Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Source:  Blabbermouth
http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=23112

SLASH can't compare VELVET REVOLVER with Anything

MuchMusic recently caught up with VELVET REVOLVER and asked the group, with their previous successful bands, how this project compares. Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash responded, "What we're doing right now, from the second that it started and now that we're finally touring and getting onstage, I can't compare it to anything. Even in my old days when GUNS was still cool, which was a great time in my life ? which anyone would give their left/right limb, or even their dick, [or] whatever for. And the people ? even Duff who I've known forever, it's like a new relationship. It's very explosive and fulfilling. It's like twenty thousand orgasms rolled into one." Former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland added, "Music is like the soundtrack, the energy of life, for musicians anyway. I think that music is the soundtrack for human beings. I believe in my heart that rock 'n' roll, for people like us, is the energy that fuels us. It's a volatile mix that creates a chemical reaction and that just inspires me to do anything." Check out a transcript here:  

http://www.muchmusic.com/insidemuch/stuff/reloading_the_rock_with_velvet_revolver.asp

We hit the Velvet Revolver press conference and got the dirt on the band that brings together three past members of Guns 'N' Roses ? Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, together with former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland and ex-Wasted Youth axeman Dave Kushner.

So, how did a group of musicians from some of the hottest bands that rocked us in the 90s find a frontman to help them unleash their renewed lust for Rock N' Roll fury?

Matt Sorum: Slash, Duff and I have obviously played together before and there is a chemistry that is undeniable. The power and energy brought us back together.

Dave Kushner: The four of us had time to get comfortable with each other, then Scott came in the room [and] we were like 'This is the guy!'

Scott Weiland: I just wanted to be in a rock band with people that want to f**king do it, and go out there and be in a f**king rock band

When the opportunity arose, it just ended up giving me that kinda feeling that I [had when I] formed my first band ? and that was just way too exciting to pass up. That was what it was all about. It was like falling in love.


They've all been in successful bands before, so how does this compare?

Slash: What we're doing right now, from the second that it started and now that we're finally touring and getting onstage, I can't compare it to anything. Even in my old days when Guns was still cool, which was a great time in my life - which anyone would give their left/right limb, or even their d*ck, [or] whatever for. And the people - even Duff who I've known forever, it's like a new relationship. It's very explosive and fulfilling. It's like twenty thousand orgasms rolled into one.

Duff: Slash and I met when we were 19 years old and we've basically been connected at the hip since. Now, the 5 of us share that unity.

Scott: Music is like the soundtrack, the energy of life, for musicians anyway. I think that music is the soundtrack for human beings. I believe in my heart that Rock 'N' Roll, for people like us, is the energy that fuels us. It's a volatile mix that creates a chemical reaction and that just inspires me to do anything.


Is a younger generation thirsty for Rock N' Roll?

Duff: I have the unique perspective of [recently] going to university. Kids would come up to me - and it was like they were ripped off. 'Our generation doesn't have a rock band. We don't have Rock N' Roll.' They're buying records that are 10-20 years old cause they don't have anything. So there is this whole new generation that is just starving for something that is pure.

With the advent of [record label] mergers, labels are owned by huge umbrella corporations with stockholders. [In the past, labels] could nurture a band album by album and build up a band. You couldn't do that from 1995 on. You had to have an album that sold a million copies out of the box or you're gone. That, in turn, made all of these pop paint-by-numbers f**king bulls**t garbage. That is what was spoon-fed to a whole generation. There will be revolt at some point. There will be change. Music is about passion and it gives you hope and all kinds of things. It gives you your own special thing when your boss is being a f**king a**hole or when you're getting beat up at school.

Slash: I think most kids would rather get beat up at a rock concert than at school. The think is that music is about a sense of freedom. When the corporate f**kers get a hold of it, all of a sudden it becomes very contained, predictable and loses expression and honesty.

Matt: There is such a resurgence of Rock 'N' Roll. A lot of people missed that part of their lives. A younger audience seems to want that and that's what we have to offer.


