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.
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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. More »
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?
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… More »
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.
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.
