Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Tied to the Nineties

As Stone Temple Pilots return with their first album in nine years, Scott Weiland explains the difficulty of hauling himself out from under history's bootheels

Mon 10 May 2010

Although the ill-fated Velvet Revolver provided a distraction for five and a half of the intervening years since Stone Temple Pilots? initial parting of ways in 2003, a subsequent stint in rehab and announcement of an STP reunion on the eve of an Australian tour brought about the eventual collapse of his union with Axl Rose?s former compatriots in 2008, which the singer unceremoniously announced onstage in Glasgow during their last tour.

Today, Weiland is tactful and reticent in discussing the acrimonious ? and very public ? fallout. ?I look back on it fondly and it?s a shame that it ended the way it did,? he recalls. ?STP wasn?t meant to get in the way of another Velvet Revolver record. Slash and I were always straight with each other, and if it looked like there was going to be a reunion with Guns N? Roses to do festivals that summer, it wouldn?t have bothered me. I always thought that would have been a good idea.?

With Velvet Revolver now firmly in the rear view, reconvening with the brothers DeLeo and Eric Kretz was ?like having a family reunion,? says Weiland.

http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/99213-tied-to-the-nineties

I find it interesting that Scott has recently been sidestepping opportunities to bash Slash via the press (which is similar to his public stance regarding STP months before they re-united).  The more I read this kind of stuff the more I think a VR reunion w/ Scott isn't completely out of the realm of possibility.

...which brings me to another thought: I'm still not sure what even caused the break up; it didn't seem to stem from artistic differences.  It just seemed to be interpersonal stuff (Matt Sorum's behavior coupled w/ Scott's inconsistencies), which leads me to think that if VR doesn't find a singer right away in 2011.... 

Yes it is intersting but he might just not want to fight.

I find it more intersting that he thought there was going to be some kind of GNR reunion in any way shape or form.

Seems more like a bull shit answer/excuse on his part.





Joe

From Slash today...

I?m rehearsing some Velvet Revolver songs now ? we wrote some cool songs and I?m not going to deny that ? but I don?t think we necessarily got on with Scott as well as we probably should have if we were going to make the relationship work. Let?s put it this way: I love Scott to death, but I definitely love him more not being in a band with him. He was always the best in STP and I think anybody will admit that. Although he did a great job ? especially on the first record ? with us, I think, through good and bad, those guys belong together.

Maybe you should go back and read what he said. He never said he thought there was going to be a GNR reunion. He said if he thought one would happen he would be fine with it.

Remember when Scott talked about how a GNR reunion was gonna happen and the contracts were there ready to be signed.... i just never could figure out his motivation for that unless it was true and Slash and Duff asked for too much and it fell apart.

I always thought that quote was Scott just talking out of his ass. I don't think he had his facts straight.

Scott and Slash were always pretty respectful of each other, it was Scott and Matt that from what we understand couldn't stand each other (or more Scott detested Matt).

easy kick Matt out and bring in somebody else.

I woudnt be surprised if we see another Velvet Revolver album with the original line up at some point in the future.  All these guys have so many side projects and what not Velvet Revolver could always be another outlet like that,  putting out an album every 5 years or so and doing a few month tour.  None of these guys need a full time band anymore.  I wouldnt mind VR being a side project that happens every once in a while, kind of like how Alter Bridge and Creed are doing their thing.

At this point, for as much as I like Scott (and I do think CB really was a kick ass album and he was the right guy for it) seeing Slash play with Myles I would much rather see Myles fronting a Slash led band than Scott (who knows if Duff ever makes his way back).

I think we saw about as much out of the old VR line-up as we could get with Scott at the helm, and vocally and stylistically there are places they can go musically with a guy like Myles that Scott just can't.

Myles doesn't have the grit in his voice Axl did, but he is first guy I have heard Slash play with in a while that has those kind of pipes that they could maybe consider crafting music in an old Guns style sound that Scott would have sounded kind of out of place on.

If they're ever going to regroup and do another album down the line I hope it is Myles they take a shot with. After the Alter Bridge album cycle later this year I am sure those guys will go do something Creed related, and Myles has said as much that he see no reason that he and Slash couldn't do something further in a situation like that as they seem to have good chemistry on stage together (the MTV gig was killer) and more than anything Myles seems really down to earth and normal.

I can def agree with that but would Myles leave Alter Bridge?

Won't "leave" them... doesn't have to, but I do think he will work with Slash/VR in the future.

Nice that they still respect each other.  I get the feeling that Slash kinda hates Matt as well.

I'm okay with Myles as long as he doesn't use the Americanesque poppy style vocals he used on the Slash album. Can he write good rock songs? That's the real question. I think VR with Scott has run it's course. He is better off with STP. Besides, I'd like lyrics that make sense for a change. No more tapeworm abortions.


Why do you think that?

Not sure really lol!  He allegedy said something like that at Axls house.  Im sure they have a decent working relationship though.  its just that... Matt seems to be very annoying. 

