Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Velvet Revolver, A Legal Substance

 J. Freedom du Lac, Pop Music Critic for The Washington Post, talked to Weiland in advance of Velvet Revolver's appearance Sunday at Virgin Festival.

Washington Post: The new Velvet Revolver album, "Libertad," doesn't sound quite as hard or venomous as the first one, "Contraband." Is that a reflection of where you are personally now versus then?

Scott Weiland: Nah, it's more that we figured out who we were and kind of wanted to explore different musical directions. When I joined the band, those guys had been playing together for a while -- just jamming with no singer. They were already in this rhythm. I came in and had to mold that rhythm into my own to make it work musically. But that first record did have a lot of ferocity and a lot of anger. I think that's where I was at the time. And I think everyone sort of felt like we had something to prove. On this record, we really wanted to push the envelope and try a lot of different things, to bring out a lot of influences. My own musical influences range from the Stones and Beatles to jazz, bossanova, the Carpenters and Jerry Jeff Walker. As I've gotten older, I've found that I'm not afraid anymore to throw my influences into making a record. Making an album should be an honest experience. It shouldn't be about trying to gauge where popular music is today; it should be about artistic expression and putting down what you want to put down. That's what we did.

WP: It's interesting to hear you say that you're not afraid to throw your influences into an album, because Stone Temple Pilots were slagged for being a copycat grunge band -- a Pearl Jam knockoff. Did that criticism sting?

SW: It definitely bothered me at the time. But I think on the song "Plush," you can make that connection to Pearl Jam just like you can make the connection from Rod Stewart's song "Hot Legs" to the Rolling Stones. "Plush" happened to be our breakout single. You have to remember that at the time, Pearl Jam was getting slagged brutally by Nirvana and the media. They weren't considered critics' darlings until Kurt (Cobain) passed away. And then he (Eddie Vedder) sort of took over as the disturbed and bitter genius, I guess. But I'm so proud of the legacy that Stone Temple Pilots has. We've written close to 18 Top 20 hits, and many of them are still played on the radio today. That's the legacy we wanted to create. We wanted to be played on rock radio for the next 20-30 years. That's actually happening. The only thing that's left unfinished is the completion of the story. I feel that there could be a better final chapter, a better bookend. If all the planets line up, you never know what might happen one day.

WP: I read an interview with Duff where he talked about the heavy touring load after "Contraband" came out. Pointing out that you guys were together nonstop once that album landed, he said: "I don't care what five people you do that to, you're gonna get sick of each other." As all of you came out of successful bands that imploded, do you talk about making sure something like that doesn't happen with Velvet Revolver?

SW: When things really go south and we start getting in that big drill car and driving to hell, we usually get together and talk. How successful that is depends on everybody's state of mind at the time. Usually it works out fairly well. But lately, there's been some things that have happened that definitely shouldn't have happened -- where band members have irresponsibly used the media as a tool and said things that they shouldn't have said. And that's [expletive] blasphemy, because a band should be a safe haven regardless of what goes on. It doesn't matter what kind of problems a family is having; it should always stay in the family. The [expletive] media is bad enough as it is. It seems like everyone's got an agenda, and the agenda seems to be selling magazines or air time with sensational stories. Look at the [expletive] with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, these tragic figures. It's not like any of that stuff is new; that kind of [expletive] has been happening for years. It's just that the media didn't hound them. When people fell, they either fell again or they picked themselves up and figured it out. But it wasn't on E! or the celebrity news shows 100 percent of the time. It's become an addiction for the American public. People are more interested in that [expletive] than the upcoming election.

WP: Does performing sober feel any different to you than when you would get on stage in an altered state? Do the sensations change?

SW: First of all, I'm not sober. I haven't done drugs in 3 1/2 years, so I call myself clean. But I do drink a little bit. That's worked for me, but I don't recommend it for everybody. But yeah, there's a huge difference on stage. When I'm not completely loaded, it's a much more vulnerable place. I can feel the music, I can feel the energy and I really have to put it out there. When I was loaded, I was just oblivious. I was so emotionally detached that I was cocksure. I'd do anything. I'd go out on stage in a women's bondage suit.

WP: "Libertad" includes a surprising cover of ELO's "Can't Get It Out of My Head." Spill beans: Who's the band's closet Jeff Lynne fan?

SW: My wife and I are huge ELO fans. Brendan (O'Brien, who produced "Libertad") is as well. He came into the studio and started playing "Can't Get It Out of My Head," just strumming the chords. I started singing and he started doing the harmonies. It was one of those fun little moments. He looked at me afterwards and said: "You know, it wouldn't t be the worst idea I've ever had." I thought we could approach it in a completely different way, and I did that with the vocals, which are kind of Grandaddy-esque. Granddaddy is one of my favorite bands, and I love how he sounds like his voice is filtered through a water faucet. I tried to get that sound and really sing it quiet and lonely. And Slash put down some of the most amazing guitar I've ever heard. I was really hoping people would get where we were coming from on that tune. Unfortunately, critics haven't really gotten where we're coming from on that.

WP: When you tried out for Velvet Revolver ...

SW: No, no, no. I need to get this straight for once. I never [expletive] tried out for Velvet Revolver. I've never tired out for any band. I wouldn't even try out for the [expletive] Rolling Stones. Stone Temple Pilots broke up and I was working on my solo album. The last thing I wanted to do was join another [expletive] rock band after all the [expletive] drama I went through with Stone Temple Pilots. I ran into Duff at the gym and he told me they were forming a new band and that I should check it out and see if it's something I'd be into. They gave me two different CDs with about 40 to 50 songs. The first CD was basically atrocious. It was stuff they'd also written with Izzy (Stradlin, another Guns refugee), and it sounded like Bad Company gone wrong. I told them I was busy and wasn't really interested in the idea. About three months after that, I got another CD with some more songs and there were two that I thought were pretty good. One was called "Slither." I thought it sounded a lot like Stone Temple Pilots around "Core" -- like "Piece of Pie or "Wicked Garden." In my head, I was thinking: What would I do with this? If you listen to the vocal on it, it's like very much "Core"-era Scott Weiland. During that time, my wife and Duff's wife became friends, and they lobbied me to join the band. What ended up happening was, my wife and I separated. She was with her kids in L.A. and I I was living in our apartment in Hollywood, doing a lot of drugs. And those guys were clean at that time. I said that if I did get into this band, it might be an opportunity to hook up with some guys who aren't using and had gone down the same sort of path that I had. Right around that time, their manager called me and said there were two soundtrack opportunities on the table for a lot of money. Do the songs, get a big paycheck and if you find out you work well together, just take it from there. I didn't show up the first day because I was loaded and couldn't make it. But I came the next day and we got together and started working out Pink Floyd's "Money" and writing a new song, "Set Me Free." And I joined. But never, ever, ever, never did I try out.

WP: Did you have any trepidation about joining a group that featured three former Guns N' Roses guys?

SW: It had been a long time since those guys had worked at that kind of level -- a long time since Guns N' Roses as people knew them were together and had that big fan base. My only worry was that people might think it was sort of ridiculous. I didn't want it to be like when Styx and those kinds of bands get together at the county fair or when Def Leppard tours. My worry was that people would come and see it because they wanted to be reminded of seeing Guns N' Roses in 1991. It was just six months earlier that my band had broken up. I didn't want another [expletive] band. I had a completely different plan in mind. But we got together and ended up making a great record.

