Slash says Velvet Revolver singer search is 'still ongoing'

[FunkyMonkey]

Duff McKagan: Velvet Revolver?s Singer Search Is Not Over

4/22/09

Velvet Revolver do not, we repeat, do not have a new lead singer. However, turns out all those recent reports that the band was close to naming their guy also were true. ?We thought we landed on the singer. We all did,? Duff McKagan says. ?We played with him and we said, ?OK, we got our guy. He?s great.? ?

But he tells Rolling Stone, without calling out the singer who came oh so close, the group simply had second thoughts. ?Maybe if we would?ve got there and had gigs booked right then and there it would?ve been a different story,? McKagan says. ?But we didn?t have gigs booked. We were given too much time and we were able to go, ?Ah, fuck, I don?t like that about the guy.? ?

In recounting the final days with former lead singer Scott Weiland, McKagan, carefully not placing blame on Weiland, admits the band is a little gun shy right now. ?When things got rough last year with Scott there was, not directly from Scott, such bullshit and drama surrounding the band,? McKagan says. ?I started really getting beat down.? Asked if that is affecting the search, he admits, ?It certainly is.?

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/04/22/duff-mckagan-velvet-revolvers-singer-search-is-not-over/

[LunsJail]

That kind of makes it sound like this band had (and maybe still has) bigger issues than just Scott Weiland. I think they may have too many people trying to steer the ship.

[Guitar1281]

As much as I love Slash's guitar playing, just out of a hunch I'm thinking hes just as big of a problem as a lead singer, hes too much a celebrity now, and with all the things people have said about him  lately I'm starting to belive a lot of that. I still think problems with GNR/VR are not solely on his shoulders and there is a complicity (<---i had to use it) with each bands respective lead singer, but slash seems like hes just as big of a headache, and I think its safe to say that Duff is not the problem at all.

[jemin]

As much as I love Slash's guitar playing, just out of a hunch I'm thinking hes just as big of a problem as a lead singer, hes too much a celebrity now, and with all the things people have said about him  lately I'm starting to belive a lot of that. I still think problems with GNR/VR are not solely on his shoulders and there is a complicity (<---i had to use it) with each bands respective lead singer, but slash seems like hes just as big of a headache, and I think its safe to say that Duff is not the problem at all.

But when Wieland was asked about a possible reunion or whatever it was didn't he say that him and Slash got along good? 

Or did I just make that up? 

[faldor]

As much as I love Slash's guitar playing, just out of a hunch I'm thinking hes just as big of a problem as a lead singer, hes too much a celebrity now, and with all the things people have said about him  lately I'm starting to belive a lot of that. I still think problems with GNR/VR are not solely on his shoulders and there is a complicity (<---i had to use it) with each bands respective lead singer, but slash seems like hes just as big of a headache, and I think its safe to say that Duff is not the problem at all.

But when Wieland was asked about a possible reunion or whatever it was didn't he say that him and Slash got along good? 

Or did I just make that up? 

People say lots of things.  Weiland also said that he had a newfound respect for Axl Rose after working with "those guys".  He said they were "lead singer haters".  Completely agree with guitar1281 about Slash.  I respect the guy greatly, but he's far from the innocent angel that he projects himself to be.

[jemin]

Well I wasn't trying to say he was innocent.  I just recall reading that in an interview.

I actually think it has to do with Sorum with Wieland anyway.

[faldor]

I wasn't trying to single you out, I was just echoing what guitar1281 was saying.

Anyhow, Weiland had some pretty harsh comments when he left VR.  Then as time went on he cooled off and said he respected Slash and could see them working together again.  Slash bashed him, then backed off as well.  Duff apparently isn't ready to let Scott off the hook just yet, although he did say that Weiland wasn't the only one at fault.

[jemin]

I think the comment here:

?When things got rough last year with Scott there was, not directly from Scott, such bullshit and drama surrounding the band,?

Was meant more as an outside influence.  At least that's the way I'm reading that part anyway.

[LunsJail]

People say lots of things.  Weiland also said that he had a newfound respect for Axl Rose after working with "those guys".  He said they were "lead singer haters".  Completely agree with guitar1281 about Slash.  I respect the guy greatly, but he's far from the innocent angel that he projects himself to be.

I just get the impression that Slash throws his weight around quite a bit in this band. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash nixed whatever singer they thought they had recently.

I think the comment here:

“When things got rough last year with Scott there was, not directly from Scott, such bullshit and drama surrounding the band,”

Was meant more as an outside influence.  At least that's the way I'm reading that part anyway.

He could also be referring to Libertad's abysmal sales performance and having to scale back the tour to theatres. It seems like bands have a harder time getting along when the money starts to get tight.

[FunkyMonkey]

From an interview with Duff that was posted recently but must have taken place a while ago, it's still interesting what he says.


The complete antithesis of boring is the buzz surrounding Velvet Revolver?s quest for a new singer to replace the departed Scott Weiland. Duff offers the following closely guarded details. ?It?s safe to say we?ll be cutting a record in 2009. I think we?re really close to finding the guy. We have about five guys and they?re all really, really good. One guy in particular for me, again it?s a democracy. Everybody?s got to be 110% behind whichever guy we choose. That?s going to be the challenge because we all have to go to war together. We listened to something like 400 singers, which is brutal. It gets to a point where you don?t even know what you?re listening to.? Much like reading 400 resumes. ?Yeah, yeah, it is! After a while it?s like, is it good that he went to Harvard??