Matt Sorum is a tool. Thats the problem.

Notice he hardly comes to any of Slash;s shows to play drums...slash probably avoids inviting him best he can!

?STP wasn?t meant to get in the way of another Velvet Revolver record. Slash and I were always straight with each other, and if it looked like there was going to be a reunion with Guns N? Roses to do festivals that summer, it wouldn?t have bothered me. I always thought that would have been a good idea.?


Thats what he said in a interview right? Well if he paid attention to any god dam thing he would have been able to tell that GNR was not going to reunite.

Everyone with half a frickin brain knew in their heart that it would not happen. I mean they delt with this before back in VR why the fuck should he think it would be different this time around. About Slash apparently leaving to join back with GNR I am sorry people and this even took me a while to settle with myself (having never heard in person the classic line up live) the only way that would happen is if they all are on the verge of lossing all their money.

Thats how the result will be every single time.



Joe

It's quite simple. STP had an offer on the table to play arenas all summer. VR's album flopped and were playing theaters at that point.  If Libertad had been more successful this would have all turned out different.

Seriously you cannot be this stupid. He never said he thought it was going to happen. What he said was IF he thought it was to happen he would be fine with it just like slash should have been fine with the fact that Scott was going to do another STP record.

I bet if Scott would not have done a STP reunion he would still be in VR right now and nothing would have been said about him being on drugs etc.

Uh, they just played together last week at the MAPS benefit..

Agreed. Also funny how the drug thing wasn't a problem when he got arrested for it while they were making the first record.

http://tweetphoto.com/21208379

but they dont jam anywhere near as much as they did 5 years ago.

Slash has played alot of Camp Freddy shows over the last five years with Matt behind the kit..

And he recorded a song with Matt, Hands together or something.

i doubt that very much.  I saw them a day or two before Scott announced they were breaking up from the stage, and there was no chemistry left between them.  I think it was inevitable.

why are they suddenly so nice to each other? Maybe gearing up for a one song reunion at that festival?

i dont think the break up was that bad.  They all seemed happy to move on so its quite natural to see the hard feelings die down after 2 years.
Would love to see them do one song at the festival though.

Perhaps but he should have only decided to do it if and only if the GNR reunion thing was going to happen. Not before. Things would have worked out better that way instead of how it happened.



Joe

If it somehow fucked up in the creative process in some way I am sure it would have been a much larger issue.


Joe

The 2 things have no relation what so ever. STP doing a reunion had nothing to do with GNR at all nor should it hinge on a GNR reunion. Maybe slash and co should have been a bit more mature given their age and not let it bother them but I guess the idea that STP would have been a bigger deal than another VR record was too much for them to handle.

12 May 2010 19:11

Scott Weiland - Weiland: 'I Wish Velvet Revolver All The Best'

Rocker SCOTT WEILAND refuses to feel bitter about his dismissal from VELVET REVOLVER, insisting he wishes his former bandmates "all the best".

Weiland was kicked out of the group in April 2008 following a series of arguments with founders Slash, Matt Sorum and Duff MCKagan.

The drama has played out in the press, but Weiland is keen to clarify he holds no "resentment" towards his former co-stars - and hopes they can move on from his firing.

He tells Kerrang! magazine, "It was a great experience until near the end. I think we made some great music - and I actually prefer our second album to our first - and I don't hold any resentment towards any of the guys in the band. I really wish them all the best."

The band has yet to find a replacement for Weiland despite auditioning a string of singers over the last two years.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/weiland-i-wish-velvet-revolver-all-the-best_1142288

I said that so that they both could do their reunions at the same time and no one would be well stuck waiting for a answer from the other band or waiting on the other band members to come back (if the reunion did not happen)

Its just a little reasoning if you got a problem with that then fuckin say it!



Joe

Another interview with Scott conducted on May 11th.  He talks about the end of Velvet Revolver, and roughly says...

It [Velvet Revolver] was a great band, it was a difficult situation to be in, nearly everyone in the band was a superstar...coming along with that are rather large egos.

When Velvet Revolver started out it was a gang type of feeling...we all had similar life experiences.  People...it just got different.  It got where it wasn't fun anymore.  It was time to stop it [VR].

Audio here @ 12:00: http://blogs.waaf.com/mistresscarrie/2010/05/15/scott-weiland-from-stp/

In light of what came out today, I think Maybe Scott was right all along.

Not only that, the Slash trip to Axl's house was for getting him to agree to the reunion. Azoff would have been the one who arranged the contracts and Axl would have been the only party opposed. The blocks all fall into place. This certainly wouldn't have helped matters in VR especially with Scott. Also, Slash evading the issue by saying he went to sort out some 'legal issues' would have been in regard to the contracts.

All this is known of course, it just wasn't clear to me who would be willing for a reunion from the GN'R side.

If all that is true, I'd say some people seriously overestimated Axl's willingness to reunite the old band.

but didn't slash go to axl's house before azoff was GN'Rs manager?