Edited to fit page...complete interview here: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/virgin-festival/2007/08/post_1.html

Like the bookend to grunge that he is, he wouldn't even try out for the Stones man!?  :confused:

The first CD with Izzy's songs was atrocious?  Izzy is such a damn good songwriter, I find that hard to believe.

It also sounds to me like he is more than leaving the door open to an STP reunion.

Ali

I think VR are done


That interview coupled with the horrible Libertad sales dont bold well.

Matt's said some pretty bad things in the media recently I wonder if Weiland means him in the interview when he's talking about band members saying stuff irresponsibly in the media?

I wonder if the Izzy stuff sounded too GNR for him, it seems like he prefered the stuff that sounded more STP. Not really a big surprise but it's a shame, I bet there was some great stuff on the Izzy cd.

I stopped reading at the part where he mentioned a possible STP reunion in the future...just too excited by the prospect!

yeah, in my opinion, due to the lack of amazing sales with Libertad, the band will tour, and then go their seperate ways.

Its strange that Weiland would criticize his band members, presumably Slash, for making irresponsible comments while he makes his own regarding the material they wrote with Izzy and a STP reunion.  We knew he wasnt into that first batch of material, but to describe it as "atrocious" is unnecessary. 

The negativity in this band at the moment certainly suggests that it might end sooner than later, and Im fine with that.  I still think theyre a great band that made a great album with Libertad, but its been over four years and Id love to see Stone Temple Pilots reunite.  If they choose to stay together, Im fine with that too.

I'm guessing that the criticism was directed at Matt, not Slash, for Matt's recent comment about how nobody is waiting for STP to reunite.  In which case, Scott now commenting that he's hopeful for a reunion would make sense.

I guess he wasn't much of a Guns N  Roses fan either. His worries about the legacy that Slash, Duff and Matt may have carried is pretty sad.

Honest interview, but creepy.

Ummm....did he say atrocious?  Brutal honesty, for better or for worse

 :hihi: I think you might have pissed the point completely.

If you read it in its proper context he just means - how can i put this - that he believes he has achieved too much in his career, and that he has too much pride to try out for other bands (or too big an ego, if you like). He used the Stones as an extreme example coz obviously everyone would want to join them, but he's saying that he would have too much pride or whatever even to audition for the stones. Make sense?

I wouldn't read too much into the atrocious comment - its probably something the band all laughed about since. I'm surprised more people haven't picked up on the "big fat paycheck for two soundtracks" comment.

Not only is it unnecessary, but it's moronic. We all know how great of a songwriter that Izzy is, so I really don't think anything he wrote with the rest of those guys at that time was bad. Hell I don't think I have ever heard a song that Izzy has written that wasn't good.

None of us have heard the Izzy sessions; it is impossible to know how they turned out. But Booker is right about Scott's reaction: he could have expressed himself more politely.

Where was this said?

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/sorum%20scared%20about%20the%20end%20of%20velvet%20revolver_1038918

so, does this mean that the complete ''VH1 Inside Out: The Rise Of Velvet Revolver'' was just bullshit?

Weiland calling Stradlin's music ''atrocious''?  ??? :confused:


That is on the latest rolling stone. You can find the links visiting VR's official website. I think it was posted here but then deleted.

rolling stone

Yeah, that's true.  But, have you ever heard Izzy write a song with Slash and Duff that was atrocious?

Ali

I have to admit I haven't.

Whilst it's not atrocious You Aint The First isn't very good imo, but one bad song out of the number that Izzy's written isn't too shabby.

Funny how when he was in STP, I never really heard Weiland say too much or speak out against anyone. Maybe the drugs sedated him too much back then, but it seems when he starts yappin now, there's not a real pleasant man inside that head of his.

I think that is totally untrue.  In my opinion you would be very hard pressed to find an established vocalist that would want to join an existing band the size of the Stones.

You know, if you think about it, him saying that certain band members have used the media irresponsibly and saying those things should've been kept in house, in the course of an interview is kind of hypocritical.  Although, to his credit, he refrains from naming names.

Ali

I think Scott was probably referring to the negative comments Matt made about him and STP in Rolling Stone.  It could be Slash too though, saying stuff like we should get the old GnR back together and play some concerts with STP.  Scott probably didn't like his guitarist basically saying "Yeah, we could get back with our old bands and you guys could open for us"

But, Scott is in no place to talk.  He ran his mouth and insulted Axl on the band's official website, ran his mouth about Chinese Democracy flopping at the Van Halen induction (looks double stupid now with the sales figures of Libertad).  Repeatedly talking shit about Axl in very public forums when a large portion of people interested in your band are GnR fans before VR or STP fans, is not the smartest move.  By insulting him you are insulting GnR, much like Matt was insulting STP

Matt and Scott both have big mouths and love to hear themselves talk, and they say stupid things to the press from time to time.  Scott might also be upset with Duff for airing dirty laundry about how the band was on the verge of breaking up during the writing process.  Who knows, but this band is filled with guys with big egos who can't help but open their mouth when there's a mic in their face and often end up saying something before thinking

He wouldn't even try out for the rollings stones ??OK . If the last thing he wanted to do was join a Rock and Roll band then why did he bother joining this band.

Seems like he liked the stuff that was STP sounding and hated the first stuff because Izzy had written stuff on it. I'm not sure the words bad song and Izzy Stradlin have ever been in the same sentence. Well that interview further makes me not like Scott Weiland. From what I can gather from my friends there is a big dislike of Scott.

All Bad In VR... Interviews, Relations, Music, Shows... etc...

Pray By All...

HBK *

Man, this current tour with AIC should be so fucking killer, but an interview like this kind of spoils it.

That's fucking sweet that Scott listens to Grandaddy.....I knew those boys from back in the day, probably the absolute coolest group of guys you could ever meet and hang out with.  Too bad they broke up. 

I'm not really surprised. Libertad IMO wasn't all that great. I do feel that after their obligated third album, we're possibly going to see a split. Maybe Slash will work on that solo album he was thinking about. That would be cool.

Too much pride to audition for the Stones - maybe when he gets as big as The Stones he can say that..... ::)
I made my comment in the context of his grunge statement - make sense?
Besides Pearl Jam aren't grunge!

Many artists consider joining an established act and playing predominantly other people's material as selling out their artistic integrity. If you want to use that definition as having too much pride, then we are talking about the same thing. You think any front man worth his salt would want to join a band, even one as big as the Rolling Stones, so that they could sing Mick Jagger songs all night? Slash would never join an established group to play someone elses guitar parts, just as Axl wouldn't have ever joined a band to sing other singers music.

Saying you wouldn't tryout for the Stones or any other big established band is not having too much pride, it is having self-respect and artistic integrity. I can't believe any artist out there who has helped build a band into a major act could ever join another established act as riding someone elses coat tails could never give them the satisfaction they got from doing it on their own.

Any artist would jump at the chance to perfrom with The Stones as a way of improving their art.

Axl really benefitted from it when he did it - maybe Scott is referring to this in a round about day and is again revealing his jealously.

You see, Scott performing with The Stones is a yawn, Axl performing with THe Stones is exciting.

You should have seen Tina Turner and Mick at Live Aid - Did Tina sell out?

That was amazing, as was her performance with Eric Clapton.  (If I remember, correctly.)

