Velvet Revolver Cuts Ties With RCANovember 25, 2008 02:03 PM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Velvet Revolver has cut ties with RCA Records, which released the group's two studio albums. According to the band, the move was made at its request, to allow "complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish" replacing former frontman Scott Weiland.
"The band is thankful that RCA understood the task at hand and has allowed the band to continue on their own," says manager Carl Stubner.
Velvet Revolver had auditioned a number of singers, including Spacehog's Royston Langdon, but appears no closer to finding a new frontman. The band is writing material and pursuing various outside projects; guitarist Slash is making a solo album, while bassist Duff McKagan has recorded and toured with his band Loaded.
Velvet Revolver made a big splash with its 2004 debut, "Contraband," which has sold 1.98 million copies. But last year's "Libertad" shifted only 302,000, and the band splintered earlier this year due to infighting.
"I had already talked to Slash and said there was going to be a [Stone Temple Pilots] tour, and that's the deal. And then basically Matt Sorum just went on the Web site one night and started talking sh*t about me, and I responded and I basically said from the stage that, 'This is the last Velvet Revolver tour.' Some people thought I was kidding, but I meant it," Weiland told Billboard recently.
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/velvet-revolver-cuts-ties-with-rca-1003916354.story