Sorum VR Singer 'He's A Guy We've Had Our Eye On, But The Timing Wasn't Right'

[FunkyMonkey]

Velvet Revolver Courting New Mystery Singer, Says Drummer

December 21, 2010

Even as it rolls out a new concert DVD from its original incarnation, Velvet Revolver is in the "dating" stages with a new singer whose identity is still being kept under wraps but who the group is "very excited" about, according to drummer Matt Sorum.

"The guy we're liking now is a young guy, a very strong guy... a little bit heavier rock 'n' roll than we are," Sorum tells Billboard.com. He says the prospective frontman has been in other known bands before. "He's a guy we've had our eye on, but the timing wasn't right. We don't like stealing people or any of that shit. [Scott] Weiland was available. He was out of Stone Temple Pilots. It wasn't like we went and said, 'Hey, dude...' He came to us, basically, like, 'Hey, I'm out of my band. I've got time. Let's do this.' And it's a similar situation with this particular individual."

Sorum says he, guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner and bassist Duff McKagan came back together in October and also worked together with the singer earlier this month. Velvet Revolver is planning to hit Sorum's Hollywood studio again in January to start recording songs it's been working up.

"[Writing] is a lot of the way we've been trying out singers," Sorum explains, "and a lot of the reason we've had trouble trying to pick a guy, because we really need to hear that truth. We can't just jump out there with any singer. We've got to make the right decision...a guy who can front a rock band of this caliber and be a strong enough frontman to go out in front of Slash and be that guy. We need to hear that vocal, that lyric, that melody. It's not an easy thing."

Nevertheless, Sorum says the band is impressed that the frontman candidate "has a work ethic similar to ours" and also brings a "modern" edge to the group. "I've always stressed to the band that we need to be current," Sorum notes. "I don't want to go out there and make retro rock 'n' roll music. We have to take in the environment and parlay that into a rock 'n' roll outlet."

Velvet Revolver's timetable is somewhat up-in-the-air. Slash plans to be on the road promoting his solo album into the summer, including a stint opening for Ozzy Osbourne. Sorum, meanwhile, is producing a new album for the Runaways' Cherie Currie that includes contributions by Slash, McKagan and Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan. Still, he hopes the band will be able to announce its singer soon and be out and active "at least by fall" of 2011.

Meanwhile, fans can tuck into the new "Live From Houston" DVD, which dates back to the group's first tour in 2005. The release showcases material from its Grammy Award-winning debut album, "Contraband," as well as Guns N' Roses "It's So Easy" and "Used to Love Her" and Stone Temple Pilots' "Sex Type Thing" and "Crackerman."

"It's a good representation of that band," Sorum says, "when we were just starting out and firing on all cylinders and we were all in good mental and physical health. Everybody was fairly drug-free and excited about playing music, and it really comes across in the video. You can see the makings of something that could have possibly gone further and even greater. But we can look at it as that time, and now we're gonna move forward."

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/velvet-revolver-courting-new-mystery-singer-1004135135.story

[FunkyMonkey]

From an audio interview with Matt:

VELVET REVOLVER Drummer Drops More Hints About Potential New Singer - Jan. 7, 2011

Drummer Matt Sorum gave The Pulse Of Radio a few hints about the singer that the band is, in Sorum's own words, "dating." "[The] guy that we're liking right now is a known guy," he said. "A very strong guy, too. And it seems to, at this point, in my opinion, metaphorically, it makes perfect sense because... a little younger, a little stronger, a little bit heavier rock 'n' roll than we are, that's all I can say, but in a way we want to come out stronger. The older you get, the stronger you have to be, the harder you have to work."

Matt Sorum talking to The Pulse Of Radio about VELVET REVOLVER's candidate for vocalist (audio): http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=151966

[Fingers]

Is this souding more and more like Corey Taylor from Slipnot?

[Fingers]

I guess Matt Sorum said they are in studio and have 2 songs done already, via Twitter this morning-with mystery singer.

[PJ]

i hope it is corey taylor
he is an amazing writer and singer

[Hudson]

I hope its Mike Patton.

[m_rated96]

I'm convinced it's Corey. Which sucks cos' I think slipknot is f*kin shit.

Corey 2 days ago:

Taylor tells Kerrang! magazine, "I'll be f**king brutally honest: I don't see me making Slipknot music without Paul. He was such a f**king huge part of the music. He had such an amazing mind for it... It's very soon since it happened, and we're all still reeling from it... But at this moment, I don't see myself making new music with Slipknot for a very long time. Let's put it that way."