The guys in VR aren't getting along so good these days eh?

There's a difference b/w performing with the Stones and joining them. Figure it out.

AS if The STones would ever consider Scott as member is such a funny thought.

If he used a lesser example of a band for his comment, I could perhaps take him more seriously.

Obviously what he was trying to imply completely went over your head.  Never mind.

No, I got what he said - I just picked it pieces. People are talking about Weiland and artistic integrity in the same sentence here! Sorry!  :no:

Wow, very touchy about whether or not he 'tried out' for VR.? I guess it's a clash between his pride and insecurities that makes it a sensitive issue.? However, the subsequent quote:

"Do the songs, get a big paycheck and if you find out you work well together, just take it from there."

makes it clear that there was going to be a trial period on both sides, which is completely understandable in the circumstances and there's no shame in admitting it.

As for the 'atrocious' comment on the material written by Izzy, Slash and Duff; unnecessary and disrespectful to your fellow band members, and another example of Scott engaging mouth before brain.? Same goes for this:

"But lately, there's been some things that have happened that definitely shouldn't have happened -- where band members have irresponsibly used the media as a tool and said things that they shouldn't have said. And that's [expletive] blasphemy, because a band should be a safe haven regardless of what goes on. It doesn't matter what kind of problems a family is having; it should always stay in the family."

Quite apart from the hypocrisy of this remark, I'd have thought that pissing off your fellow band members just before you go on tour would be something that even Scott would recognise as an unwise move.

Maybe he was bashing the guys that are currently in GN'R  :hihi:

That too - the whole article is just loaded with veiled references!  ::)

IMO vr is done. we will get a live album and they will break up.

their schtick is gone. Now, I would hope slash/duff/matt continue to work together and get a real hard rock guitarist like izzy and then get a RNR singer and just make a balls out guitar rock record.

thats what I miss with VR. it isnt a balls out RNR record

What's this? Can I quote you on that?  :hihi:

Wow, you must really love this band while secretly hoping for that STP reunion.



Some people have seen these sings a long time ago and were labeled "Axl fans".

This guy basically slanders Izzy. He really must have a tough time living under the GN'R shadow.



His comments about the songs sounding like STP makes sense. No wonder I find VR's music bland and boring. That's what STP was to me too!

It's like the band Bush, music made for the US radio. Elevator music for teenagers.  :hihi:




/jarmo

Izzy won't be involved if if they bring in another lead singer. ?This interview by Scott is a perfect example of everything Izzy wanted to avoid. ?His instincts were right on the money - you bring in a frontman with a strong personality and it will compromise their musical integrity. ?Granted, without Scott they wouldn't have the exposure and commercial success that they've had (at least with Contraband). ?So, congratulations, Slash and Duff. ?You abandoned the "atrocious" music that was true to your souls in exchange for one commercially successful album and feeling "relevant" again. ?And now your frontman is openly talking about reuniting with his old band. ?To paraphrase Duff's recent comments about Axl - they made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Secretly?  If it was a secret, I wouldnt have just said it.

Heres another "secret": I hope the original Guns N' Roses reunites.  Feel free to quote that.
I think I explained it pretty clearly: I think the band has had a great run thus far, which is why Im fine with it ending. You missed this sentence:


Im a fan of STP and VR.  Im fine with either one.  Its a win-win for me. 


If youre referring to yourself and the handful of other posters who do nothing but make negative posts in this section, you are "Axl fans."  Some people saw those signs a long time ago, when you kept stating how you saw VR five times. 


Do you know the meaning of "slander?"  Where does he do this?

That's not exactly a secret.

I figured you were one of those people.




What a long career they had huh?

Two albums.





Yeah, I was being told I hate the band... Which is kinda funny considering how little interest I have in them now, two-three years later.  :rofl:




I said "basically".

I think his comments were disrespectful, but then again coming from that ass clown it's hardly surprising.




/jarmo

He took a shot at Izzy's writing ability.  I think Scott has great stage presence and a great, well-crafted vocal instrument, but as a writer, he has nothing on Izzy.  I've never heard a song that Izzy wrote with Duff and Slash while he was in GN'R that was anything approaching atrocious, so while it may be true the material wasn't superb, I have a hard time believing it was atrocious.

Ali

This is incorrect.  A good deal of that albums music was written prior to Scott joining, along with the Izzy material.  Since this is the case, that music was no less "true to [their] souls" than the Izzy stuff. 

As for compromising their musical integrity, theres no evidence of that.  Compromise is natural within a band - its the reason GNR released "November Rain" and other similar songs.  I think thats quite different than compromising ones musical integrity. 

Of course not.  ::)

Do you really think RCA signed them and let them do what they want?




/jarmo

Remember the interview from back in like 1995 where Slash was slamming Axl because Axl wanted to be like Pearl Jam or something along those lines and that he (Slash) "hates Pearl Jam" or whatever, and then 9 years later he teams up with Scott Weiland who is still to this day best known for his work in the alternative/grunge scene of the early 90's, and that now it's Slash whose latest album is full of songs that sound like B-side STP tracks?  Kind of ironic

This interview just shows me why i do not like him.

His lyrics suck, his vocals suck and his attitude sucks.

Damn shame, Duff and Slash deserve better

Oh, so you figured out why it was placed in quotation marks.  Congrats.

Similarly, Im a fan of the new GNR as well.




And GNR had about three.

I didnt say anything about a "long career."  I said they had a good run. 




Whats even funnier is how much time such a disinterested person spends in this section commenting on the band. 



Again, do you know the meaning of "slander?"  He said he didnt like the music on the CD he heard - thats nowhere near slander, not even "basically."  Its not even about Izzy.


No, he didnt.  He didnt say anything about Izzy, other than the fact that he helped work on that music.  He didnt say anything about Izzys songwriting.  He gave an opinion on one batch of material with which Izzy happened to be involved. 

Yes, much of it was still their music, but the fact remains that they had to scrap the music that they initially wanted to work with and upon having it rejected, sent a 2nd set of music to Scott, likely with the mindset that it would be something he would like. ?Whether that's selling out or natural bandmember compromise, depends who you ask, but my opinion is the former, simply because I believe that Scott was brought in to heighten the band's exposure, not to have him come in and push the boundaries of the music that they were capable of producing.

Sure there is.  They teamed up with a lead singer who became famous during the same era and within the same musical genre as a Slash "hates" and was even widely accused of sounding like that band's lead singer.  But they chose him because he was the most famous, high profile choice available and he would bring the most fame/press/hype/record sales/ticket sales/so on.  They chose their lead singer, not for who was the best fit musically, but for who was the best fit commercially.  Well, now you see the results.  The band caved in creatively to the lead singer's creative direction, and now the lead singer is openly talking about doing a reunion record with his old band

Do you have any evidence that suggests otherwise?  Your eyeroll icon suggests that you do, so Id love to see it.


Another completely unfounded suggestion that is undoubtedly based on your own bias.  I also dont accept the premise youre offering, that the choice was between exposure of "pushing the boundaries of the music."  I think it came down to who was the best frontman available, and they agreed it was him.  Again, if theres evidence to the contrary, Im interested.

I don't mean literally, i mean he was just using them as an example of a great band who he wouldn't try out for.

Some of us just find their comments AMUSING!

One day it's this, next day it's that.

