Matt Sorum: VR Has Album's Worth Of Music With Corey Taylor Ready To Be Released

[FunkyMonkey]

MATT SORUM: VELVET REVOLVER Has Album's Worth Of Music With COREY TAYLOR Ready To Be Released - July 25, 2011

Dani Buarque of the "Lokaos Rock Show" (web site) conducted an interview with drummer Matt Sorum (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES, THE CULT) when he performed with the Brazilian rock band KIARA ROCKS on July 13 at naMATAcaf? in S?o Paulo, Brazil. You can now watch the chat below.

When asked if guitarist Slash's current solo career and intensive tour schedule is the primary reason VELVET REVOLVER has been out on hold, Sorum said, "Slash has been on tour almost two years now [but] it's not the reason [VELVET REVOLVER is inactive]. I think the reason is that is hasn't fallen into place yet. After [we parted ways with singer] Scott Weiland [in 2008]? We had such a great first record, especially. The second album is still a good album, but? It's hard to replace Scott for that particular band, I think. It's a bit of a gray era.

"VELVET REVOLVER, we really felt that we were? Especially Slash, Duff [McKagan, bass] and myself, we were the three main guys that started VELVET. 'Cause Scott came in much later. So to replace Scott, we felt, could be possible. And we tried a couple of guys and it didn't work out. [But] I don't wanna say it's over. It's just on a hiatus. We'll make music again together at some point."

Sorum was also asked if there was any truth to the rumors that former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach auditioned for VELVET REVOLVER. "Sebastian tried out at the very beginning," Matt said. "Sebastian came in and sang six songs before we got Scott. But we knew at that time?.

"It was funny, because when we did VELVET REVOLVER, we had our relationships with certain singers, but we wanted to make a modern rock album, and we had to figure out a way to make that work. We didn't wanna be like GUNS N' ROSES. We knew we had that in us anyway, especially the Slash and Duff sound was the initial sound of [GN'R's classic debut album] 'Appetite For Destruction', the way they played together and everything. Part of that chemistry was there, and when we added Scott, it brought it into a more modern rock element. He came more from grunge ? the Seattle [sound like] SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM and bands like that. So it took it sort of forward. We became more of a modern rock band and we were on modern rock radio. GUNS N' ROSES wasn't even being played on those radio stations in America.

"When we asked Corey Taylor [SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR] to join, that was my idea. I said, 'Why don't we get Corey Taylor from SLIPKNOT?' And he's a great guy, number one ? he's an absolute sweetheart ? and he rocks. [But] Slash just didn't see it like the rest of us did. We liked it. We had ten songs. [We] could put the album out tomorrow. It's done. I said, 'Let's go.' But Slash wasn't feeling it. If we're not all feeling it together, we can't do it."

While the team-up of Corey Taylor with VELVET REVOLVER never officially took off, VELVET guitarist Slash did confirm that the band got together with Taylor to jam and even record some new material. The Pulse Of Radio asked Taylor what they worked on at those sessions. "We did a bunch of stuff, you know," he said. "We did a bunch of stuff from the first album, we did a bunch of stuff that we had been kind of demoing back and forth and whatnot, seeing if it would work, you know, just like that, and it was a lot of fun, man. You know, we ended up writing a bunch of stuff as well and just kind of seeing what would happen in that creative sense, you know."

Slash admitted in a recent interview that he was the main reason why Taylor didn't get the frontman job, explaining, "It just didn't seem to fit right to me. And he's great, and I love Corey, but it didn't seem like the answer to the VELVET REVOLVER problem."

Taylor told a Canadian radio station after hearing of Slash's comments, "I guess it just wasn't working for him, which . . . He's Slash and he's entitled to have that, and I'm not gonna argue with him. But it was cool to just be able to get together and jam with those guys and I made some really cool friends."

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=161104

[Bodhi]

I just produced an interview with Corey Taylor that will air in a few weeks.  I made sure to get the lowdown on the VR situation and he said that he is not going to be in VR but he and Duff will probably do something together.  He said something along the lines that  you might hear some mystery band on the radio and it will be Corey and Duff.  He said this on camera in front of our studio audience so  it's not top secret or anything just thought some of you would want to know.

[FunkyMonkey]

I just produced an interview with Corey Taylor that will air in a few weeks.  I made sure to get the lowdown on the VR situation and he said that he is not going to be in VR but he and Duff will probably do something together.  He said something along the lines that  you might hear some mystery band on the radio and it will be Corey and Duff.  He said this on camera in front of our studio audience so  it's not top secret or anything just thought some of you would want to know.

Very cool, thanks.  It doesn't surprise me after all of the praise Duff has given Corey lately.  I wonder if Matt will join them as well.

Please post the interview when it becomes available, I'd really like to see it.

[westcoast_junkie]

niice. You must have a cool job Bodhi!

[FunkyMonkey]

Matt says in the beginning of the interview that they've stopped looking for a singer.

