to such excitement? Ok, maybe the end of Van Hagar, but that was a "welcome back" thing, and the reaction was nothing like the way Weiland's departure from Velvet Revolver seems to have loosened the world's sphincter a tad. Or at least Slash's. "Everybody's just very relieved," says Slash. "I know everybody is tying the STP [reunion tour] thing to it, but it started way before that. We just had a lot of commitments to fulfill, so we just had to drag this thing out until the obligations were finished." But our nightmare is over! So what about his replacement?

"There's some people, but it's really premature to start naming names. We actually worked with a guy, I won't mention his name, before we left to go to the U.K. and there just wasn't enough to break him in, so we're gonna work with him again some more, and maybe some other guys as well."

It's won't be Sebastian Bach, though. "I thought [Weiland] could be a little bit more imaginative. I'm not sure if that was meant to be a pot shot or what. Whatever, it's not worth any real drama." Yes it is, Slash! Kick his Big Bang Baby ass! We came for blood.

New Music From Guns'n'Roses [Planet Gossip]
Exclusive: Velvet Revolver's Slash Talks Weiland Split, Search for New Singer [Rolling Stone]

Matt Sorum To Weiland: "Oh Yeah, We'll Miss You Too I Guess"

Maura Johnston — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Matt Sorum's European tour-ending blog post unwittingly reveals just where Scott Weiland ranked in the grand scheme of things: "Want to give a very special thanks to our amazing crew, These are the guys and girl that work there asses off bouncing around on a tour bus then getting up after no sleep to set up all the gear, get the dressing rooms ready, food for the crew and band etc etc. Hard working dedicated people who love the traveling rock n roll show. They are the foundation of Velvet Revolver. Love U guys!!!! .... As for Scott I wish him well." Not even a "thank you," Matt? Look for Weiland to have a 250-word rebuttal to not getting top billing over the people who put out the deli trays by around noon or so. [Matt Sorum's Blog]

Weiland To Velvet Revolver: Whatevs

Jess Harvell — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:45:00 EDT

A day after the not-entirely-unexpected bomb dropped that Velvet Revolver had finally banded together to relieve "erratic" frontman Scott Weiland of his duties, comments boxes and drive-time rock DJs are still reeling over the better-late-than-never news. An unemployed Weiland, on the other hand, is doing his best to remain unfazed, soldiering on with his recently reconciled bros in STP and offering a terse, bitchy dismissal of VR's accusation that he was the weakest link in a chain of shady reprobates. He's also graciously offered his former bandmates his considered opinion on which classic metal shrieker should get his old gig, provided Slash and Co. can woo this possible replacement away from a lucrative gig opening for Poison.

"Personally speaking, I choose to look forward to the future and performing with a group of friends I have known my entire life, people who have always had my back," Weiland continued. "This also speaks to my commitment to my music and my fellow bandmates in [Stone Temple Pilots] and to the fans who I feel would much rather watch a group of musicians who enjoy being together as opposed to a handful of discontents who at one time used to call themselves a gang."

In conclusion, Weiland warned fans not to be "fooled by veiled trickery," and even wished Velvet Revolver his best. "Good hunting, lads — I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice."

C'mon, Scott, there's no way they're going to court such an ardent Axl-supporter, even though a Velvet Revolver album of Broadway standards would be...something.

Scott Weiland Fires Back At Velvet Revolver [MTV]

SO NOT A JOKE: Weiland Ejected From Velvet Revolver

Anthony Miccio — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:25:00 EDT

It's official! We even called to verify! WEILAND IS NO LONGER IN VELVET REVOLVER. Ding-dong, the witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead.

Velvet Revolver founding members Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner announced today that they are parting ways with singer Scott Weiland. "This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn't 100% committed to either," said Slash. "Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on."

Apply now, aging long hairs!