This band is a train wreck




I guess it wasn't a shot at Izzy.

Kinda funny how he's the only one who wasn't part of writing the material on the second cd Scott was sent. The STP kind of material that apparently was good enough for him to "get".

The material written with Izzy was apparently shit.

No, I agree, that can't be a comment about his songwriting at all. Just because he was part of writing that crappy material...

 ::)




Do you have any proof that VR are doing what they want?

RCA picked the first single.

Clive Davis was involved enough to point out one of the songs needed a solo.




/jarmo

This is not evidence, just your own biased, ridiculous speculation.  Id expect you to at least know the difference.

Read the read of that paragraph he tells quite clearly his reasons for changing his mind. Plus there is a big difference in "trying out" and actually "joining" a band. People with big egos like Weiland don't wanna try out or audition for bands but he was offered to join VR so he did.

How can you people twist things so wrongly? He didn't say he didn't like it because of Izzy. He said he didn't like it. It just so happens the stuff he didn't like was the stuff they wrote with Izzy but he's basically critisizing Slash, Duff and Matt as much as Izzy. He only liked two songs from the second CD which didn't have Izzy so its not like there was much difference.

Maybe it wasn't a shot solely at Izzy, but it was a shot at the music they wrote with Izzy, the three of them. ?And again, I have never heard a song Izzy wrote with Slash and Duff that was anywhere near atrocious.

I just have a hard time believing it was "atrocious".

Ali

Booker, all of our opinions, including your own, are based on personal bias, no need to keep reiterating that. ?My bias is probably similar to Slash's - I didn't like STP back in the day. ?Yet he thought that group's frontman was the best available for the music they wanted to make? ?Sorry, brother, I don't buy it.

For those of us who grew up listening to music created by these people, hearing somebody (that I consider to be a less gifted songwriter), label their material as atrocious is a bit hard to believe.

Now Booker might be one of the few here who thinks Scott is right and has good judgment.  :hihi:




/jarmo

i agree IMO to an extent they sold out to gain commercial success.

I mean they were working with the guys from buckcherry! imagine what sort of kickass RNR they couldve made with them. but in the end they saw that making heavy "alt music" and hiring a singer from stp would get them more commercial success.

as I said, the one thing i missed on VRs 2 albums is slash's playing. it doesnt sound like slash IMO

and now its backfiring. ?

georgesteel is right. You think it was by coincidence they chose weiland?? coming off a big drug scandal, still popular?? they wanted to boost their exposure. it wasnt just ex gunners finding a new frontman anymore. it was ex gunners with ex stp singer. a supergroup and that was part of their schtick.

ive heard some of the demos with another singer, and it sounds real good. like classic GNR. radically different from the music on contraband

Yes Jarmo, you and I are 100% on the same page on that one.  Like I said, while I consider Scott to have a great voice and stage presence, I really don't feel he has anything on Izzy as a songwriter.  So, to criticize the material he co-wrote, if not his writing ability directly, it is a difficult pill to swallow.  Especially considering that Slash said the material they wrote with Izzy would've made a great GN'R record with Axl singing over it.

Ali

And only a person as disinterested yourself would not only follow the bands comment, but regularly comment on them himself.  Im sure everyone believes you when you declare your lack of interest.




He didnt like the material.  Saying you dont like a song isnt slanderous toward the songwriter.  Not even remotely so, enough to justify your "basically" qualifier. 




This is a marketing decision, not a musical one.  Nevertheless...

Dave Kushner:


Slash:



From a 2004 article, on Clive Davis:


Then Daves comment on the song:



Were they bullied?  Or do they respect Davis enough to try out what Dave called a "suggestion?"  A less biased person than yourself could look at the evidence and come to a logical conclusion. 

Eh, you're wrong...Slash did like Stone Temple Pilots, he also liked Nirvana and other grunge bands. He didn't like Pearl Jam. Big deal, either did I. I still like grunge bands. Besides, its not like grunge is a type of music anyway, it's just a silly term to describe most hard rock in the early 90's. The fact some critics compared the two bands is irrelevant - its possible to like one without the other.

Like Matt saying in Rolling Stone that if the cash was right he might consider a GN'R reunion. ?Two major flaws in that statement. ?One - Adler would be the reunion drummer, and two - who would actually offer Matt alot of money to do anything? ?He's a tool, not a star.

But Booker, he didn't just say he didn't like the songs they wrote with Izzy.  He used the word atrocious!  That is a harsh word with, in general, a very negative connotation. 

Still, like I said, I'll take Slash's word on that material over Scott's.  Slash is a better judge of what Izzy's material is like, or, at least, a better judge for a Guns N' Roses fan's ear.

Ali

I thought most of Libertad is crap. Does that mean I think Scott, Slash, Duff, Dave and Matt's songwriting abilities are crap too? Pretty dumb conclusion, particularly as I loved Contraband and pretty much everything Slash and Duff have done before.

Don't see how this comment is a slur at Izzy anymore than a slur at Slash and Duff. If you take it to mean Izzy is a crap songwriting then it would have to mean the same for Slash and Duff. Obviously, Scott does not think Slash and Duff are bad songwriters, so I don't think it applies to Izzy too.

wrong...Adler most certainly would NOT be the reunion drummer for the simple reason he would be unable to play most of what was on the Illusions due to the fact that Sorum is a 10 times better drummer than him......that aside...i find it amusing how VR continously brings up Axl Rose, and I am yet to hear the words "velvet revolver" come out of Axl's mouth....

Did Slash ever say that?  Like I said, completely unfounded.

Yet he thought that group's frontman was the best available for the music they wanted to make?  Sorry, brother, I don't buy it.


Unless you have something suggesting otherwise, you have nothing to back up your suspicion except your own bias.


Its his opinion, not an objective fact.  Youd probably disagree with him. 


Yes, it was harsh, but still just his opinion on the music.


Agreed completely.

Izzy is a much better song writer and has so much more cred.

Considering how much shit they say about my favorite band, I try to keep up with it and point out how things have changed.

Only somebody like you would have a problem with that on a GN'R fan site.

 :-*




Don't start throwing the bias insult around here Booker. Please!  : ok:

You're one of the least objective VR fans I've ever seen.



In case you didn't notice, I'm not the only one on this site that thinks there's more to the picture than you see by wearing your "nazi hat" and aviator glasses.

It's all a huge marketing thing with this band.

That's why I've been smiling at the dangerous and unpredictable act for years. Maybe you wanna quote me on that and "discuss" it once more?  :rofl:




I think it's different when you have the same group than if you have a different group of people.






/jarmo

I doubt it.  During the Contraband promotion, he admitted that he had never seen them live nor did he have any of their records, only that he had heard them on the radio.

You havent heard many words come out of Axls mouth recently, have you?  So its kind of a fatuous point, isnt it?

Yet you have heard (read) the words "Slash," "Duff," and "Matt" since each left.

 :hihi:

Only a person that is TRULY disinterested in a band can take the time to analyze hundreds of one-line comments made by the bandmembers and maintain a section of a message board in order to trash those comments.

Anyways, Scott thinks that Wu-Tang is more influenced by the Beatles than Grandmaster Flash? ?He could be right.

Marketing is the word here Jarmo and Weiland donning the Nazi hat and aviator glasses is really quite offensive, particularly beacause he is only doing it for marketing reasons alone.