So what would these rock gods tell fans who look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps?

Scott: Musicians have a general respect for each other. It doesn't really matter who's on a higher pedestal ? there's a giving and sharing of information and general respect.

Slash: Our biggest thing is that we look up to each other. [We want to] always be growing and not get stagnant. That is something we have to do for ourselves. For anyone looking up to us, all that they can do is be true to themselves as far as being an artist is concerned."

Matt: We're inspired by new bands - like Queens Of The Stone Age. They're a great band that came along and actually kicked Rock 'N' Roll in the ass again. They brought back music we needed to hear. It's also nice to hear Jet. I think a lot of problems with younger bands are that they try to emulate one band. They'll want to be the next blink-182. If young musicians listen to more than one thing, they'll stand out.
 



VELVET REVOLVER's debut album, "Contraband", is due on June 8 through RCA Records.

When guns was still cool?
Another bash on axl eh.

Slash is such a pissant.
The new gnr is much cooler than VR esp if gnr can get BH back.

Well lets see when VR play the VMAs and see if they can get a bigger pop than the so called un cool new gnr did when they played it.
I doubt it.

Also how is gnr uncool, the GHs is still selling a shit load of copies a week and gnr is in heavy rotation on the radio.

Dave... Slash knows everyone in the GNR organization better than you ever will.

Learn this: You will probably never meet Axl. If you do, he'll do no more than say hi to you.

Slash was best friends with all the GNR guys, and I think he is FAR more qualified to comment on the state of GNR than you are. You act like you're axl's best friend and you have some mutual understanding...

Just remember that the VR guys know Axl better than you ever will, and they understand what's going on behind the scenes WAY better than anyone on this board.

I am sure we don't need to get into this more. But you do know that greatest hits contains all old GNR material and thats what people love. And the huge pop at the VMA's was because no one had seen them in like 10 years and half the people in that crowd probably had no idea it was an all new band. To non-GNR loyalists like the people on this board....all people remember is Axl being out of breath and not looking like himself. Hardly the stuff of legend. And dave, in terms of coolness VR portrays a much coller image than NEW GNR. That has nothing to do with the music they put out, but just look at the guys and they just epitomize rock and roll. You need to get off the whole GNR is better thing right now because they have no bucket, no album and no prospects to be touring any time soon. When they both have material out we can sit hear and argue till were blue in the face, until then it is nothing but speculation on your part about how the album might sound and it is just ridiculous.

GNR's downward spiral of uncoolness started with UYI and officially ceased the first time "Smells Like Teen Spirit" aired on MTV...It's that simple.  Anyone who's in denial about this fact needs to read their musical history book.

As long as Axl chooses to call his musical extravaganza Guns N Roses, his fans must learn to live with the uncool perceptions that come along with it.

We do have a few songs and tommy has talked about it once before...it touches on a lot of different elements of old Guns N' Roses in some ways; in other ways it touches with more current-sounding music." He also lauds Rose's lyrics, which he says are "a lot deeper" than on previous GNR releases."For a GN'R record, it's pretty diverse. It's not straight down the rock 'n' roll road. It's all over the place, in a good way. It has a little bit of everything - the old Guns N' Roses vibe, ballads, a couple of pop songs."
Tommy on Axl's singing on the album -- On "Chinese Democracy," Rose delivers "more soulful singing," Stinson said. "You really get to hear some different tones in his voice which don't lend themselves to traditional bluesy riff-rock. And the lyrics are a lot more in-depth, with deeper sentiment and emotion than some of the earlier stuff"

So we atleast have an idea

I don't act like anything but just listen to what tommy, fortus, robin, brian may, josh freese all have said about working with Axl. It is the total opposite of what slash says.  So what do you have to say about that? And dont say its because Axl is paying them since its bullshit. May was never in Gnr and Freese was and Freese had nothing but nice things to say about axl and how easy he was to work with. His only complaint was axl was taking too long with putting out the album and that is why he left.

