Duff McKagan: 'Velvet Revolver Singer Search May Resume Shortly!'

[FunkyMonkey]

From Duff in a Soundwave Q&A prior to his appearance with Loaded in Australia February 23rd 2013.

Soundwave:
 
You probably get this a lot too, how's the search for a new VR singer going?

Duff:

VR singer search may resume shortly!

DUFF MCKAGANS LOADED

Q&A: http://www.soundwavefestival.com/powwow/duff-mckagans-loaded

[FunkyMonkey]

It's a change from his "it will happen if it's in the cards" answer?

And the exclamation point is his, not mine.

[FunkyMonkey]

From a new interview with Slash from Finland:

2/09/2013

Slash: "I don't know what Velvet Revolver is gonna due because there's no singer established in that band at all. But, it's more the other way around. I would like to get one more Velvet Revolver record. Given we find somebody who's good, right for the job."

Video interview @4:00: http://www.katsomo.fi/?progId=167432

[One.In.A.Million]

It's a sad thing that this has had to drag on for so long, and I'm sure the band will be less popular because of it. Let's not kid ourselves, the world isn't waiting for Velvet Revolver to get their act together, but they was hugely popular when they first started out. They should of noticed how good they was and sorted their problems out and carry on for another few albums, and then they could of called it a day.

Now it all seems a little too late, especially with all of the guys doing well at their own respective projects too.

[Top-Hatted One]

Slash is done dealing with singers like Scott

[Smoking Guns]

I noticed the VR live nation page is current, as in, updated in 2013... Maybe some news is coming?!?!

[Estranged85]

Slash is done dealing with singers like Scott

Its too bad because that means he has to work with people like Myles Kennedy. They should never have fired Scott. Leaving GNR and firing Scott are the two worst decisions Slash and Duff has made in their careers. I really do like Walking Papers though. 

[FunkyMonkey]

They should never have fired Scott. Leaving GNR and firing Scott are the two worst decisions Slash and Duff has made in their careers.

Let's remember the timeline.  Scott announced he was reuniting with Stone Temple Pilots for a tour, and announced this was the last tour for Velvet Revolver.  Then he was "fired."

I noticed the VR live nation page is current, as in, updated in 2013... Maybe some news is coming?!?!

Interesting.

[Estranged85]

Yeah he said that cause he knew they were getting rid of him. They didn't talk to him for six months, it wasn't exactly rocket science they were gonna fire him so Scott made plans with STP. It was even clear to the fans that things were going to hell months before they officially fired Scott. Anyways, nothing can be done about it now. My point was just that its sad that VR wasn't worked out because like someone mentioned earlier in this thread its kinda too late now. Too much time has passed for people to care if they reunite now (except for us hardcore fans) its a shame.

[FunkyMonkey]

We'll never really know.  But Scott did announce first that he would be touring with STP and that VR was done -- 2 weeks before he was "fired."

If they came back with a new singer now, of course depending on who it would be, there would still be a fan base.

[Bodhi]

Slash is done dealing with singers like Scott

Its too bad because that means he has to work with people like Myles Kennedy.

Sad but true

[Estranged85]

We'll never really know.  But Scott did announce first that he would be touring with STP and that VR was done -- 2 weeks before he was "fired."

If they came back with a new singer now, of course depending on who it would be, there would still be a fan base.

Yes, Scott did do that. It still doesn't change the fact that he was indeed fired.

[FunkyMonkey]

It still doesn't change the fact that he was indeed fired.

If you're fired after you quit, what's the point.

[Estranged85]

It still doesn't change the fact that he was indeed fired.

If you're fired after you quit, what's the point.

It's Slash and the others who kept saying they fired Scott though. Slash said they ignored him and froze him out for the last 6 months so Scott knew they were gonna get rid of him aka fire him. Fired, quit...whatever. I'm just going on what the people involved said themselves.

[FunkyMonkey]

Yeah, and what Scott had to say about that.  Oh the good times.

"After reading the comment by Duff [McKagan, bassist], Matt [Sorum, drummer], Dave [Kushner, guitarist] and the illustrious Guitar Hero, Saul Hudson, a.k.a. Slash, I find it humorous that the so called four 'founding members' of Velvet Revolver, better known to themselves as 'the Project' before I officially named the band, would decide to move on without me after I had already claimed the group dead in the water on March 20 in Glasgow."