I guess the thing that gets me the most is that Slash and Scott have such widely different views of the material that was written with Izzy. ?That and what I took as a very harsh assessment of the Izzy material. ?Like I said, as a GN'R fan, I think Slash's opinion is a better opinion to take into consideration as to what that material was like, how good it was.

Ali

Doesn't sound like an STP fan to me...

So that explains all of the non-GNR-related posts you make in this section.  Like I said, Im sure youre believed.  The more smilies you use, the more convincing you seem.


Is this incompatible with what the statement I quoted?  In that one, he said he knew and liked Scott/STP from the radio. 

Well Booker, if I was so fucking interested in the band, how come I didn't get the cd yet or travel abroad to see them live?

Maybe because I heard the EP,  watched some live clips and decided, their music doesn't do anything for me.

But the interviews are sometimes entertaining.

Like when one guy says they won't play any GN'R songs anymore only to be told they sure as hell will......


Having a guy who can't write a great song to save his life comment on others' songs is also fun.

Because to you, Scott has a point. "He has had 10547850404 Top 20 hits".

While to me, that doesn't mean shit since I never liked his songs in the first place.




/jarmo

Yes, it is somewhat incompatible. ?If he liked them why wasn't he one of the 25 million people that bought at least one STP record? ?That statement, together with Slash's past bashing of grunge music, while not "proof" is certainly evidence that he did not like STP.

 ::) Right, well when Axl starts talking, let me know, because I'm sure he'll get asked about VR (if he doesnt have a policy of being asked about old members).

Btw, although STP at first was similar in sound to the other "grunge" bands, by the time STP broke up and Scott joined VR, his voice, and songwriting had drastically evolved and barely had any resemblance to grunge.  So the fact that Slash hated Pearl Jam, doesnt mean that he couldn't stand Scott Weiland's singing or songwriting abilities.

Slash liked Alice In Chains and Soundgarden as far as I remember.

He didn't like Pearl Jam and he thought what ever they were going through was great to watch.





/jarmo

I remember Slash said on his website that he respected Jerry Cantrell as a guitar player.  I don't remember any comments about the band.

Ali

So in order to like a singer/band, one has to buy their records or go to their shows? 

Slashs statement - that he liked what he heard on the radio - isnt possible?

Okay.

In all fairness there is not a band in the world who isn't paying for their own record independently that doesn't answer to the label.

It is the cost of doing business. Hell, the label told GNR that there would be no Don't Cry or November Rain on Appetite, so does that make them label slaves? Of course not, because there is going to be a give and take between the 2 parties. In an interview from sometime around 200 Axl himself said that after listening to some of the stuff they were working on they said to go back and add things to the songs to make them better. That is what Clive Davis did as well, it is part of the record company's job; not a sign the artist is a puppet for the record company.

People are way too quick to jump on the Clive Davis thing when what he did is not the exception, but the rule.

In terms of the whole picking Scott as the singer thing, I have no doubt that commercial viability played a role in the decision making process, although certainly wasn't the only consideration. Again, not a band on the planet that hasn't made one decision or another at some point in the history of the band that has not been influenced by the commercial prospects of something. If anyone believes otherwise I have a bridge to sell you in New York.

Currently Matt appears to be the exception to the rule and is actually getting more immature as he grows older. He hasn't used his head for anything other than a hat rack for about 6 months now it appears.

Scott is also way too insecure right now about a whole host of issues. I know he is tempermental, but you'd think after 4 years now he would be a little more used to certain things than he appears to be. He might be better off as a solo artist as human interaction doesn't seem to work all that well for him over the long term.

I bet he liked it when the piano came out!

Adler owns Sorum. ?But you are entitled to your opinion as well.

I don't think Axl gives two shits about VR, honestly. ?Scott and Matt can run their mouths all they want. ?That doesn't change the fact that VR was just a story people found interesting. ?GN'R alumnists giving it another go. ?The music is mediocre at best and the Libertad sales prove it. ?

Meanwhile, Axl and Co. sell out arenas to rave reviews where ever they go. ?All they're missing of course is the album.

Naupis, that's the record business.

But not all bands act all "bad ass" or claim to be all unpredictable/dangerous either while being puppets.


No need to bring GN'R into this, some VR fans don't like it. Unless GN'R is used as an example to make VR seem "great".  :rofl:





/jarmo

Hes actually been quite diplomatic until very recently.  Im not sure why he changed his tone - I dont think anybody is - and it is disappointing, but his previous diplomacy should be noted.

It's not just that he changed his tone, he changed his stance towards Axl with seemingly no interaction since they met last year.? In his blog where he wrote about meeting Axl in NYC, he said there were no hard feelings.? Then, he comes back and slams him in RS.? It just seems odd after so much time to all of a sudden do that.

Ali

I was just using them because it is an example we can all relate to, and it was a compliment that towards GNR as well considering I used them as the example of dealing with the label while still not being considered sellouts for doing so. If you have a better example I will modify my post for you ?;)

I don't know, having heard Matt talk and having read many interviews with him, i feel that the tone of the RS interview and the way it was put out seems to be innacurate.  Either Sorum was having a bad day, and seeing as how the interview was not that recent, he might have been still feeling the effects of having lost his brother, or maybe he was a bit drunk, or possibly Matt was joking or trying to sound macho when he said what he said about Axl and the idea of GNR and STP reunions. 

Just rereading it, it doesn't sound like something he would say if he were level headed and not influenced by some unknown factor.

Not speculation at all

"Next thing you know, [Axl] wants to be Pearl Jam, right? Why? I hate Pearl Jam anyway, so what's the point? And it's great to watch Pearl Jam going through what they're going through, cos I'm going, "See Axl?""

Direct quote from Slash in 1995.  In 1995 he "hated" Pearl Jam.  His own words.  No speculation needed. 

Then later down the road teams up with the lead singer of a band who was basically the same genre as Pearl Jam.  And it's not "speculation" that Scott Weiland's voice especially on the first few STP albums was by and large considered similar to Eddie Vedder's.  No speculation there, it's true.  It's a bit hard to believe that someone could "hate" Pearl Jam and like STP, given the similarities between the styles of their most popular albums as well as the similarities in the voices of the lead singers, especially considering Pearl Jam came onto the scene before STP

Somehow it's hard to believe Slash heard Alive or Even Flow on the radio and thought "this sucks".  Then he heard Plush and Wicked Garden and thought "this is great". 

Well, in all fairness, with an interview, you know your comments are going to be published. ?If what he said wasn't representative of how he feels, then he should have made a more concerted effort to pick his words more carefully so his feelings wouldn't be misinterpreted. ?If he cares.

Second, I'm sorry, but being under the influence of any factor, emotional or otherwise, doesn't change the fact that he said what he said. ?He made the comments voluntary and another thing to consider is that he didn't just take a shot at Axl in that interview, he took a shot at STP as well. ?Maybe he was having a bad day, but you gotta know when you are being interviewed that your comments are liable to published so you have to watch what you say if you don't want to be misinterpreted.

Ali

That's very true and a good point, but I feel that if asked the same questions today, he would not say the same thing.

You'd have a point if we were debating over what's possible.  It's possible that, notwithstanding that Slash never saw STP live, didn't have any of their records, hated Pearl Jam, generally wasn't into to grunge, and whose music up to then had almost no common ground with STP, he was a closet STP groupie.  Given all that, however, it's more probable than not that he did not like them.

