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Velvet Revolver

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Velvet Revolver

Velvet Revolver is a Grammy Award-winning hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members: Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of Wasted Youth. In 2004, the band achieved critical and commercial success with their debut album, Contraband and released their second album, Libertad, in 2007. Scott Weiland, of Stone Temple Pilots, was the band's lead singer until 2008, when, after disagreements and fall-outs with the other members, he left to reunite the Stone Temple Pilots. Since then the band has been auditioning for new potential singers.

Critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses, and have criticized the band for a "disconnection" between Weiland and the rest of the band.[1][2] However, the band went with a different approach for their second album Libertad, and received some acclaim. With their hit single "Slither", they won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Band history

Formation (2002-2003)

Velvet Revolver was formed when three former members of Guns N' Roses, Slash (guitar), Duff McKagan (Bass), and Matt Sorum (Drums) joined to play a bar concert for fellow musician Randy Castillo in 2002. They subsequently decided to form a new band that would bring the spirit of rock back to the mainstream. Izzy Stradlin was initially invited to be the band's rhythm guitarist, but both Stradlin and the band decided against this because of his aversion to lead singers and life on the road. The band recruited guitarist Dave Kushner, who had previously played with The Infectious Grooves, and Dave Navarro. Kushner had attended school with Slash and had worked with McKagan in Loaded, the band in which he played before joining Velvet Revolver. The quartet were referred to under the temporary name "The Project" while the band was auditioning singers.

The quartet then set about recruiting a lead singer, with VH1 filming the recruitment process. The resulting documentary was aired as VH1 Inside Out: The Rise of Velvet Revolver. A number of lead singers auditioned, including Canadian Todd Kerns (formerly of Age of Electric), Josh Todd (of Buckcherry), Michael Matijevic (of Steelheart), Sebastian Bach (formerly of Skid Row), Kelly Shaefer (of Atheist/Neurotica), and Travis Meeks (of Days of the New), all of whom were unsuccessful. Myles Kennedy (of Alter Bridge), declined an invitation to audition. Reportedly, ex-Faith No More singer Mike Patton was also approached early in the process, but he declined the offer to front the band. Scott Weiland had become friends with McKagan and had once played on the same bill as Kushner. Originally Weiland was wanted by the band but due to STP still touring he declined. After the band heard about STP's split in 2003, they were quick to hire the services of Weiland. Once he heard the material and offered his services as the lead singer; the band clicked.

According to Slash's autobiography, Scott Weiland suggested the name "Black Velvet Revolver", combining something intimate with something violent, after Slash suggested Revolver. He liked the word Revolution, which he saw in the credits of a movie. From Black Velvet Revolver, Slash thought it was a mouthful and suggested simply "Velvet Revolver." This was done while walking to the viewing room, at Universal Studios, to see The Hulk. They were considering lending a song to the soundtrack.

Contraband (2003-2005)

Velvet Revolver recorded its first track "Set Me Free" for the soundtrack for the movie Hulk in 2003. The band also recorded a cover of Pink Floyd's "Money" which is featured in the movie The Italian Job. The band played its first live gig at the El Rey in Los Angeles in June 2003. It recorded its first album, Contraband, in the latter part of 2003 with recording complicated by Weiland's court appearances for drug charges and his subsequent sentencing to undertake rehabilitation.

The marketing campaign for Velvet Revolver in the run-up to the release of the first album was profiled as part of the Frontline (PBS) program The Way the Music Died, which included interviews with the band members and producers.

Velvet Revolver live in 2005

As of August 2005, Contraband had sold more than 2 million copies in the United States, and the rigorous touring in support of the album reached global scales. The band toured both the United States and Europe twice, while also performing in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The CD had SunnComm's MediaMax DRM rootkit on it, exposing users to a computer security vulnerability. Velvet Revolver performed at Live 8, playing "Do It For the Kids", "Fall to Pieces" and "Slither." However, only "Fall to Pieces" appears on the Live 8 DVD. In 2005, a part of Contraband's "Dirty Little Thing" was inserted in xXx: State Of The Union. The band also recorded a new song entitled "Come On, Come In" for the 2005 movie Fantastic Four.