Also I dont see how I cant comment if gnr is still cool or not.
Or do I or other fans have to know the band members personally to be able to make that decision?



I disagree totally.  During 91-93 the "teen spirt era" gnr sold more albums and sole out more shows at bigger venues than nirvana ever did. So tell me how their downward spiral started in that era. The UYI tour from those years is still one if not still the biggest tour of all time. I think its you that needs to real your musical history book.

What do you expect Slash to say?

That his new record isn't any good and that Snakepit was far more fun than VR?  :P


Every artists always says their latest album is their best one. Why would they keep doing it if they felt nothing is as good as it was in the past?


/jarmo

"Cool" doesn't equal record sales or venue size.  Mass appeal dimishes the very perception.  By your logic, I suppose you deem NSYNC "cool".

"Cool" (in this sense) equals musical and social relevence, influence on the way people think and how the band is viewed by generations that follow.

UYI era GNR ain't cool, they weren't then, they sure as hell aren't now.

No, the "cool" factor was gone during the Illusion era, but now?  I don't know if I agree, things always look better in retrospect and looking back there were a lot of cool things about that big, messy, monstrosity of a  tour.

Even in retrospect (for me) there's absolutely nothing cool (or endearing for that matter) about that era of GNR.  Biker shorts, back up singers, horns, drum solos, Duff singing, biker shorts, 10 minute songs, Izzy leaving, biker shorts...et al.

E-gads.

whats the problem with that?

I love people like you. You would bash Axl if CD only sold a million copies yet if he sold 5 million you would say record sales dont mean anything and bring up the N Synch thing.

The 10 min songs gnr played are some of their best if not some of the best songs of all time (nov rain, coma, estranged). Yeah I guess Zepplin really sucks with all their ten min songs right?

Now you are bashing Axl for wearing biker shorts, well did you see what Scott is wearing at the VR songs? I dont think that is cool either. Also Axl wearing sports jeserys is not cool either eh? So no matter what axl wears it wont be cool to you right?  Not that what someone wears makes them cool.

As for the back up singers and horn section, blame slash for that one since it was his idea to do so.

I guess the how ever many million people that saw the UYI tour did not think it was cool.
Just because you dont think its cool does not mean it wasnt.

The UYI albums together are still one of the best albums ever, and they are better than AFD (IMO of coarse).

But like i said Gnr are still cool today just look at the GHs and look at the pop gnr got at the VMAs.

But I will ask  you, what makes something cool in your eyes, I am just curious.

Just personal taste.  

Along with that, in a live setting, they just kill the momentum and flow of the show.

What does that have to do with UYI era GNR?


Again, that's your opinion.  As for Zep, ask Steve Jones if he thought their long winded stuff was cool...


Do you actually consider biker shorts ( in any form or fashion) in good taste?  You do, don't you! That explains alot..

I digress..

If you'll check my post history, I stated (more than once) Scott might need to do a rethink on his wardrobe.  My opinions on bad concert attire are hardly Axl specific...


So?  Whoever's idea it was, it was bad one.  Slash, Duff, Matt, Gilby, Earl, Izzy, Stephanie Seymour, Axl, the entire lot of 'em for all I care.


I was one of those millions and knew from the second I walked in they'd lost any aura of cool they'd once had.  It wasn't hard to realize, they'd just lost it.


That time period of GNR (not just Axl) and those albums were exactly what made them uncool.  (in my opinion of course.)


And look at the half empty arenas they played to thereafter..


In musical terms, something that extends beyond the music itself. Something that has relevence beyond the specific arena it's associated with. Something that makes people have different views and look at things in a different light.  Something that influences social perceptions at the time and musical perceptions of the future.

Basically, everything GNR wasn't during the UYI era.  

Dave, if I may, I'm going to borrow one of your favorite phrases.

Get a clue.

