Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Slash Sets the Record Straight on Velvet Revolver Split

May 19th 2010

Velvet Revolver -- the group made up of ex-Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagen, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner -- announced on April 1, 2008 that they were parting ways with lead singer Scott Weiland, putting one of music's most successful supergroups on an indefinite hiatus and sending the two factions on a quest to recapture their place in the rock zeitgeist.

The split was a culmination of events that began when, during a Glasgow show two months earlier, Weiland announced it was to be the band's last tour, sparking a media-fuelled war of words between the singer and the rest of the band. At the time, Weiland claimed he had an obligation to his family to get off the road. Two years later, Slash sheds more light on the mental and physical state of the band, and the reason for their eventual dismantling.

"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," Slash tells Spinner during a promo stop for his eponymous debut album. "I definitely went way down the f---ing drain for a minute there after the 'Contraband' record came out and we went on tour for two years."

The members' appetite for self-destruction returned as soon as they hit the road for that Grammy award-winning album, however Slash claims that, in order to keep the band together and creatively viable, he had to pull himself and the rest of the group out of their chemical hole in order to create their 2007 follow-up 'Libertad.'

"During the 'Contraband' tour 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 Duff and Matt went down the same road. The only one that stayed sober during the whole thing was f---ing Dave Kushner," he laughs.

"We all eventually came out of it and made the 'Libertad' record, which I thought, musically, was a good record but we lost Scott and we never regained that. I thought the overall spirit of everything was declining at that point so by the end of the last tour Scott was here and we were here [motions with hands in different places] and cancelling that Australian tour was the final blow."

Though the band and Weiland may have parted under uncomfortable circumstances, Slash insists that the two are still on good terms.

"It's actually not that big a deal. He went straight back to Stone Temple Pilots, which was sort of planned -- he was going to do a summer tour with them anyway -- and now that he's back in there I'm sort of happy for him. I think STP actually belongs together. No matter how difficult it is, it seems to be their destiny to work out their shit.

"I still love the guy and there's not really any hard feelings about the whole thing. I even hung out with him recently. It's definitely not like the Guns N' Roses situation, which is f---ing deep and nasty, this is no big deal."

As for the future of Velvet Revolver, after spending most of 2008-2009 searching fruitlessly for Weiland's replacement, the band eventually decided to take some time working on solo projects. According to Slash, however, the band is far from over.

"We're going to reconvene next year, look at the singers again, and try to find the right guy to make the most bitchin' Velvet Revolver record," he says. "Oh yeah, Velvet Revolver still exists."

http://www.spinner.com/2010/05/19/slash-velvet-revolver-split/

You keep telling yourself that buddy......  :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

It's kind of amazing they were able to get through all of that -- but still couldn't make it work.

Why is it so funny?  They've all confirmed this.  its just a matter of time.

I'm pretty sure Duff said he doesn't know when VR will get back together. It's common knowledge now that Duff will be busy with Janes next year when slash says VR is gonna start to look for a new singer. So either slash is lying about getting back together next year or they are gonna have to find a bassist too.

Duff should sue. Seriously, Slash should know better than that. Whereas his and Matt's issues were all voluntarily going back to the shit they'd given up, Duff's was caused by an idiotic doctor prescribing him pills that should never be prescribed to anyone with a history of drug/alcohol abuse. And he checked himself into rehab before it went too far, because he could feel himself becoming addicted to them. Putting him into the same fucking category as Scott, Slash and Matt is fucking insulting.

Slash said in an interview posted on this board that VR would reconviene and see where Duff stood at the time. If Duff is not available maybe Slash plans on going forward without him. He has a good base player in his current band.

I have no doubts they will get back together.  The only way they don't is if Axl wants them all back in GNR, which won't happen, so VR will go on.

Thought this was the case.  : ok:



Joe

Why the fuck would Duff sue Slash over that? lmao  I doubt he really cares.  And it's still a form of addiction even if it is not heroin or coke.   

Also Scott was on Howard Stern this week, and he was asked about the current state of VR.   and after a few ummms and uhhhs he said "yea they are not a band right now."  and he is right.   Otherwise they would be out doing stuff right now.  Doesn't a hiatus usually refer to a band that is "together" but just taking a break? 

if Jane's are able to keep it together, then i hope Duff stays with them. I'd rather he stay with them and take the time to write and record with VR, then VR use another bassist for a tour. maybe Chris Chaney?
he's about the most wanted studio bassist there is, he's the one Duff replaced in JA, and he plays on Slash's solo album. he is truly a kick ass bassist.
he's like the Josh Freese of the bass, haha.

AxlReznor Duff is not going to sue Slash ok.



Joe

It always amazes me when people can't tell when someone is half-joking. Yes, it pissed me off, but did you really think I'd be stupid enough to think it merits a fucking lawsuit? :P

actually, I'm thinking about something.. I think I'll sue you for making me believe you thought Duff should sue Slash.

;)

How are we supposed to know you were joking when you are a total Duff fan-boy?  You were the only one on here crying about the comments on Duff.