Libertad (2005-2008)

During 2005, the group announced that a second album was in the works. Scott Weiland announced at the 2005 Radio Music Awards that it would be a concept album, and would be less single-driven than its previous effort; but later in the summer of 2006, Matt Sorum dismissed the claim that it would be a concept album. In December 2006, the band set Libertad (Spanish for "liberty") as the working title of the album. In September 2006, Matt Sorum confirmed via Camp Freddy Radio on Indie 103.1 that the band had recently signed a deal with Rick Rubin to produce the new album. However, on his website, Sorum later claimed that former Stone Temple Pilots producer Brendan O'Brien would be producing the album.

In October 2006, Scott Weiland announced that Libertad would most likely be released early to late Spring in 2007, while a few months later Slash gave May 2007 as the expected release date.[3] The group recorded in Los Angeles with producer Brendan O'Brien, who stepped in for the band's original choice, Rick Rubin, after that arrangement "did not work out", frontman Scott Weiland told Billboard.com. "All of our hopes have even been elevated over the past three weeks", he said. "We were really excited about six months ago, when we first began writing. Then we really kind of flat-lined for a while."

At Gods of Metal 2007.

"We thought we'd just kind of give it a shot and see if Brendan was available, and just by chance, the artist he was supposed to be working with didn't pan out," Weiland offered. "So he was available during the exact timehim. He flew out within a week and it has been amazing. Bassist Duff McKagan came up to me and said, 'You know, I didn't know what it was like to really have a producer before.'" And though Weiland told Billboard.com last year he intended to weave an overall concept throughout the album, he had since "thrown that idea out the window. In my opinion, there are so many schlock concept albums that have come out in the past year," he says, without naming names. "The ground is way too over-fertile with concept records. I prefer to write a lean and rather vicious rock'n'roll record. I think that would be a better contribution to rock'n'roll at this moment."[4]

After scrapping the original May 29 release date, Velvet Revolver settled on July 3rd to unveil its second RCA album, "Libertad." It was announced on May 11, 2007 that as a precursor to Libertad, the band would release an EP in June titled Melody and the Tyranny. As cover art, Libertad, which debuted at #5 with 92,000 copies sold in its first week, features the 10 pesos coin used during Pinochet's regime in Chile.[5]

On June 21, 2007, Velvet Revolver performed in a concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C., that was streamed live via MSN Music. On June 23, 2007, four songs off the album were available in full stream audio onto the internet ten days before retail on BestBuy's website. It was announced by WWE that "Let It Roll" would be the official theme song for the 2007 Diva quest Search.[6] "Slither" "She Builds Quick Machines," and "Messages" appear in a downloadable Velvet Revolver pack in the videogame Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.[7]. "She Builds Quick Machines" was on the game NASCAR 08.

On their official website, Velvet Revolver gave a chance for fans to vote in a poll for the third single off of Libertad. "Get Out the Door" won with 53% of the votes, winning over "Let It Roll" and "She Mine". "Get Out the Door" was released for airplay on January 28, 2008. MTV has recently reported that Slash told Illinois' Northwest Herald that the band will begin working on its next LP in April 2008. Slash is also planning to record a solo album sometime in the next year or two. They began a tour of Australia, Europe and the US, starting with a concert in Chicago on January 24, 2008. According to BlabberMouth.net on February 7, Scott Weiland voluntarily entered a rehab facility[8]. This led to Velvet Revolver cancelling their Australian tour which had already been postponed for 2 months. They returned to the stage on March 8, 2008 in Dubai for the Desert Rock Festival.

Split From Weiland (2008 - Present)

Weiland stated on March 20, 2008 at Velvet Revolver's show in Glasgow that this would be the band's final tour. Matt Sorum posted a message on his website the next day discussing the band's situation and said, "You could tell who was unhappy last night," and "some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have." Weiland shot back by telling Blabbermouth.net, ""Well, first of all, the state of my family affairs is really none of his business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path."

Recently, Slash hinted in an interview with Classic Rock magazine that, contrary to Weiland's assertions, Velvet Revolver will continue beyond its current tour. When asked "With Scott singing?", Slash replied "I have no comment on that", and laughed.