Yes, long before. That was in 2005 even before the '06 tour when Merck was still manager.

Axl made the anouncement in early 2008 that Azoff was the new manager. I checked wikipedia (which is not the most realiable) and it said March of 2008. I can't say for sure March but I do know it was early 2008. Slash's trip to Axl's was in 2005.

Wasn't Front Line the managers for VR in 2005......

Ulp, right. I forgot about the time frame. Scratch that theory.

Yeah it was a complicated situation.



Joe

From Scott Weiland, I wonder who the "one person" is. :D

Speaking about that [Velvet Revolver] break-up now, Weiland explains the band members' egos eventually outweighed talent.

"There was great chemistry with Velvet Revolver. There were just so many egos in the band and one person, in particular, who just couldn't agree with anyone and just caused a lot of contention. It was unfortunate how it ended but that's how it goes for many rock'n'roll bands."

So how does he get along with Slash nowadays?

"I don't see him that often but I recently ran into him in Las Vegas and it was fine. I harbour no ill feelings towards Slash."

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/chip-off-the-old-rock-20100520-vhk0.html

it might be scrotum, those 2 never seemed to get along

I am going to go out on a limb and point the finger at Matt. We know Scott despised him, so I suspect that is who he is referencing.

SCOTT WEILAND Says There Was One Member Of VELVET REVOLVER Who 'Couldn't Agree With Anyone' - May 22, 2010

Patrick Donovan of The Sydney Morning Herald recently conducted an interview with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/ex-VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On how touring has changed since the early '90s:

"Everything's different now. We all used to tour on the same bus and get high and there used to be girls. But it's all changed. Now it's like, finish the gigs, go straight to the bus and do a runner. I've got a bed in the back of the bus and I can chill out and not waste my voice talking all night. I get to sleep a lot earlier."

On his departure from VELVET REVOLVER:

"There was great chemistry with VELVET REVOLVER. There were just so many egos in the band and one person, in particular, who just couldn't agree with anyone and just caused a lot of contention. It was unfortunate how it ended but that's how it goes for many rock'n'roll bands."

On how he gets along with Slash nowadays:

"I don't see him that often but I recently ran into him in Las Vegas and it was fine. I harbour no ill feelings towards Slash."

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=140539

The only person he could be referring to is Matt. I remember an interview when Matt called Scott gay.

Drummers are a dime a dozen; what a shame if VR broke up due in large part to Matt Sorum.  I know Matt, Duff, and Slash have a history together, but jeez, just get a new drummer.  Any wonder Sorum was really the only one who was literally "fired" when the "original" GNR lineup broke up back in '95?  At least I remember reading somewhere that Axl literally went all Donald Trump on him....maybe I'm getting my stories mixed up.   

25 May 2010 19:11

Scott Weiland - Weiland: 'I Was Clean And Sober As Velvet Revolver Imploded'

Weiland: 'I Was Clean And Sober As Velvet Revolver Imploded'


Rocker SCOTT WEILAND has opened up about his final days as a member of supergroup VELVET REVOLVER, insisting his bandmates were hooked on drugs when he was fired in 2008.

The singer was kicked out of the group following a series of public bust-ups, but he insists his departure had nothing to do with the drug problems that have dogged his career.

Weiland admits he was trying to "kick dope" when he joined Slash and Duff MCKagan's band - but he insists he cleaned up his act, unlike his bandmates.

The rocker tells Spin magazine, "I kicked dope and other members relapsed. Slash was using dope, we were making a second record, and his wife told him she would kick him out of the house if he didn't get clean."

Slash refused to comment about Weiland's claims, but recently revealed "chemical issues" led to his bust-up with the rocker.

He said, "Velvet Revolver was intended to be a lot of fun and we started off having a great time, but I think that we all had a lot of chemical issues as that thing wore on.

"I definitely went way down the f**king drain for a minute there after the Contraband record came out and we went on tour for two years.

"I started drinking heavily and revisited my opiate passion, then had to come out of it, so eventually I had to say, 'That's it!' Certainly Scott had his issues, even (bandmates) Duff (MCKagan) and Matt (Sorum) went down the same road. The only one that stayed sober during the whole thing was f**king Dave Kushner."

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/weiland-i-was-clean-and-sober-as-velvet-revolver-imploded_1143826

Matt is a unique drummer but god Slash if he was causing a bunch of the problems I wish you would have made up with Steven Adler back then and use him instead of Matt the apparent unreasonable drummer. I still think Scott could have left a better way or at a different time to make sure it didn't turn into a disaster like it did.



Joe

I think it went something like this:

Matt your fired

Fuck you Axl, you can't fire me

No Matt, fuck you, your fired

Well fuck you then Axl, I quit

Matt, you can't quit cause I fired you, so fuck off

I heards that exactly how it went lol.  i thought matt was fired after Slash left though?
i heard that Tobias said something bitchy about Slash and Matt got into an arguement with him.
Then Axl said something like "Why don't you follow him?".  (Referring to Slash).
Then the above happend.