"In response to Slash's comment regarding my commitment, I have to say it is a blatant and tired excuse to cover up the truth. The truth of the matter is that the band had not gotten along on multiple levels for some time. On a musical level, there were moments of joy, inspiration, fun... at times, but lets not forget the multiple trips to rehab every member of the band had taken (with the exception of one member, no need to mention his name)."

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."

[Estranged85]

Yes I remember that. Oh well VR is dead.

[JAEBALL]

I wouldn't even want to see them without Scott ... and I by no means was somebody who was lured to the band because of him or STP

id hope that if slash, matt, dave and duff worked together again... they wouldnt even use the name velvet revolver

[FunkyMonkey]

I wonder if Myles is reconsidering his decision...from a recent interview.


Wasn't it around this time that Slash called you to audition for Velvet Revolver?

Myles Kennedy: They had reached out and asked if I'd be interested in auditioning and sent a demo. They'd sent four songs that were just essentially empty canvasses for me to put a melody and lyrics to. I actually worked on about three of the songs and recorded 'em in my little home studio and basically never sent 'em back. I respectfully bowed out because like I said that was that 2002 period and I still was pretty-for lack of a better word-kind of shell shocked from the last few years. Just burnt out and kind of lost my confidence.

So you could have theoretically been working with Slash from that Velvet Revolver period forwards.

Myles Kennedy: I never sent that back to him [laughs].

When you think back to your performances on that demo, how do they stand up for you?

Myles Kennedy: Honestly? I don't think it was my best work. Let's just put it that way. I think for whatever reason at that point in my life something wasn't clicking for me with what I was bringing to the party.

Do you ever regret not sending the demo to Slash?

Myles Kennedy: I think I made the right decision to be honest with you at that point in my life. I guess everything works out for a reason-fast forward 10 years later and I'm very happy with how things turned out. But yeah, I think the only people who ever heard those were a handful of friends and I might have played it for my brother or something [laughs]. I never even played it for Slash or anything.

When you heard the first Velvet Revolver album "Contraband" what were your thoughts?

Myles Kennedy: Honestly? I was really a fan. I thought when I first heard "Slither" and saw the video, I thought it was a perfect fit myself. That would have been right around when Alter Bridge was coming together and I think we were in the studio and I was just really impressed and I thought it was cool. Just as a fan I was totally cool with how it turned out and that's really the best way I can put it. Just as a fan, I thought it was cool.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/myles_kennedy_slash_is_cool_and_his_goals_are_the_same_as_mine.html

[russkwtx]

I hope they get a new singer and start a whole new chapter in their history. I loved that band and they were the best live. And I hope the next singer is at least as good as Scott. I saw VR 4 times during 2005-08, the last time in January 2008 (has it been that long???), just a couple of months before the breakup. The weird thing was, and I can still visualize it in my mind, that the show was great but everyone on stage seemed really pissed off and there was no interaction or chemistry. Duff was aloof and clearly was not having a good time. Scott was doing his own thing. Slash put on a great show, but the tension was palpable, although at the time I had no idea the band was on the verge of a breakup. But in retrospect the whole thing makes sense.

[GNR2014]

SLASH: "Velvet Revolver has lead singer audition coming up"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAqcAWef_6g

[Bridge]

SLASH: "Velvet Revolver has lead singer audition coming up"

Cool that they haven't abandoned VR for good, but this doesn't mean anything other than an audition will be taking place.  It could still be forever and a day, so I still won't be getting excited.

[russkwtx]

An upcoming audition is rather strange timing given the fact that Slash has a new album coming out soon and Todd Kearns says they will be touring behind it until 2016. So it is hard to figure out what is going on.

[Top-Hatted One]

Means nothing. Once they find the guy, if ever, you won't even hear that he is auditioning

[AxlsMainMan]

I think the singer of this group would be perfect for VR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idmp_qPaEkY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uCraNJ2phk

[lynn1961]

^^  Great band!  I agree with you.

[JAEBALL]

I'm bumping this because its the most recent VR thread...

I just want to say I ran thru all of Contraband this past weekend. I had bought a new copy, because I lost my CD of it and it was only 4 bucks on amazon.

Really a great record.. all the way thru... Headspace is my favorite track... and I don't think they played it live all that much. Scott was great on that record... If I had my choice.. the album wouldn't be totally inspired by his drug issues...but nonetheless... I wasn't a fan of his band... but loved his performances on this record.