What Slash meant by "when GNR was still cool" is the time when relations between the band members was still cool.  It had absolutely nothing to do with the music that GNR created or even any music Axl may release with his new band.

As usual, you manage to twist anything Slash says to an insult against Axl.  It's that delusional "the world is out to get Axl" attitude that is so pervasive in every post you make.

But you're here daily on a GnR message board 10 years later man, you couldn't have thought it was that bad.  It obviously affected you.  

What I think about the tour now, is how it's become a kind of myth, rock n roll excess to the max.  The lateness, the riots, the rants, the fights, and occasionally a blistering set where Axl (and the others) were able to light a fire under an arena audience, not many can do that.   The models, the parties, the jet, it all just seems more exciting than your standard fare today, and the self-imposed minimalism that bands inflicted on themselves after that to be considered "cool".  

And the biker shorts....um, they were unique.  But that's what is interesting about that, no one else would wear that, then and now and he just didn't care.  The kilts, cowboy hats, colorful leather jackets, mesh shirts, the Axl sneakers he was just looked like some deranged superhero up there.  And look at Justin Hawkins and Karen O today, there is always a place for the outlandish in public consumption.  

So it may not have been socially relevant, but it's a hell of a story, a spectacle, a tragedy and a triumph and that's kind of cool.  

I think when he said "when GN'R were cool"  I think he meant cool as in the good old days  when they were all getting on and they were all working together.  

I think once again it's just a case of certain fans looking into things too much.  

I have to say i love the UYI tour/era i think it stands the test of time too.  Every new bootleg i buy from that tour i just get more and more into them and excited by the different performances.

Although i will admit it wasn't so cool to be into them by '93 -i would say. I was at school at the time i would fight the GNR corner lol. Against the  People were getting more into Soundgarden and Nirvana ect but were starting to turn away from GN'R .

GN'R were turning back into a cultish kind of band again which is cool.  If you think about it, that is what has kept them cool, relevant and why they can shift millions of  GH's despite a weak song selection and no releases since that period.

The 10 minute epic argument.  There are only a few artists who can pull it off with such greatness and for GNR it's a kind of signature thing.  It's part of of their greatness.

I think that's true.  

Dizzy you have no clue what you are talking about.
What slash said was a dig at Axl and you cannot even try to say otherwise.

If slash meant what you are saying, slash would have said when it was still cool to be in gnr but he did not. HE said when Gnr was still cool.

AFD affected me greatly.  It still does to this day, 17 years later.

To the same degree, UYI put me off the band.  It still does, 13 years later.

Luckily, I can now distinguish both eras and have a clear view on each, and hopefully discuss both in an informed, thought provoking manner.

And yes Freya, it's a helluva story.  No doubts here.

Sorry Dave, I already said that.  Beat you to it.



Oh yes I can, and yes I will.  But it's useless to try and convince you otherwise, because in your eyes, EVERYTHING Slash says is a dig at Axl, because as I said, it's "The Whole World vs Axl" to you.


Nope, he meant what I said he meant, because he's said the same thing in past interviews and gone into more details.  Look around the site and you'll find them.

Are you really ignorant enough to believe that Slash thinks GNR's old material (songs he cowrote and recorded) is not cool?

Dizzy just read the quote, its simple.
He said back when gnr was cool.
He never said when it was cool being in the band.
What don't you understand about that?
And slash is not talking about the material, he is talking about how people perseve the band, and slash is implying Axl made Gnr a joke in his eyes.

Also no I dont think slash is saying gnr songs are not cool but some of you VR fans do since you said the ten min songs are not  ::)

I don't know about you dave, but to the average person GNR is a laughing stock. So what he took a shot at Axl. Somethings you just can't understand. so what if Tommy and Josh said he's cool to work with, you weren't in the room. He could of been nice to them and an asshole to Slash. Unless you witness it with your own eyes or hear it with your own ears you have no right to pass judgement.

Today GNR is a laughing stock no matter how much you don't want them to be.