Velvet Revolver to Part Ways With Singer [Business Wire]
[Photo: AP]

How To Make A Reunion Tour Seem A Lot Less Noteworthy

Anthony Miccio — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Weiland, the estranged singer of Velvet Revolver, has teamed up with members of Army Of Anyone and Bomb Shelter Studios owner Eric Kretz for a tour that will hit more than 50 amphitheaters this summer and fall. And this isn't the only unexpected supergroup that's formed from music's bigger names over the years—other groups have also embarked on tours, while a few have even released albums. Other examples after the jump.

• J. Mascis (More Light, Free So Free) and Lou Barlow (EMOH, New Folk Implosion) recently recorded an album with ex-Lemonhead Murph for Fat Possum Records.

• Tarzan songwriter Phil Collins went on a world tour in 2007, backed by Mike from Mike + The Mechanics and new age keyboardist Tony Banks.

• Frank Black, following the simultaneous release of his Black Letter Days and Devil's Workshop, changed his name to "Black Francis" and started a new touring band with Breeder Kim Deal (2002's Title TK), ex-Martini Joey Santiago and a magician known as The Scientific Phenomalist. They have since recorded a song for the soundtrack to Shrek 2, which was rejected.

• The FutureEmbrace rocker Billy Corgan reteamed with Zwan compatriot Jimmy Chamberlain for an album with seven differently colored covers, and bonus tracks specific to the stores and countries where they could be exclusively purchased. On tour they are joined by members of The Lassie Foundation, the Halo Friendlies and a USC Jazz Piano graduate.

• Flin Flon guitarist Mark Robinson performed a one-time engagement in DC with Teenbeat solo artist Phil Krauth and ex-con Bridget Cross.

• Lutist Sting (Songs From The Labyrinth) introduced a new combo with jazz guitarist/film scorer Andy Summers and Oysterhead drummer/film scorer Stewart Copeland at the 2007 Grammy Awards.

Now it looks like singers Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight will be harmonizing on Today with Saw II actor Donnie Wahlberg, Upper Street member Danny Wood, and Jordan's brother Jonathan, a real estate developer. What insanity could be waiting for us next? Morrissey teamed with a Modest Mouse guitarist? Justin Timberlake hooking up with JC Chasez, a would-be astronaut, the host of The Singing Bee and a dude with bad hair? God only knows.

Stone Temple Pilots Plotting Extensive Tour [Billboard]

Slash Finally Realizes Weiland Is Velvet Revolver's Weakest Link

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Slash promises that Velvet Revolver will record a third album, with or (please please please) without Weiland. "We don't know how or when but the core four guys will continue," he was quoted as saying. It's a heartwarming response to the bitchfits his estranged compatriot has been issuing to the world, as there's no reason The Band Formerly Known As Guns N' Roses should back a grating, obnoxious hack who can't get his pipes around anything on Appetite For Destruction except "It's So Easy," making him more of a rock dodo than a rock dinosaur. But now that The Big Empty might be out of the picture, which grating, obnoxious hack (with more vocal range) should replace him?

1. Axl Rose
Just saying.

2. Any pop-metal singer that can still shriek
Sebastian Bach. Tom Kiefer. Taime Downe. Steve Whiteman. Ian Astbury. Vince Neil. Ronnie James Dio. Jack Russell. Melissa Etheridge. Just not that dude from Tesla. Did you see that Station Family Fund benefit? That voice is gone. Ouch. I'm talking "DuckTales, ooh-ooh."

3. Rod Stewart
Velvet Revolver needs somebody who can sing. Rod Stewart needs someone who can get him off the "Great Clive Davis Songbook" train and back on a Faces trip. I used to say Rod The Mod should lead Audioslave (DID I BLOW YOUR MIND? GOOD.), but it looks like that band has got its Rage on again, so seize the opportunity to work with a legend, Slash. Duff. Matt. The guy with the skullcap.