Actually Axl has had an open forum to rip VR and Scott Weiland at any of the sold out GNR shows over the past year and a half....and hasnt done it...its funny how Sorum accuses Axl of being "so jealous" of VR, but VR are the ones who can't shut up about Axl...VR are the ones who seem jealous, and when they watch Axl play sold out shows all over the world to fans that could care less if Slash, Duff, or Matt are there, who could blame them.... If I were them I would spend less time thinking about Guns N Roses and more time trying to push out that second single that is supposed to save their record before "Libertad" falls off the Billboard 200 completely....

It does sound like maybe these guys won't be with each other for that much longer.  Just by the comments of Matt and Scott.  I would love to see STP reunite at some point.

IMO they can permanently reunite after the VR/AIC tour :yes:

I'll make this short and sweet, because in reality it is

Axl is consumed with his current band not his past one.  Unless someone can attest to hanging out with the man and heard him tell them otherwise,
he does'nt say shit about Velvet Revolver or Weiland. That would lead me to believe that he does not give a shit about Velvet Revolver

As for the " Axl is jealous " comment:  # 1) Consider the source  #2)  Do you really believe Axl told Matt Sorum that he was jealous of that band because
" they play rock and roll "

The ability to smell bullshit......I learned it when I was about 18 or 19 years old

i enjoy the arguments in here. i love VR, but i really enjoy some of the VR bashing. i think it's fun.

maybe slash can screw scott over and take the VR name. then ask axl to join so he can become the new lead singer of VR. just a thought.

lol no they can?t... first they MUST come to Europe so I can see them  : ok:

Wow lol, its rough being a weiland fan and coming to this particular forum. Some people completely discrediting STP's music or labeling it strictly as grunge. I guess its cool to see the perspective of the really hardcore GNR fans though.

It's not everyone. I was huge STP myself, and I actually dislike their more grungy stuff in favor of the Purple album, which I thought was brilliant.
The problem, I think, is not really Stp's music, but the mouth of Weiland that rubs the hardcore GNR fan the wrong way

Nobody's labeled them "strictly grunge".  But there's no denying that their two most popular albums and the ones that everyone but their hardcore fans identifies them with were the grunge debut and the alt-rock followup which still had some grunge elements on it.  That's not just "really hardcore GnR fans".  That's actually most rock fans aside from the "really hardcore STP fans".  Core and Purple are the definitive STP albums for rock listeners.  Those are BY FAR their best selling albums, and without any question the most highly regarded albums outside of their diehards

If you want to talk about people discrediting STP's music, look no further than VR's own Matt Sorum.  In one the course of one interview he not only insulted the band that gave him whatever fame and visibility he has, he also insulted Weiland and STP.  Now surely that must have been rougher for you than hearing people on HTGTH "discrediting" Scott and STP

i saw VR live in europe back in june so it's ok :P STP re-unite :D

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? One of my favorite songs ever.

Well someone was bound to like it  :hihi: I just don't think it's up to much.

you aint the first is awesome indeed

Out of the thousands of times I've heard You ain't the first, the word " Awesome" has never once crossed my mind while listening to it

One of the few filler songs on the Illusions in my opinion

Ok I know what you mean and its fair enough but I wouldn't be totally sure Scott meant it as a diss to Izzy's songwriting abilities. Bear in mind he sings Mr Brownstone and Used To Love Her regularly and they were largely written by Izzy including the lyrics Scott sings in Brownstone.

Oh, I should have elaborated, when I said the hardcore GNR fan's perspective, I was more referring to the bashing of weiland than STP. ?Compared to average rock fans, who generally appreciate his performing, singing, and tributes to other bands, there is so much more hate towards the man here. ?Matt's comments didn't bother me for two reasons, one being he openly admitted to fearing weiland would leave and rejoin STP, and secondly, he is not very far from the truth. Scott kinda burned out in the later years of his career. STP left its mark on the 90s and rock history, and I can appreciate the material they gave, and rather just see scott move onto a more low key solo career.

Moving onto your comments, Grunge is already such a loose term to begin with (AIC and Pearl Jam sound distinctively different from one another). ?This isn't 93 anymore, STP set out and successfully proved their critics wrong, ?and that is what is widely accepted amongst ROCK fans. Even if the other albums didn't match up commerically, you know this yourself, they had some huge widely known singles on them such as the more psychedelic trippin' on a hole and sour girl.

And decided to make Sour Girl Part II  ( a.k.a. Last Fight ) just in case the original wasn't widely known enough!

yeah, but with Shannon Hoon performing it live, it was 'awesome'

I dont think the two songs are remotely similar.

So is Scott referring to Slash, Matt or Duff as using the media irresponsibly?  The band relationship sounds tenuous at best.  Anyway, Scott sounds like an asshole.  Team Slash.

Slash hasn't said anything against scott, from what i've read recently. I'm guessing Matt.

even when bands are on the verge of breaking up...they don't say the shit these guys are saying in the press. all seems very bad in VR camp.. I think alot goes back to slash visiting axl a couple years ago.. only slash and - i take it- beta know what really happened and the VR guys were really pissed about that, slash has been all over the place with what he said up there... wasn't there a rumor right around that time that slash loaded up his guitar rig out of the studio and quit??

His ego is to fucking big, he tried out.

Izzy has more talent in his ball sweat then scott will ever have,  :yes:

Talk about an ego...Scott wouldnt even try out for the Rolling Stones??  I'm taking it that no one has told Scott that he is just another average 90's singer...at best.... 

I havent read this board much lately, but last week I just wanted to get an update on things and people weren't just as excited as they were when VR released Contraband 3 years ago.? Prior to Contraband, VR was all over the place, news, interviews, radio...the marketing campaign did really help out boosting the album sales (and a few great songs in there). The band also looked tight...I didnt agree with many things said on interviews (specially Scott's) but they looked and felt alright.

This time around I dont see that. I havent heard the album so I can't comment on that (just heard two songs, SBQM - didnt like it - and The Last Fight - which I thought it was great) but the impression I get is that the band is not as tight as they were. Seems like they released this album for contractual reasons. The interviews I've seen and read are so dull... Truth is, I don't think the band members didnt really believe the "dangerous Rock and Roll" sorta life they were selling three years back, but sure they did have a bit more enthusiasm.

This interview, well..it's just not diplomatic. Sure you dont have to be diplomatic if you are in a rock band, but critisicing other band members sure is not the way to keep the band going. Also, leaving the door open for STP to reunite (which is not a bad thing) gives a few hints to what the future will bring us.

 :no:

WP: Scott Weiland, the singer for Velvet Revolver, wanted me to ask you who was more influential to Wu-Tang Clan between the Beatles and Grandmaster Flash.

GZA: Grandmaster Flash. I don't think most of the Clan is that familiar with the Beatles. I know some of their songs and I listened to a Beatles album on the way home from Europe. They made great music. Great songwriters. But coming up in the era of hip-hop, we knew more of the Grandmaster Flash songs. Now if you ask RZA, it might be an equal balance of both because he produces and is more in tune with that. The Beatles made great music. You hear their songs all the time. That's what great music is all about. It's timeless. If you listen to Grandmaster Flash's "The Message," that's a timeless song. I would give him a little more edge.

