Here Today... Gone To Hell!

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 4, 2004
Arts & Leisure
M U S I C
PLAYLIST / JOHN FLANSBURG

VELVET REVOLVER I find the name Velvet Revolver disturbing.  There is a very important band named the Velvet Underground.  When thinking up a band name, one has to acknowledge that some names are just taken.  This lack of originality is at the core of what is bad about this band.  There is a pervasive ?everything?s been done? aspect to its album, ?Contraband? (RCA), but as this is a band composed entirely of hard rock veterans, perhaps, for them, it has.  This album recently entered the chart at No.1 because of the band?s super-group status.  Velvet Revolver?s gifted lead singer, Scott Weiland, started his rock career with Stone Temple Pilots, while the lead guitarist Slash, who enjoys what is possibly the sweetest talent-to-success ratio in popular music, is formerly of Guns?n?Roses.  The return of Guns?n?Roses has been eagerly awaited for years by millions.  When word got out that Velvet Revolver had formed, that it included other ex-members of Guns?n?Roses and that it was going to be ?heavy,? I suspect many fans thought this might be the closest they?d ever get to a resurrected Guns?n?Roses.  The pity is Mr. Weiland couldn?t find a more inspired vehicle for his very real talent.
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Oh....please.  Mr. Weiland is benefiting greatly (as are the others) from this collaboration.  I don't think another of his solo albums would be number one on the chart.  And having heard his album, I dispute the notion of his talent.  Performer?  Yeah, sure.  But imo, the talent was the DeLeo brothers.  It is also my opinion that although Weiland works well live with the band and has given them some hipster cred, musically he does nothing to bring them up a level.