Also, he does hang out with the guys, and tried out the first time round. http://www.india-server.com/news/corey-taylor-was-turned-down-by-velvet-15103.html

[Trist805]

Yea sounds like they are going with a Metal singer.   That's cool...I bet he will be a badass and will keep people from talking shit  .  I could accept Corey Taylor...he has the image and good vocals.  I didn't think he quite nailed Scott's parts, but he could probably do a good Axl.  It also helps that, whoever it is, it's a "known" guy.   

[justincrowe]

i'd have no problem with Corey, but he's about to head out on tour with his other little band Stone Sour, which everybody seems to be forgetting. there's also some Slipknot dates lined up for the summer. i do believe he's also working on a solo album. he's a very busy guy.

he did try out for VR at some point in the past though, and also Anthrax. funny thing with the latter, he got the job, but didn't have the time to do it in the end, resulting in Anthrax getting that guy Dan Nelson, who was in the band for about 5 minutes. regarding VR, he said roughly a year ago; "I had a meeting with those guys, we did some demos together, and it just didn't work - for whatever reason."

other names that have been popping up recently have been Keith Caputo (Life of Agony), Brett Hestla (Dark New Day) and Franky Perez (Scars on Broadway).

[Fingers]

I forgot about Frankie Perez-I know Taylor is busy with Stone Sour, but he could cut an album with Velvet Revolver now-it does not seem like Velvet Revolver is going to tour until a year from now anyway-but I think Corey Taylor is involved in so much right now, it would not work.

[mrlee]

if they get Corey, they better not make lame music like his Stone Sour project.

[AxlReznor]

i'd have no problem with Corey, but he's about to head out on tour with his other little band Stone Sour, which everybody seems to be forgetting. there's also some Slipknot dates lined up for the summer. i do believe he's also working on a solo album. he's a very busy guy.

Slash is about to head out on tour again, and Duff's about to release a new record/film with Loaded that they're going to be touring behind over the summer. There's no clash there.

It does sound to me more and more like they've got Corey, too. I've got to keep myself from getting too excited in case it turns out to not be him.

[FunkyMonkey]

Steven Adler approves.

From Matt Sorum:

In Studio all day with VR and mystery singer. Havin a blast. 2 songs done in 2 days. And they rock. Feels good to play with the guys again. We are makin big noise. More to come stay tuned

From Steven Adler:

@mattsorum AWSOME Matt uu fuckin rule uu kick ass !!! Uuu rrrr LUVED!!:)

[Doofey]

Didn't they say they wanted someone that would devote 24 hours a day to VR, which is why they didn't pick Myles? They didn't want someone that was in another band and they didn't want to steal anyone.

Corey Taylor is in two other bands right now and Stone Sour has announced tour dates for months to come. I can't see them picking him for that reason.

[samoice]

It be awsome if they picked The Darkness old singer, he'd fit right in!

[Naupis]

If it turns out to be Corey Taylor I am very intrigued to see where it goes because he is a really talented guy and will definitely bring a different vibe/sound with him than they have previously had.

[Falcon]

Steven Adler approves.

From Matt Sorum:

In Studio all day with VR and mystery singer. Havin a blast. 2 songs done in 2 days. And they rock. Feels good to play with the guys again. We are makin big noise. More to come stay tuned

From Steven Adler:

@mattsorum AWSOME Matt uu fuckin rule uu kick ass !!! Uuu rrrr LUVED!!:)

There are so many jokes and/or sarcastic remarks to make here but I honestly don't know where to start or if I could stop once I'd begun.

[JDA]

Steven Adler approves.

From Matt Sorum:

In Studio all day with VR and mystery singer. Havin a blast. 2 songs done in 2 days. And they rock. Feels good to play with the guys again. We are makin big noise. More to come stay tuned

From Steven Adler:

@mattsorum AWSOME Matt uu fuckin rule uu kick ass !!! Uuu rrrr LUVED!!:)

Wonder what Matt thinks of Steven calling him a fat, shitty drummer in the past? Kind of weird how much love he has for Matt now.  Whatever though, I like Matt.

[D]

Thumbs down to Taylor

will give it a chance

but it just ain't VR without Scott

maybe Myles?

Said timing wasnt right
didn't wanna steal singer

they said all that shit about Myles

but if u read into it.. sounds like Myles.

[Bodhi]

I think Taylor would be a breath of fresh air, but he already has 2 very successful bands going right now.  I would like to see VR go heavier, Contraband was a good record, Libertad blew goat...it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out why.  VR is better as a heavier band.  Scott brought too much of that passive 90's alt rock nonsense to the table, which is great for STP, but not great when you fucking have Slash in the band.  What a waste of Slash's talents Libertad was.