Is it safe to say that the five are relatively unknown? ?It is safe to say the five I?m talking about are unknown. I don?t want to say much beyond that because I did a bunch of press a couple weeks ago and I was talking about it. I think the other guys (Slash, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner) were a little bummed out that I was talking too much about it. To me, it doesn?t add any pressure that we?re talking about it. You go out to some fucking function and ten people want you to tell them about the singer. We?ve all talked about it, but really, at this point, we don?t want any drama. We just want to find the guy. We?ve written fucking killer music! The best music we?ve ever written. We?re really confident because we have that music. That?s about all I?m willing to say at this point.?

http://www.bravewords.com/features/1000598

[Guitar1281]

We?ve written fucking killer music! The best music we?ve ever written. We?re really confident because we have that music. That?s about all I?m willing to say at this point.?

http://www.bravewords.com/features/1000598

Please be true...

To elaborate on my past comment, I agree with the faldor thing about him not being an innocent angel, with the comments that scott and slash said and then backed off both were probably just initially angry about the whole situation, these people have emotions too. But with bullshit and drama I'm thinking that Slash's celebrity wore at it a little bit, I mean he promoted his book more than libertad, as well as working on guitar hero, not that hes not allowed to do that but I think Velvet Revolver would have been for the better if they stayed a little more simple I guess. If they concentrated on creating music together instead of a weiland solo album, an autobiography, guitar hero, they may not be in this position now.

[gnrjanus]

killer music.

I just hope that mother f*cker, and Clappy/Happy? whatever it's gonna be called are not on the record they wanna do.
cause those songs are not Killer at all....(Not negative meant) but it's just nog killer in the way like Slash/duff/matt/dave music
they can do better.

Slither/Sucker train blues, do it for the kids, just 16, spay.. those are killer!

[FunkyMonkey]

Classic Rock Magazine has posted a podcast with Duff today, they say that the interview took place last November.  About VR he says...

"We had a really good name come up the other day."  He goes on to say that it is Butch Walker, "great singer...full range."

He also says on VR getting started "we don't have a time line, but it's our main job...our main source...you can only take a sabbatical for so long."


http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/step-this-way-for-the-latest-classic-rock-podcast/

[oldleadbelly]

Classic Rock Magazine has posted a podcast with Duff today, they say that the interview took place last November.  About VR he says...

"We had a really good name come up the other day."  He goes on to say that it is Butch Walker, "great singer...full range."

He also says on VR getting started "we don't have a time line, but it's our main job...our main source...you can only take a sabbatical for so long."


http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/step-this-way-for-the-latest-classic-rock-podcast/

Butch Walker is unbelievably good.  Absolutely love him, but he is not Velvet Revolver.  He's much more pop-sensible, even though he can rock.  It's just not a good match.

[russkwtx]

I wasn't trying to single you out, I was just echoing what guitar1281 was saying.

Anyhow, Weiland had some pretty harsh comments when he left VR.  Then as time went on he cooled off and said he respected Slash and could see them working together again.  Slash bashed him, then backed off as well.  Duff apparently isn't ready to let Scott off the hook just yet, although he did say that Weiland wasn't the only one at fault.

So Matt breaks up his second band.

[JMack]

It's been a year already?  Everyone in VR are off in all different directions as well....

[loretian]

Classic Rock Magazine has posted a podcast with Duff today, they say that the interview took place last November.  About VR he says...

"We had a really good name come up the other day."  He goes on to say that it is Butch Walker, "great singer...full range."

He also says on VR getting started "we don't have a time line, but it's our main job...our main source...you can only take a sabbatical for so long."


http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/step-this-way-for-the-latest-classic-rock-podcast/

Butch Walker is unbelievably good.  Absolutely love him, but he is not Velvet Revolver.  He's much more pop-sensible, even though he can rock.  It's just not a good match.

My girlfriend loves Butch Walker.  We saw him at The Varsity Theater in Minneapolis a month or two ago, he was really good, but not really my style.  His songs a very melodic. Singing-wise, he's nothing like Axl but music-wise, I'd say he's closer to Axl in terms of melody than he is to Scott.

Even though it's not Butch Walker, I think it's a good direction for VR to be going in for a singer.

[jacdaniel]

I just get the impression that Slash throws his weight around quite a bit in this band. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash nixed whatever singer they thought they had recently.

Maybe that could turn out to be a good thing though.

[Jdog0830]

I just get the impression that Slash throws his weight around quite a bit in this band. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash nixed whatever singer they thought they had recently.

Maybe that could turn out to be a good thing though.

Only time will tell...

[FunkyMonkey]

Tuesday May 12, 2009

Musically, McKagan plans to keep flying the Loaded flag for much of this year, and hopes to perhaps land another opening slot on a prime tour.

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2009/05/exguns_n_roses_bassist_has_pas.html