VELVET REVOLVER Frontman Discusses Plans For SOFTDRIVE Label

VELVET REVOLVER Frontman Discusses Plans For SOFTDRIVE Label - Dec. 3, 2006

According to Billboard.com, VELVET REVOLVER/ex-STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland will release the debut album from the Los Angeles rock band THE ACTUAL, "In Stitches", early next year via his Softdrive Records label (originally launched in 2003). Also signed to Softdrive is country singer/songwriter TOMMY JOE WILSON, whom Weiland discovered in a Nashville bar. In addition to co-producing THE ACTUAL's album, Weiland will release his second solo album on Softdrive in late 2007 or early 2008.

Weiland partnered on the venture with Doug Grean and Dana Dufine. Sony's RED Distribution will distribute the imprint's releases, with additional back-end support provided by New West Records, which Weiland called "an amazing model of a great independent record company."

"We had a lot of opportunities early on to sort of sell ourselves out and just be a production imprint, but that's not really what Doug and I wanted to do," Weiland said. "But we also didn't fool ourselves to think we could creatively run the label like he and I are and also run the business side of things."