I disagree there. I'm not gonna discuss whether GNR was cool or not because what is cool to me might not be to you and the other way around, but as for GNR "offically ceased the first time Smell...was aired on MTV" I have my doubts. If I'm not mistaken, MTV must've aired Nirvana's SLTS around Sept-Oct'91. The illusions had just came out and GNR was just becoming the biggest band on the planet.

Sometimes the media, trying to set dates to when the whole grunge thing started ( killing bands like GNR aloing the way) make up bullshit just to make their point clear. We both know it didn't happen like that. GNR down fall was a very slow process, probably magnified  by Kurt's dead in 94.

It's quite obvious that you have a vendetta against Slash.

Just remember two things:

1) The 10 minute songs that you jerk off to like NR, Estranged, Coma etc... (which I love a lot too) are all songs in which Slash contributed to... a lot of the reasons that those songs are as powerful as they are is because of Slash's guitar playing, along with Axl's powerful lyrics.

2) The mainstay of the GNR tour in 2002 (which I was very fortunate to see) was Appetite and UYI hits... again, all of which Slash is a huge part of. So don't make this an Axl vs Slash thing... because remember, Axl and Slash needed EACH other. Also remember that you give a lot of credit to the new 3 guitarists, and 90% of the material that they are playing is based on Slash's guitar playing.

Even if he was taking a dig at Axl....who in their right mind is going to argue GNR as a band now is even half as cool as the Appetite Era Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll version of the band? I still love the band but I would love some of whatever you're somking if you're going to try and say that in terms of mass appeal and coolness that people would choose the New Band over the Appetite Era line-up. I would guess that is what Slash was referrring to when he said when the band was still cool.

Ridiculous.

Take your own advice and read the quote Dave, and read it in context.  Here let's analyze it.


Now read the bold part very carefully.  Read it twice if you can't understand it.  It puts the "when Guns was still cool" statement right into context.  He meant that when GNR first formed, when they started touring and getting onstage.  It's blatantly obvious he means the exact same thing about GNR that he explicitly stated about VR.  At least it's obvious to anyone who interprets those statements without having a "Slash is out to smear Axl" bias.

No problems with your disagreement.

I'll clarify, the perception of GNR changed with the UYI's and subsequent tour.  The perception increasingly worsened with the rise of grunge,  less became more and excess was deemed passe'.

I was going to say I'm shocked that people are actually arguing over what Slash said, but then I realized it's just another case of the SSDD (same shit different day) syndrome going on here.

It's beyond obvious that Slash was talking about the height of Guns' popularity, you know when they were they were "cool." They are no longer in the public eye, so they are no longer cool in that sense. It's not an insult in any way, shape, or form. Case closed.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. I really can't believe certain people are that thick. Please stop trying to think because it's not working for you.

If you read the quote properley which obvoiusly some people havent Slash says-


Notice the word MY. He says "In MY old days when guns was cool which was a great time in my life". He is saying that back when he was in Gn'R and things between him and the rest of the guys were good. Even so i think the old Gn'R was miles cooler than the new one - i want to be in the old Gn'R, not so much with the new one!

In terms of UYI tours and albums i think the band lost alot of that street edge - slow 10min songs, drum solos, guitar solos and coming on stage late are all things that made that area alot worse than AFD.

And Dave - you constantly say in your posts "You VR fans" etc.. Were not all simply VR loving Axl/NewGn'R hating VR fans. I like VR and i like the NewGn'R - so stop trying to catagorise everyone who posts in this section as blind VR lovers - otherwise by that definition you yourself must be one.

UH OH Dave has his panties all up in a bunch.......Anyway, my interpretation of what Slash said wasn't a dig at Axl. He may not think GnR is cool now, but he didn't for the last couple years he was with Gn'R either. He meant GnR was still cool, like when everyone was still having fun.  

