Duff McKagan: Weiland's 'Other Demon' Got In The Way Of Us Doing Good

[FunkyMonkey]

VELVET REVOLVER Bassist: WEILAND's 'Other Demon' Got In The Way Of Us Doing Good Business - Nov. 11, 2008

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan was interviewed yesterday (Monday, November 10) by Steve Migliore of "The BJ Shea Morning Experience" on Seattle's KISW 99.9 FM radio station. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Duff: "We [VELVET REVOLVER] had gotten rid of [singer] Scott [Weiland], last, it was actually on April Fools Day of this year?."

Steve: Was there any irony in that, by the way, Duff?

Duff: "It was kind of cool? it was kind of cool. It was the 'step into my office, you?re fired' kind of thing. I have to say. We went through a lot?he put us through a lot of crap that last tour. So it was kind of that feeling. We were getting through the gig, we were in Amsterdam?. we were getting through our last few songs. I started to get, I can't lie?. a little giddy. 'This going to be great?this is going to be great.' So we got done, and yeah? Slash and I did the 'step into my office' thing."

Steve: "So you guys were on stage and the rest of the band knew?"

Duff: "Oh, we knew four months prior we were going to do it. We just wanted to finish the tour."

Steve: "Wow."

Duff: "It was kind of cool. I mean, it wasn't cool that we had to do it at all. We put so much work into that band?but we had been through so much? anguish is too dramatic of a word? but B.S. on that tour. And Scott is a great guy? but he's just got this other demon that gets in the way of him being a great guy. And it got in the way of us doing good business. We were coming on late and he missed a couple of shows. We had to cancel two tours. . . He's just got so many things?. 'cause I have the same disease he has. In saying all this, I can make fun of some things, like saying we went through some B.S. and it felt good to have him step into the office. But all funning aside, he has the same disease that I have and a lot of us have and that is alcoholism and drug addiction. He is in a different stage of addiction than I am. I don't use or drink, and I've done things to help me through life, and I have a great life. There are some that are just less fortunate."

You can listen to the entire interview using the audio player below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=108671

[LunsJail]

Strange that he can be so "giddy" about your band going to hell in a handbasket.  I would think they've found Scott isn't as replaceable as they thought he would be.

[Falcon]

The whole "we fired him" angle they try to spin is really getting old - total horseshit.

As soon as he told them he was headed back to STP he affectively dumped them.

[Smoking Guns]

The whole "we fired him" angle they try to spin is really getting old - total horseshit.

As soon as he told them he was headed back to STP he affectively dumped them.

Agree. However, Scott was fucked up pretty much that whole tour.  So I am sure they were not happy about that either.

[jarmo]

When Scott felt targeted by Matt's blog postings, he claimed Matt was also in rehab....

You cancelled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won't say why? we'll just let Blabbermouth find out for themselves.

/jarmo

[gnr2k6]

jarmo's right.....i think maybe the other guys need to research before they do these daft interviews...

[Falcon]

  So I am sure they were not happy about that either.

I agree...

However - I have no doubt in my mind they would have "put up with" Scott's issues with no STP reunion on the horizon.

Hell, they knew exactly what they were getting into from the get go - even waited for him to sort out his personal shit before releasing "Contraband".  If memory serves me correctly, that record was complete nearly 6 months before it finally saw the light of day all due to Weiland related issues.

[LunsJail]

I think Scott was cutting into the bottom line so they let him go.

These guys want to have their cake and eat it too.  They want this image of being a "dangerous" and "controversial" rock band but don't want any of the actual problems that go along with that (i.e. having a fucked up singer).

[Olorin]

I dont think thats the image they go for at all, Duffs Loaded band are pretty lucid and they are supposed to be more punk than VR.

I thinks Duff's out of order here, ironicly it sounds like drunk ramblings.

[Falcon]

I think Scott was cutting into the bottom line so they let him go.

I still don't buy the "they let him go" line of thinking.

If anything, he jettisoned them for "bottom line purposes". 

Truth be told, an STP reunion tour and possibility of new material offered Scott much more financial gain than continuing on with VR and the promotion of Libertad, a dead in the water record.

[IKnowWhereIAM]

This whole thing is just a tree that fell in the forest...they're just trying to find someone to hear it.  Scott moved on, so should the rest of the band...don't rehash their GnR guilt that they all love to claim is 'behind them'.

I did think Duff was smarter than to talk shit like this...lost what little respect I had left (for him as a human - still a great musician).

Every time I heard Scott's voice, I thought STP...he's back home again.

[FunkyMonkey]

Scott Weiland Talks New Solo Album, Possible Stone Temple Pilots LP
Plus, singer addresses Velvet Revolver split: 'It just mistakenly kind of eroded.'

Nov 12 2008 8:00 AM EST

As for Velvet Revolver's collapse, Weiland said that, looking back on it now, he knows just what caused the band's turmoil.

"Velvet Revolver fell apart because there were too many big egos in the band ? and I'm including myself," he said. "It wasn't necessarily about bad egos, just big egos, and unfortunately, it just mistakenly kind of eroded."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1599107/20081111/weiland_scott.jhtml

[Fingers]

Sounds like Scott is is trying to soften things up for a reunion one day-I do agree with him though, it was just sad to see-he really needs to get better, though-the clips of him at the STP shows with him looked really bad

[D]

I dont like the way Duff talked in that interview. Pretty immature and all that.

I like Scott and its a shame they couldnt work shit out.

[erose]

Wasn't Duff in rehab two and a half years ago?

I think I remember someone telling me about that...

[LunsJail]

Wasn't Duff in rehab two and a half years ago?

I think I remember someone telling me about that...

Yes, before they went in to record Libertad.  Painkillers if I remember correctly.

[m_rated96]

I did think Duff was smarter than to talk shit like this...lost what little respect I had left (for him as a human - still a great musician).

How can you say that? You don't know what happened. Everything we talk about is pure speculation as to what actually happened-we don't know. Scott could have been an absolute dick for 2 years...
I mean your speculating that a whole bunch of things happened - and then concluding duff is a prick. I can think of several believable situations in which Duff would be totally justified, and totally mature in saying he was excited to kick scott out.. don't be so quick to hate and judge!

[Mudkicker]

Scott said ti best...it was all their faults, too many big egos. Duff can talk all he wants about addictions and what not, but they all found old habits popping back up throughout the course of VR's existence (except kush), so yah, I'm glad Scott is atleast diplomatic about it instead of trying to place the blame here or there like the others...and I say this as a huge fan of the others, I'm just sick of the shit talking, look what it did to GN'R. Also, if they replace Weiland, it's just a reverse Axl, so that would give them no right to look down on the new GN'R in any way anymore, quite unfortunate the situation they've put themselves in is.