4. Courtney Love
Think of the publicity!

5. Kelly Clarkson

Failing this, they could always call up Amanda Overmeyer. Doubt she's busy.

Slash: 'Velvet Revolver might continue without Scott Weiland' [NME
[Photo: WENN]

So Much For Velvet Revolver Opening Up For Led Zeppelin

Maura Johnston — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:30:49 EDT

While his bassist, Duff McKagan, was jawing about maybe being the support act for that Led Zeppelin tour that probably isn't happening anyway, Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland was seething inside, angry that the reunion of his first band was being pushed to the side by the press and the dudes who were supposed to be his bandmates, at least until said reunion took off. He finally began the popping-off process last week, telling a Glasgow audience that they were witnessing the band's final tour. VR drummer Matt Sorum posted an apology for Weiland's actions on his blog, saying that being in a band was "a lot like being in a relationship" and indirectly implying that Weiland was behaving like the crazy one—a theory that gained a little bit of traction when the skinny frontman fired off a statement to Blabbermouth.net:

"Responding to our drummer's [Matt Sorum] rant about why the band is in a state of flux:

"Well, first of all, the state of my family affairs is really none of his business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path. Secondly, 'keeping rock 'n' roll alive?' I've made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of VR, but mainly, the likes of you. Funny though — this is your FIRST band, as opposed to being a hired gun. I've been making records (now on my ninth), which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have maintained a level of professionalism regardless of how many drugs I've ingested into my system. I have only cancelled one tour during the entire course of my 16-year run and that was the 'make-up' Australia tour. Now, shall I open that can of worms, Matthew? Release the Kraken? Serve... Volley! You cancelled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won't say why... we'll just let Blabbermouth find out for themselves.

"As for our fans — I will sweat, bruise, and bleed for you. And will continue to do so until the end of this tour. However, you deserve to hear VELVET REVOLVER playing... not certain individuals singing along to get a muddied up sound. God forbid — could one imagine if I grabbed a guitar and started soloing along with Slash? That would never happen because I know my place. It's a shame... we were a gang. But ego and jealousy can get the better of anyone. I wish the best and plan to annihilate the stage in the last few shows.

"On a separate note, we did an STP [STONE TEMPLE PILOTS] photo shoot before this tour and it was fun, inspiring and it gave me that thrill — that feeling that got my rocks off from the get-go."

And how did Slash, Duff, and Matt respond? By leaking photos of them hanging out with Robert Plant sans Weiland. Somehow I don't think that photos of STP chilling backstage with 3 Doors Down will have as much of the same punch.

Glasgow gig [MattSorum.tv]
SCOTT WEILAND Fires Back At MATT SORUM: 'Ego And Jealousy Can Get The Better Of Anyone' [Blabbermouth]
VELVET REVOLVER Hanging Backstage With ROBERT PLANT; Photo Available [Blabbermouth]

Scott Weiland is Still Not Dead, at least ...

Jess Harvell — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:15:00 EDT

Scott Weiland is Still Not Dead, at least as far as Velvet Revolver bandmate Duff McKagan knows, but U.K. fans probably shouldn't get their hopes up that he won't disappear halfway through the group's upcoming tour. Did the other members of VR ever think about one of those kid-leashes? He's probably skinny enough to wriggle out of one, though. [Blabbermouth]

The location of the missing Weiland revealed: ...

Jess Harvell — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:45:08 EST

The location of the missing Weiland revealed: "The pilot wouldn't fly from Miami to the Salt Lake City Airport because of extremely poor visibility and a potential poor weather system that made it dangerous for the plane to fly to Salt Lake City. Two hours into the flight, it was diverted to the Van Nuys Airport (in Los Angeles). " Sorry, I won't believe it 100 percent until I see him walking around not encased in carbonite in Jabba The Hutt's palace. [Blabbermouth]

Scott Weiland Is Missing And Only You Can Find Him

Jess Harvell — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:55:35 EST

So Scott Weiland missed a Velvet Revolver concert at the Sundance Film Fest on Sunday and no one has a reasonable explanation as to his whereabouts. "Dead or in jail," I hear you saying, while the official word is that "speculation from inside the band's camp said the singer had missed his flight to Sundance for the performance." But is it really so innocent? What if he was kidnapped? What if he managed to escape from his housebreaking crate in Slash's basement before the Weiland-sitter could find him? And even if he just missed his flight, where could he be? Well, we had some thoughts on the matter after the jump.