Here you go, from Slash himself

?I wasn?t a fan of any albums Brendan [O'Brien] had done before"

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2007350776,00.html

O'Brien produced all the STP albums.  So I guess that should put to rest the suggestion that Slash was an STP fan.  Or is it still just "unfounded speculation"?   :hihi:

Dammit!... I was thinking RZA in particular would answer The Bealtes.

I thought it was a really good question anyways.   : ok:

Havent we established that Slash knew STP from the radio, not their albums? 

Why do you post in the Velvet Revolver section more than the Guns N' Roses section?    :hihi:

What he knew and what he was a fan of are two different things.


He did not like the STP albums, according to himself.


No matter how many times he had heard it on the radio.




/jarmo

slash was right, what a fraud you are mister weiland.

let's face it, you'll never sing like axl, and you'll never write like izzy.

everyone can see you're just an average singer full of jealousy of
their talent, coming from an american band people don't really care about.

slash, duff, throw this guy where you found him, the toilets.

Since you mentioned it, fewer than 20% of my posts have been made on the VR board.

Nice attempt at a diversionary tactic though  : ok:

Do you have anything to say about the claims that Slash liked STP even though he clear as day says he wasn't a fan of any of the albums Brendan O'Brien had produced prior to Libertad?  Or would that be akin to "admitting defeat" by admitting that they chose Weiland because they chose commercial viability over artistic integrity?

I think Izzy's drawing some fire from Scott here because he patched things up (seemingly) with Axl in '06. I wouldn't read much more into it than that.

Beyond that... I think Guns' fame has always been somewhat of a burden for Scott... made him uncomfortable, etc. He seems at least somewhat paranoid that many critics think he just rode the coat-tails of Axl's old band to some post-STP commercial success.

Which is too bad in a way. I don't particularly care for Weiland as an individual- but I do think he's a unique and entertaining artist with his own impressive track record. I also really like VR's two albums. I hope they find a way to keep it together assuming a GN'R reunion continues to be nowhere in sight.

Thats not what he said, thats how youre predictably spinning it to fit your agenda. 


Your desperate attempt at parsing other words has no effect on the clarity of the above quote. 

 ???

Why would Scott be bothered by Izzys relationship with Axl?  Theres nothing to suggest he even knows Izzy beyond the few times they played together.  The fact is Weiland made it known he wasnt into that material since before the first album was released, even if he never phrased it as strongly as hes just done. 

The band then hired producer Brendan O?Brien who had worked with Scott when he was in Stone Temple Pilots.

Slash says: ?I wasn?t a fan of any albums Brendan had done before so I needed some convincing but as soon as we spoke on the phone I knew he was what we needed. "


The word ANY is the key.

Since English is only my third language, maybe you can correct me if I'm wrong. But doesn't "I wasn?t a fan of any albums" mean that he liked none of the albums Brendan had done in the past? Including the ones he had done with STP?

Oh wait, maybe being a fan of an album means something else to you.

Maybe you can be a fan of an album even though you don't like it? Maybe you can spin it to mean Slash loved the STP albums despite his quote where he says he wasn't a fan of them?




/jarmo

Where does it say slash doesn't like any STP albums????? He said he wasn't a fan, and if he had only heard STP songs on the radio, how the hell is he going to be a fan of an STP record.

Jarmo you are the one spinning words, maybe you don't mean to do it intentionally. Saying you aren't a fan of something doesn't mean you don't like it, there is the possibility you've never heard it. In this case, that isn't just a possibility, Slash himself said he hadn't heard them.

It seems like my English is very poor.

Slash says: "I wasn?t a fan of any albums Brendan had done before so I needed some convincing but as soon as we spoke on the phone I knew he was what we needed. "




/jarmo

your english is poor, you keep mistaking "im not a fan" with "I dislike".

Ok.

I'm not a fan of the latest VR single. Does it mean I like it?




/jarmo

But you've heard the lastest VR single, and therefore you can consiously make that decision. Slash said he hasn't heard any STP albums.

Slash says: ?I wasn?t a fan of any albums Brendan had done before so I needed some convincing but as soon as we spoke on the phone I knew he was what we needed. "

He says "any of the albums". That pretty much implies he's aware of what albums Brendan had done in the past.

Now, it's possible he knows Brendan produced STP, but since Slash never was a fan of that band, he didn't bother listening to their albums.

So in other words, he wouldn't be a fan of their albums produced by Brendan because he wasn't into the band.


Just like I don't listen to anything put out by Bon Jovi because I'm not a fan of their work..




/jarmo

Ok good now we've gone full circle.  Slash said FROM THE START that he only knew of STP from their songs on the radio, implying that he never bought or listenned to any of their (Brendan O'Brien produced) albums.

Therefore, Slash knew what Weiland sounded like and was capable of, and didn't dislike him or his songwriting skills.

But he wasn't a fan either.  ;) :rofl:




/jarmo

Maybe, and this is just a maybe, because Slash is talking about Brendan Obrien as a producer, he didnt like the production of any of the labums he's done? :nervous:

I remember Duff saying a while back that he was never really a fan of STP before Scott joined, and then after he joined he said he bought all of their records and loved em all.  I don't doubt that slash was any different.  Btw, why not mention that Dave had known Scott from his STP/MJY days, and probably vouched for him when the band considered him.

This may sound strange, but to me it would seem that Axl not Slash would be more into Stp. A lot of their albums were very melody driven.

This discussion on whether Slash liked or no STP is just pointless... You may don?t like or be a fan of a band but you may appreciate the band members skills (I?m not a fan of Metallica but I love the work of Hetfield, Ullrich and Hammet)... that?s what happened with Slash... he wasn?t a fan of STP but respected and appreciated Scott?s work and skills. I don?t see what?s so weird and outrageous in this... but as usual we keep making up stories to pass out the time...  ::)

Jarmo is right.


If u arent a fan of something, that means u dont LIKE IT.


I think the translation is universal in any language.


It doesn't mean Slash HATED the albums, but he certainly didn't like them.

Jesus Christ, is this a slight case of over-analyzing Slash's musical preferences or what?   ::)

I never expected VR to last forever and it seems increasingly now that they won't. But I love what they've given us, and I can't understand why people are bashing them so heavily - for me, it's always a great happening when ex-gunners put out albums, tour the world etc. Also, I think some people choose to dislike VR for other reasons than the music, which is kind of sad. The whole GNR vs. VR thing is so ridiculous.

Conclusions (and in no way are these meant to be disrespectful towards great musicians):

Scott Weiland is finding it hard to deal with other people without the substance blurry filter.

Matt Sorum proves again and again that drummers should not open their mouth (Adler is another "victim" of this mysterious syndrome).

...and, when all this is over, Dave Kushner will be laughing all the way to the bank without ever having to worry about unpaid bills again.

 :beer:   :hihi:
Good one.

and he can continue to make silly fart noises with his guitar.

in related news, this scott weiland interview has made a top news article over at ultimate-guitar with the prospect of STP reuniting. I think they are getting a bit carried away...

What? ???

I think Spinal Tap has proven to us that drummers are a dime-a-dozen anyway! 

Uncomfortable, he tried to milk the whole thing to death. Ever heard of meglomania?

aw come on!  robman speaks teh truth.   dont act like you dont notice the fart noises.  :hihi:

Yes, I have to do that in my 7th Grade classroom!  ::)

Considering he hated Pearl Jam, a band that was part of the scene that STP latched itself onto, it's not as stupid as you might think.