I also couldn't help myself but wonder about Axl in regards to it. I wonder if deep down.. he liked it at all or if he would have considered those songs as GNR songs, or songs that would have inspired any lyrics out of him under better circumstances.

Can't believe its over 10 years since it came out.

[Guitar1281]

Slither is a top notch song, one of the best Slash riffs and solos from anything he has done including GNR.

Its hard to think songs like Sucker Train Blues, Illegal I song, Loving the Alien, Headspace wouldn't be used if in an alternate universe it was part of GNR, however I do think that if Axl was a part of it the songs would have different forms, the riffs may be present but I think the songs would become more dynamic as apposed to being more of the straight rock song mold they are in.

[WAR41]

I have not revisited that album in quite some time, but I think you both have inspired me to! 

The beginning of VR was such an exciting time for GNR fans.  Hell, even Jarmo was excited about it! 

[rebelhipi]

Contraband is a fantastic record, one of my favorites from the 00s. And most of it has to do with Scotts performance.

Libertad is great too. Yes i remeber when those came out, it was great but weird at the same time.

I am still bummed that my parents didnt give the permission to see VR live in 2007.

 I could imagine Axl liking velvet, i think he likes stp.

Im not interested much in velvet without Weiland.

[Bridge]

The beginning of VR was such an exciting time for GNR fans.

No kidding.  Remember their very first tour, in the clubs, where scalpers bought out every single venue the first second tickets went on sale, and we all had to pay double top buy them off ebay?  Still not bad, because the prices were like $21 and I ended up buying mine for $45.  I saw them June 28, 2004 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, which was a week or so before the album came out.

[italian queen]

I love Contraband!!

[JAEBALL]

I, of course like most of us became interested in this band because of Slash and Duff... but if they ever did go out under the title with a different singer...it would be a completely different thing..

It would be better untouched than going on with some other guy singing Scott's lyrics.

But again, just thought I;d share about listening to the album as a whole for the first time in a while really got me going. Blasting it in the car this weekend...was a lot of fun.

[russkwtx]

I hope that there is some reincarnation of VR. They were a superb live act and I selfishly would love to see them live again.

[TheBaconman]

VR died when Slash turned down Slipnot Cory

Duff found the singer.

Slash said no

Slash is making huge money doing his own thing.   

vR

Dead. 

[EmilyGNR]

VR died when Slash turned down Slipnot Cory

Duff found the singer.

Slash said no

Slash is making huge money doing his own thing.   

vR

Dead. 

Corey Taylor is an idiot, and a wannabe comedian.

[JAEBALL]

VR died when Slash turned down Slipnot Cory

Duff found the singer.

Slash said no

Slash is making huge money doing his own thing.   

vR

Dead. 

I disagree... VR died when Scott left the band... and attempts to replace him ... let's just say I am glad they didn't.

He was the singer, frontman and all the lyrics were based on his struggles.

You are right about Slash tho... he is doing VERY well with the Conspirators..very pumped to see them again at Terminal 5 in May.

[WAR41]

You are right about Slash tho... he is doing VERY well with the Conspirators..very pumped to see them again at Terminal 5 in May.

I will be there as well.  But good lord do I dislike Terminal 5

[JAEBALL]

You are right about Slash tho... he is doing VERY well with the Conspirators..very pumped to see them again at Terminal 5 in May.

I will be there as well.  But good lord do I dislike Terminal 5

Me too.... unless you get there early or really push ur way up... you get stuck off to the side like...

[draguns]

I'm thinking about going to the Terminal 5 show since it is right after work. The much bigger issue for me  is that with my disability I can't stand for 3-5 hours. I have to sit periodically otherwise I feel it the next day and have issues with walking. I paid the price for Hammerstein and chose not to go to Webster Hall as a result. So I'm iffy.

[WAR41]

I'm thinking about going to the Terminal 5 show since it is right after work. The much bigger issue for me  is that with my disability I can't stand for 3-5 hours. I have to sit periodically otherwise I feel it the next day and have issues with walking. I paid the price for Hammerstein and chose not to go to Webster Hall as a result. So I'm iffy.

Hey man,

I just looked it up and there is handicapped seating available at Terminal 5.  This is from the website:

Handicapped seating is available. Arrive 15 minutes before doors are scheduled to open.

http://www.terminal5nyc.com/faq/

Scroll to the bottom and you'll see it.  I would contact them directly to hear what they have to say.

[draguns]

  Thanks! I didn't see that. I'll try to call this week.