Paris Beats at Tao [pagesix.com via Blabbermouth]

Let the "Slash is hiring impersonators" conspiracy ...

mjohnston — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:15:43 EST

Let the "Slash is hiring impersonators" conspiracy theories begin! Not only is he allegedly giving i-bankers guitar lessons at rock and roll fantasy camps, he's cloaking himself in more and more hair and hats, as evidenced by this report from Velvet Revolver's sparsely attended show in Trenton, N.J., on Saturday: "I was seated close enough that I'm firmly convinced it wasn't even Slash on guitar. You think he's flying out to Trenton just after Christmas? Seriously, you could've found any guitar player, slap a curly wig and top hat on his head, strap a Les Paul over his shoulder, slip him into some leather pants and voila: secondary market Slash." [phillyBurbs.com]

Thanks to that DUI charge, Velvet Revolver ...

jharv — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:30:37 EST

Thanks to that DUI charge, Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland now faces a "maximum penalty of one year county jail and a $1000 fine, and a minimum penalty eight days in jail (because of the prior conviction and the refusal to take a drug test). His car could also be impounded for up to 30 days." Upside? L.A. drivers might get a reprieve from Weiland being behind the wheel. [Blabbermouth]

So apparently Scott Weiland was arrested ...

jharv — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:30:09 EST

So apparently Scott Weiland was arrested back in November for "crashing his car and failing sobriety tests" and nobody bothered reporting it until today? Because sometimes even celebrity law enforcement stories slip through the gossip cracks? Or because no one can keep up with Weiland-related DUI's anymore? (Side note: which of these photos is "sexier," People's or MTV's?) [MTV]

The checkered pasts of Velvet Revolver's ...

mjohnston — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:50:38 EST

The checkered pasts of Velvet Revolver's members have led to their Japanese visas being denied; as a result, the band has canceled its Japanese tour. Rumors that Scott Weiland was planning on re-applying for a visa under the name "Dylan McKay" were unconfirmed at the time of this blog post. [Variety]

Duff McKagan Won't Lose His Shirt (Unintentionally)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:05:54 EDT

When Duff McKagan left Guns N' Roses in 1994, he was looking for a better monetary future than The Spaghetti Incident? had afforded him. After some finance courses at Seattle University (15 short of a degree) taught him the importance of spreading out his holdings beyond the low-risk Treasury bills he'd previously invested in:

"I have mutual funds. I have a lot of individual stocks. I'm across the board, really well diversified. And then real estate has been a thing for me."

But rather than "flipping" properties for quick profits, McKagan holds on. He has interests in Los Angeles, Seattle, Hawaii — "wherever I see fit."

He says he was also an early investor in Google Inc., whose stock has quintupled in three years. But he avoided speculative tech stocks, and certainly did not "freak out and sell everything after the dot-com crash" of 2000-02.

That measured approach has even served him well in the music business, too. Upon hearing the news that Velvet Revolver's album Libertad had leaked before its release date, he nearly smashed an expensive Les Paul Sunburst guitar in his collection, but then realized the possible financial ramifications of his anger; instead, he trashed his Blackberry, which he later replaced at a fraction of the cost.