/jarmo

But I still don?t get it... lol maybe I?m kinda dumb today but... even if he didn?t like STP... what?s wrong with that? Just because Scott is in the same band as he is, does he have to like Scott?s previous band?
I?m pretty sure he liked Scott?s job as a frontman and songwritter, regardless of not liking his band... and he felt Scott suited VR as an individual, not the STP frontman... Again... what?s so weird about this? I don?t get it...  ???

:hihi: :hihi: 

Hey, we need a little humor in between all the serious discussion that goes on...some of us could go WAY off topic, here, and just discuss fart noises. :P  (only kidding....)

No.

It's just that he said he didn't love Scott's band or wasn't a fan of any of the albums the producer had done in the past.

Then he's in a band with Scott and using the producer who produced the band he hated (Pearl Jam).


Scott even says some of the stuff they (VR) did on Contraband reminded  him of Core-era STP which was the time when they were labeled Pearl Jam clones.....

It's all kinda ironic don't you think?





/jarmo

No, youre just reaching very, very hard.

Yeah, it's so hard to make the comparison between Slash hating Pearl Jam and him being in a band with a singer of a PJ clone band.  :hihi:

It's almost like if he hated Judas Priest and ended with Ripper Owens as his singer.  ;)





/jarmo

I don't think it sounds like Slash was a fan of STP at all. But it's not like it's a big deal. For instance I have always liked Lenny Kravitz singing but I don't like any of his songs or own anything he has ever done. If he was unknown and my band was looking for a singer and I heard a tape of "fly away" I would think "wow this song sucks but he has a great voice. I should try working with him and see what happens." That being said no one can deny that Scott being so successful with STP and his personal problems making him that much more of a known name had SOMETHING to do with him joining VR. How much it had to do no one here really knows but it was certainly a factor.

Only the vocals on the song "Plush" brought the comparison, which also happened to be their breakout hit. The songs on Core that reminded him of VR had to have been "Sex Type Thing" and "Crackerman". He sings with sorta similiar vocals as those two songs, and regularly added them into the contraband VR setlist.

exactly... thats what I was trying to say.. I see nothing wrong in all this.

Yeah I mean wasn't Brian Johnson more of a pop singer before replacing Bon in AC/DC? At least that's what I think I remember hearing. He was in some pop group named Jordie or some shit. I doubt Angus and Malcom rocked out to Jordie on a regular basis.

That's a very good point

What? that Scott's personal problems  had SOMETHING to do with him joining VR?

Not at all how you're making it sound. What I was saying was that Scott's personal problems made him more famous. People knew Stone Temple Pilots because they're songs were on the radio. People knew Scott Weiland by name because he was constantly in trouble with drugs. Him being famous and a known name probably had something to do with him joining Velvet Revolver.

nobody knows scott weiland in europe.

I think Where's Izzy mentioned the personal problems first.

You post didn't explain which good point you were referring to in all those quotes. I was just asking for clarification.


Or if you think it is a good point that Brain and Angus and Malcom were rockin out to Jordie on a regular basis?

or that you see nothing wrong in all this?

Or if you think that it doesn't sound like Slash is a fan of STP?


By the way: I think it is a great point that no-one Knows Scott Weiland in Europe DeN.? ? ? : ok:

What on earth are you talking about.


First thing I said: It doesn't sound like Slash was a fan. I also pointed out that Scott's drug problems made him much more famous, at least in America. I also explained that I don't believe it matters if you are a fan of someones talent and not their work.


Yeah I mean wasn't Brian Johnson more of a pop singer before replacing Bon in AC/DC? At least that's what I think I remember hearing. He was in some pop group named Jordie or some shit. I doubt Angus and Malcom rocked out to Jordie on a regular basis.

Right there I said I DOUBT that Angus and Mal listened to Jordie and were big fans.

And fortunately, Europe isn't the ultimate place to "make it" for musicians, what's important is that someone is well known in America.

[quote author=RTK link=topic=48035.msg980323#msg980323 date=1186358578
And fortunately, Europe isn't the ultimate place to "make it" for musicians, what's important is that someone is well known in America.

This is absolutely true. 

But the problem is when you Americans tell the rest of the world about how big Scott Weiland is.....

To put things into perspective: Axl Rose, Bono, Mick Jagger, Kurt Cobain.....

Scott Weiland doesn't belong in that group of people who are known all over the world.


I believe that's the point the original poster was trying to make.



/jarmo

I'm sorry, but that is a narrow-minded and arrogant perspective.  I am an American and love and appreciate that I was able to grow up in America, but to think that it is the be all, end all of the music world is narrow-minded and arrogant.  Granted, it may be most important for Scott Weiland to make it in America because he is American, but the music-buying, concert-attending world does not end with America.

Ali

america is like the big leagues of the music business

Again, that may be the case for an American musician or band, but may not be for artists from other countries.  This isn't like Major League Baseball where there is a structured, definite hierarchy.  America may be a bigger market, but it isn't the only market at all.  So to think that it is the only market would be a mistake for any artist.

Ali

RTK didnt say it America was the "be all, end all of the music world," nor did he say the "music-buying, concert-attending world" ends with America; youre making up statements to argue a point that wasnt made.  I read his post in the context of the threads subject - an American musician.  "Musicians" might be too general a subject, although Id still argue that America is the most desirable market in which to become successful for any musician/entertainer.  The fact is that when discussing Weiland, or any American artist, America is most important.  The rest of the world is less so.  You might not like it, but its a simple truth.  That doesnt suggest the hyperbole you made up.

If we are describing it comparatively, why would you think we think its the "only market?"

What he said was that what's important is for someone to make it in America.  Not "most" important, but important, period.  Those are his words, not mine.

I'm saying that is a narrow minded perspective and it SUGGESTS this attitude that frankly many Americans have, that it is the most important place in the world to the point of being the only place in world.

Again, if you read my post, I said, yes, for an American artist it probably is most important to make it in America. But, not all artists are American.  I think that for many musicians, what's most important is making it in their country with their people, and then perhaps, America.  Everyone wants to come home to play in front of big crowds.

Ali

Again, RTK said that what was important was making it in America, not "most" important, but important.? You may have been describing it comparatively, but the statement made was not comparative.? That's what I was responding to.?

I am saying that to judge your success solely by how you do in the States would be a mistake for any artist.? I also don't agree with the analogy of America being like the big leagues as there is no comparable hierarchical structure.

Ali

I love how off topic this conversation has become.
Most musicians see success in the American market as the main indicator of their overall success, but Europe, primarily the UK and other large market countries factor in as well, and are not ignored or taken for granted.
Quick question, did STP tour Europe much? And did their albums sell well there too?

I don't know how well their albums sold there, but the other day I was looking at some cool photos of STP in Europe. 

How can you find that information out?  Isn't Soundscan only for U.S./North America?  I honestly don't know.

Ali

I agree and I think that goes along with the point I was making earlier in this thread. Scott became much more famous here in the states due to his constant drug problems. Since STP didn't ever hit as big outside of America I doubt that other countries cared at all when he was going to rehab again and again. It probably would have helped him in other markets if he hadn't had his problems and he could have toured more during those years. I know they canceled a few tours because of that stuff going on.