Agreed GN'R is looked at as a laughin stock. I remember at the start of 2003(so 18 months ago)in Melbourne's main paper The Hearald Sun, it showed the big things that were gonna happen that year. And in the big albums being released it said Chinese Democracy? And it goes on to say something like...."This almost 10 years in the making album is turning into a "SOAP OPERA".

GN'R is being laughed at. God you look at Axl n slash n duff rocking out on stage, and today we were reduced to watching a clown wearing a bucket on his head and Axl parading around with a bunch of idiots. Besides Stinson and Dizzy, the rest of the band have got no where near enough talent to be under the name Guns N' Roses.

So for all the VR fans that say Gnr is a laughing stock.
AT the VMAs how many people did you see laughing when they were playing?

Well its funny that most people that bash axl and love VR like to name calling toward people that support Axl and the new band and bash peeople that dont like certain VR songs.

Go figure. And some of you wonder why I like fucking with your heads hmmm

[quoteAT the VMAs how many people did you see laughing when they were playing? ]
I think its great you think your fucking with people's heads....I mean this is an internet message board and I am sure there are people losing sleep over your repetitive Axl-loving arguments, but did you happen to see ANY of the reviews or parodys of GNR after the VMA in which they all had a totally fat guy running around pretending to be Axl after he was totally out of breath during Jungle and PC. I think you are either dellusional or in denial if you don't think the VMA's did more to HURT than help New GNR. I am sure we'll get the same dose of how excited he was, and that the band sounded great, and that the people went nuts....but at the end of the day the thing that sticks out in the casual viewers head is that Axl COUNT NOT perform those songs like he should have given no one had seen him in about 7-8 years. That is what we like to call choking under pressure. Now let the excuses flow as to why this is totally not the case even though it totally is. Do you really think shows like Howard Stern or Connan O'brien would have fat people parodying Axl Rose had he come out and nailed the VMA's the way he did in your mind and not run around noticibly bigger and more out of breath than any of his fans had ever seen him?

Can we wait till the album is out before you say that

It's really sad that Dizzy had to analyze Slash's statement in order to even attempt to get you to understand it, Dave, and even so, you choose to ignore it because you have a belief that what everyone says about Axl is against him.

But even if what he said was to say that GNR is now a joke, it would be true. Perhaps not in your dellusional world, but anyone with a clue of reality can see that.  

I see what you are saying, but my perception ( and the majority of GNR fans then ) is totally different. We've discussed this before though.

Yes we can younggunner, but can we also wait for the album for you to say the opposite?   ;)

That was 2 years ago dude, let it go....


To refresh:

Since then:

Failed tour, no single, no album, no vid, best new member left, parodies on VH1 and SNL (by Matt Damon for cryin' out loud), made fun of on Leno, Conan, Kilborn Stern, Kevin and Bean, Jim Rome....I could go on..

Do the math...

Since there's no music to judge the band by, (and none in the forseeable future we know of), all we've got to go on are the facts mentioned above and throughout this thread.

For the most part, the negative perceptions aren't necessarily towards band, hell, it's a good band (even without BH).  There pointed directly in the direction of one man and one man alone.

Anyone who doesn't recognize this fact is clearly seeing things through
Rose colored glasses.

 :hihi:

 :'(

There were a whole lot of laughs after.

ouch.  :hihi:

i wanted to point something out... the VMA's are not exactly the end all/be all of audience receptiveness. I know this because i have gone to them before (don't ask). The audience is largely composed of star-struck teenagers and twenty somethings who get to stand in the "pit" so long as they scream and carry on like they just witnessed the second coming of the lord.
Yes Axl was received quite well, but that's really not saying that much. (and yes, i will say the same thing if and when VR plays- i like both bands equally)
People point to the VMA's as the premier indicator of how the new Guns N Roses is going to be received and that's just not the case.

Exactly.

If I recall correctly, didn't Justin Timberlake get quite an ovation from the very fans that provided the so called "pop" for the Axl Rose 8?

I said it before and I'll say it again.

E-gads.

Many people laugh after watching the preformance on tape compared to RIO or MSG