Guns N' Roses rocker tries new tune as businessman [Reuters]

Velvet Revolver Aims, Misfires

mjohnston — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:55:39 EDT

ARTIST: Velvet Revolver
TITLE: Libertad
WEB DEBUT: June 23, 2007
RELEASE DATE: July 3, 2007
SOUND QUALITY: 229 kbps (VBR)
ONE-LISTEN VERDICT: The mathematics of this band dictate that any of its recorded output should be at least halfway decent, right? Perhaps forgetting about what it was like to listen to Contraband, we went into this album with visions of hearing hard rock that would cross "Big Bang Baby" with "My Michelle." But listening to Libertad's by-the-numbers hard rock, full of sub-Buckcherry swagger and guitar solos that make Slash's contribution to "Black Or White" sound virtuostic—not to mention the liberal use of cowbell—had only one real effect on us: We went to iTunes and downloaded the new album by Izzy Stradlin.
WHERE TO FIND THE BEST TRACK: We're just as shocked as you that there aren't many music blogs posting songs from this record—but ROCKNROLLPIMP has a stream of ~~"Sex Type Thing '07"~~ "She Mine."

Liner Notes: Don't Be Shocked, But David Lee Roth May Have Had Sex In The '80s

Brian Raftery — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:50:08 EDT

- The New York Post reprints the oldest Van Halen backstage-sleaze story known to man. [Page Six]
- Matthew Knowles fired Beyoncé's 400-pound, $500,000-a-year bodyguard, apparently because he didn't intimidate enough Oscar voters to get her a nomination for Dreamgirls. [Rush & Molloy]
- Velvet Revolver will play with Alice In Chains this summer for a jaunt called "Shop Class: The Tour." [Pollstar]

Liner Notes: Cat Power Totally Sticks It To That Band Of Horses

Brian Raftery — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:30:21 EDT

- Yay, Cat Power! You won the 2007 Shortlist Prize! Now you'll have to spend the rest of your life explaining what it is. [Billboard]
- After a recent gig in Wales, Velvet Revolver members Slash and Weiland may be fined for smoking on stage; they will receive only a citation, though, for sucking on stage. [NME]
- Katharine McPhee doesn't like talking about her 42-year-old boyfriend, who all evidence points to being Suge Knight. [The Scoop]

Listening Station: Velvet Revolver Rages Against The Machine

Brian Raftery — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:45:00 EDT

"She Builds Quick Machines" is the first single from Velvet Revolver's not-particularly-well-named Libertad, and as far as ongoing intra-band struggle between STP and GNR, this is one is definitely in Weiland's wheelhouse (that "push right now" bit, which could have been lifted straight from Core). We're feeling ho-humish on this one—it's hard to believe anyone still believes rhyming "exes" with "Texas" is a novel lyrical tactic—but we'll hold off further judgment until we hear Libertad's token power ballad ("Fall To Pieces" still makes the magic):

~~Velvet Revolver - She Builds Quick Machines~~ [MP3, link expired; via Deaf Indie Elephants]

BREAKING: Slash Splits With Long-Time Love

Brian Raftery — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:24:35 EST

Yes, that's Slash, photographed in Las Vegas yesterday without his trademark oversized hat. Now, we've seen Slash hatless, and we've even seen him with a backwards baseball cap, but this is an entirely new look, one that's been curiously under-reported this morning. If only Mick Shrimpton had lived long enough to see it.

[Photo: Getty Images]

Liner Notes: Moe Tucker Commands Mo' Money

Brian Raftery — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:36:02 EST

- Remember that super-rare Velvet Underground acetate we told you about last week? The bidding has now hit the six-figure mark. We look forward to the Rolling Stone blog reporting this, and then not giving us any credit. [eBay]
- After parting ways with Rick Rubin, Velvet Revolver has hired Brendan O'Brien to produce the band's next album, tentatively titled If You Close Your Eyes And Drink A Bit Beforehand, It Kinda Sounds Like The Real Deal. [Billboard]
- The next time some snobby Anglophile friend rants about the superiority of the U.K. music scene, gently remind him that it's 2006, and those wanks are still listening to Take That. [NME]