On Tuesday, April 1st, it was announced by a number of media outlets that Scott Weiland would no longer be in Velvet Revolver. This was confirmed by Slash. The following day, Scott responded to Slash's announcement by stating that "it is a blatant and tired excuse to cover up the truth." Weiland also made comments regarding STP's reunion, stating, "Personally speaking, I choose to look forward to the future and performing with a group of friends I have known my entire life, people who have always had my back," Weiland continued. "This also speaks to my commitment to my music and my fellow bandmates in Stone Temple Pilots and to the fans who I feel would much rather watch a group of musicians who enjoy being together as opposed to a handful of discontents who at one time used to call themselves a gang."

Matt Sorum said on May 26th, 2008 in an interview "that the band was definitely not breaking up and that they looked for a singer before and they can do it again." In a recent Classic Rock interview, Duff McKagan favored Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), Lenny Kravitz, Donovan Leitch, and Shooter Jennings as the next Velvet Revolver singer. However, Chester Bennington has confirmed that he will not join the band, stating that even though he is friends with the members of Velvet Revolver and has played with them on many occasions with the cover band Camp Freddy, he would feel uncomfortable in the band due to also being friends with Scott Weiland.

On July 18th a former member of the band "Tomahawk" Kevin Rutmanis stated that he has spoken to Michael Patton(Mike Patton former Faith No More)about the idea of him joining the band.He turned down the band once before but he might change his mind this time around says, Kevin Rutmanis.

Van Halen Induction

On March 12, 2007, Velvet Revolver stood in for Van Halen for their induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of Van Halen, only former bassist Michael Anthony and former singer Sammy Hagar attended. Eddie Van Halen was reportedly in alcohol rehabilitation and David Lee Roth reportedly did not attend because he could not agree on which song to sing on stage with Velvet Revolver. The band played a medley of "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "Runaround". Sammy Hagar introduced Velvet Revolver as "the best rock and roll band left on the planet." Anthony and Hagar joined Paul Shaffer and the house band on stage to perform "Why Can't This Be Love".

Band members

Current members

  • Slash – lead guitar (2002-present)
  • Dave Kushner – rhythm guitar (2002-present)
  • Duff McKagan – bass guitar, backing vocals (2002-present)
  • Matt Sorum – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2002-present)

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Chart positions Certifications
Billboard Top 100 UK Album Chart ARIA Australia Charts Canadian Album Chart
2004 Contraband 1 11 2 1 2x Platinum
2007 Libertad 5 6 10 2 -

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
U.S. Hot 100[9] U.S. Modern Rock[9] U.S. Mainstream Rock[9] UK Singles Chart
2003 "Set Me Free" - 32 17 - Hulk soundtrack, Contraband
2004 "Slither" 56 1 (4 weeks) 1 (9 weeks) 35 Contraband
2004 "Fall to Pieces" 67 2 1 (11 weeks) 32 Contraband
2005 "Dirty Little Thing" - 18 8 - Contraband
2005 "Come On, Come In" - - 14 - Fantastic Four soundtrack
2007 "She Builds Quick Machines" 104 14 2 - Libertad, Melody and the Tyranny
2007 "The Last Fight" - - 16 - Libertad
2008 "Get Out the Door" - - 34 - Libertad

EPs

Cover songs

The band performs a variety of cover songs, including:

  • Cheap Trick
    • "Dream Police" (performed live in concert)
    • "Surrender" (appears on the Australian bonus disc of Contraband, on a bonus disc of the European Tour Edition of Contraband and on the single Fall to Pieces)
  • Eric Clapton
    • "Tears in Heaven" (released as a single to benefit victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and done with many other artists)
  • Sex Pistols
    • "Bodies" (live version appears on bonus track of Contraband in the UK release only and on the single Slither)

References

  1. ^ Velvet Revolver: Contraband [2004] Shaking Through.net: Music: Review
  2. ^ Playlouder - Latest
  3. ^ "Slashsworld.com". News - Slash stating Libertad release date.
  4. ^ "www.billboard.com". News - Scott Weiland On VR's Second Album.
  5. ^ "www.gnrdaily.com". VR Reveals Artwork but Pushes Back Release.
  6. ^ http://www.wwe.com/divasearch/exclusives/velvetrevolver
  7. ^ http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/guitar-hero-3-dlc-leaked-318234.php
  8. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=90268
  9. ^ a b c "Velvet Revolver - Artist Chart History - Singles". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-03-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589459/20080617/velvet_revolver.jhtml

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