"When we asked Corey Taylor [SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR] to join, that was my idea. I said, 'Why don't we get Corey Taylor from SLIPKNOT?' And he's a great guy, number one ? he's an absolute sweetheart ? and he rocks. [But] Slash just didn't see it like the rest of us did. We liked it. We had ten songs. [We] could put the album out tomorrow. It's done. I said, 'Let's go.' But Slash wasn't feeling it. If we're not all feeling it together, we can't do it."

It's a shame we'll probably never hear this album.

[overmatik]

What I got from this interview is that Duff and Matt wanted Corey, but Slash didn't.Slash is the leader of the band, so ultimately he's the one that's going to decide on that matter and the other guys apparently can't do anything.

And here I am still dreaming the impossible: Bach! 

[Jbat81]

Having Corey as the new singer would've been GREAT! But I guess Slash is looking for a "softer" singer. Corey must be too manly for him... Man, I would love to hear those tracks

[FunkyMonkey]

But I guess Slash is looking for a "softer" singer. Corey must be too manly for him...

I think I know where you're going with this, but it still made me laugh.  Imagine them explaining to Corey why he didn't get the job.

[D]

Corey is more of the Scott Weiland type imo

Slash wants a screamer.

[Smoking Guns]

Corey is more of the Scott Weiland type imo

Slash wants a screamer.

Yep, something in the Axl vein.

[HBK]

''' But Slash wasn't feeling it '''

Matt Sorum

 

[m_rated96]

...slash wants to milk the 'slash' brand name a little longer so 'slash' is conveniently not keen.

That said, if Corey was really objectively incredible, then Slash would go for it methinks.

I just reckon at the time Matt and Duff, with Corey, were seeing the glass as half full and Slash saw it half empty. But it was still a half glass!

[Limulus]

Slash is Slash, thats HIM and not a band. so goin out making music, playing live is just a normal thing, huh?
by the time it also might be some brand name but milking himself? not goin to work

[AxlReznor]

What I wanna know is why everyone always forgets about Dave when they're talking about the singer search. He's a member of the band, too, last I heard.

[Bodhi]

What I wanna know is why everyone always forgets about Dave when they're talking about the singer search. He's a member of the band, too, last I heard.

hmm, maybe because I have more of say in Velvet Revolver than he does.   

[Trist805]

If Velvet Revolver were really a priority, they would have gone with Corey Taylor.   But Slash would rather do his solo thing, because he can get a bigger percentage...and be the star.  Also seemed like a lot of fans were still not sold on Corey...it would have been viewed as another side project for him, and he could've bailed at any time, for something else.   Would still be cool to hear a Duff/Corey sideproject like Bodhi mentioned, something a little more under the radar, but still authentic. 

[LongGoneDay]

If Velvet Revolver were really a priority, they would have gone with Corey Taylor.   But Slash would rather do his solo thing, because he can get a bigger percentage...and be the star.  Also seemed like a lot of fans were still not sold on Corey...it would have been viewed as another side project for him, and he could've bailed at any time, for something else.   Would still be cool to hear a Duff/Corey sideproject like Bodhi mentioned, something a little more under the radar, but still authentic. 

Just because Corey is the bigger star doesn't mean he was necessarily the right man for the job.
I think if the songs were there, Slash would have been on board. Why else would they have auditioned him in the first place?

[Fingers]

If Velvet Revolver were really a priority, they would have gone with Corey Taylor.   But Slash would rather do his solo thing, because he can get a bigger percentage...and be the star.  Also seemed like a lot of fans were still not sold on Corey...it would have been viewed as another side project for him, and he could've bailed at any time, for something else.   Would still be cool to hear a Duff/Corey sideproject like Bodhi mentioned, something a little more under the radar, but still authentic. 

Didn't know Myles Kennedy and the rest of the band were working for free! Also, I'm sure having Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne sing on your record did not exactly come cheap

[LongGoneDay]

If Velvet Revolver were really a priority, they would have gone with Corey Taylor.   But Slash would rather do his solo thing, because he can get a bigger percentage...and be the star.  Also seemed like a lot of fans were still not sold on Corey...it would have been viewed as another side project for him, and he could've bailed at any time, for something else.   Would still be cool to hear a Duff/Corey sideproject like Bodhi mentioned, something a little more under the radar, but still authentic. 

Didn't know Myles Kennedy and the rest of the band were working for free! Also, I'm sure having Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne sing on your record did not exactly come cheap

Good point.

Also, if Slash had such a problem sharing the spotlight, he probably wouldn't have Iggy, Lemmy, Ozzy, Cornell, Stockdale, Shadows, Fergie, Levine, Kid Rock etc on his solo album.
If VR recruited Corey, he might rival Slash in terms of star power, but it would still be viewed as Slash's band.
I don't get the sense that sharing the spotlight would be a determining factor in the search for a singer at all. They just want the right guy.

[Top-Hatted One]

Slash wants a singer for VR who suits his style of playing. He is not toning down his playing for another singer like he was forced to do with Weiland. He is not making the same fatal career move again. He is not settling on a singer again. There will be no VR until that guy magically appears, if ever.