Velvet Revolver

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The End of Velvet Revolver?

According to several fan accounts and online media reports, VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland stunned fans at last night's (Thursday, March 20) VR concert in Glasgow, Scotland, UK by dropping a huge hint the band's time may be up.

He told the sell-out crowd: "You're watching something special... the last tour by VELVET REVOLVER."

A fan who attended last night's show wrote on the band's forum, "Once [Scott announced from the stage that this was VR's last tour], Slash [guitar], Duff [McKagan, bass], Matt [Sorum, drums] and Dave [Kushner, guitar] all looked at each other. They sang 'Fall to Pieces', then Scott goes over to the side of the stage and argues with the sound guy. After a couple of songs, he threw his mic down and walked off. After a long wait, Duff came out with the band and sang the start of 'It's So Easy'. Scott shows up about half way through, sang really half-assed then gone again..."

In an online posting from earlier today, VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum stated about the Glasgow concert, "So last night was interesting. Had a little band turmoil on stage, as you probably all could tell.

"Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship. Sometimes you just don't get along. I guess there has been more turmoil lately, I guess, with the cancellations and all. It has been frustrating, I am not going to lie.

My career and life in rock 'n' roll has come with its ups and downs. Unfortunately, some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have. Touring the world, meeting great people and fans all over the world. And just playing music for a living. I feel truly blessed. But sometimes the road can be draining for some. Being away from home and family does grind on you sometimes. With all the travelling and different beds. Personally, I love this shit and sometimes can’t believe I am so lucky to still be doing what I do for a living.

Everybody could see who was unhappy last night, but all I can say is let's keep the rock alive, people!!!! In this life, you just pick up and keep moving. And don't ever let anybody stand in your way."

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SCOTT WEILAND Fires Back At MATT SORUM

VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"Responding to our drummer's [Matt Sorum] rant about why the band is in a state of flux:

"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. Secondly, 'keeping rock 'n' roll alive?' I've made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of VR, but mainly, the likes of you. Funny though — this is your FIRST band, as opposed to being a hired gun. I've been making records (now on my ninth), which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have maintained a level of professionalism regardless of how many drugs I've ingested into my system. I have only cancelled one tour during the entire course of my 16-year run and that was the 'make-up' Australia tour. Now, shall I open that can of worms, Matthew? Release the Kraken? Serve... Volley! You cancelled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won't say why… we'll just let Blabbermouth find out for themselves.

"As for our fans — I will sweat, bruise, and bleed for you. And will continue to do so until the end of this tour. However, you deserve to hear VELVET REVOLVER playing… not certain individuals singing along to get a muddied up sound. God forbid — could one imagine if I grabbed a guitar and started soloing along with Slash? That would never happen because I know my place. It's a shame… we were a gang. But ego and jealousy can get the better of anyone. I wish the best and plan to annihilate the stage in the last few shows.

"On a separate note, we did an STP [STONE TEMPLE PILOTS] photo shoot before this tour and it was fun, inspiring and it gave me that thrill — that feeling that got my rocks off from the get-go."

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Velvet Revolver Part Ways With Scott Weiland
Due to “Erratic Onstage Behavior,” “Personal Problems”

According to a press release, Velvet Revolver no longer have a lead singer. “This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn’t 100% committed to either,” Slash reportedly said (the group’s split with Weiland was confirmed by Sanctuary management). “Among other things, his increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on.” Last week, Weiland and drummer Matt Sorum engaged in a war of words via the press and blog posts, and yesterday Billboard reported that Weiland will announce a full set of tour dates with his old band, Stone Temple Pilots, on April 7th.

Last week Weiland told a Glasgow crowd that the band was on its last tour. When Sorum blogged about the incident, Weiland responded angrily via Blabbermouth, lambasting his bandmate while boasting of his own record sales (”35 million copies worldwide”) and professionalism “regardless of how many drugs I’ve ingested into my system.” Weiland voluntarily entered rehab in February, which forced the cancellation of some concert dates. Just yesterday Slash was quoted as saying the band will make a third album with or without Weiland, insisting, “We don’t know how or when but the core four guys will continue.”

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Scott Weiland Fires Back at Band, Suggest Bach As Replacement

After weeks of online speculation suggesting the band was on the brink of collapse, the founding members of Velvet Revolver — guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum — officially Weiland's onstage announcement two weeks ago — during a gig in Glasgow, Scotland — that the crowd in attendance that evening were witnessing something very special: the last-ever Velvet Revolver tour.

Velvet Revolver announced their decision to fire Weiland in a press release issued just as the rockers were playing the last notes of their final performance with the Stone Temple Pilots frontman in Amsterdam. Slash sited Weiland's lack of commitment, "increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems" as reasons for the dismissal. There is still no word on whether the band plans to continue with a new singer.

Surprisingly, an entire night passed without Weiland responding — but really, it wasn't a question of if he would issue his own retort, but when. In an e-mail sent exclusively to MTV News Wednesday morning, Weiland fired back at his erstwhile bandmates, and pulled no punches in his attack of the Revolver.

"After reading the comment by Duff, Matt, Dave 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," Weiland explained. "In response to Slash's comment regarding my commitment [to the band], 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 let's 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."

In conclusion, Weiland warned fans not to be "fooled by veiled trickery," and even wished Velvet Revolver his best. "Good hunting, lads — I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice."

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SLASH Talks WEILAND Split, Search For New Singer

RollingStone.com spoke exclusively with VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Slash today regarding the band's decision to split with frontman Scott Weiland.

On Weiland's departure:

"Everybody’s just very relieved. This is something that’s been coming down for a while. I know everybody is tying the STP [STONE TEMPLE PILOTS reunion tour] thing to it, but it started way before that. We just had a lot of commitments to fulfill, so we just had to drag this thing out until the obligations were finished. Basically, we're just excited about finding someone else and moving on."

On the search for a new frontman:

"There's some people, but it's really premature to start naming names. We actually worked with a guy, I won't mention his name, before we left to go to the UK and there just wasn't enough to break him in, so we're gonna work with him again some more, and maybe some other guys as well."

On Weiland's recommendation that the band hire former SKID ROW vocalist Sebastian Bach:

"I thought [Weiland] could be a little bit more imaginative. I'm not sure if that was meant to be a pot shot or what. Whatever, it's not worth any real drama."

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VELVET REVOLVER Lays Down '12 New Jams,'
According To Bassist Duff McKagan

VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan has posted a message on the web site of his side project LOADED stating that VR has finished "laying down 12 new jams" at the studio of the group's drummer, Matt Sorum. No further details were provided.

VELVET REVOLVER announced that it was parting ways with singer Scott Weiland on April 1 due to his "increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems." Weiland told The Associated Press earlier this week that the split with VELVET REVOLVER and the reactivation of his previous band, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, happened around the same time, explaining, "I had talked to (VELVET REVOLVER guitarist) Slash, mentioned it to him, and things were cool for a while. And this last tour, things just disintegrated really badly. I just came to the point where I decided that...if I'm going to commit the next 10 years of my life to touring...then I want to do it with people I want to make music with."

VELVET REVOLVER has not yet announced a replacement for Weiland.

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VELVET REVOLVER: To Announce New Lead Singer Soon

VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum recently spoke to the Artisan News Service about the group's future plans following its much-publicized split with singer Scott Weiland in early April.

"We're coming out with something in a couple of weeks and I think it's going to surprise everybody," Sorum told the Artisan News Service. "It's exciting. We're moving forward. We're going to keep going and play rock 'n' roll and get a new guy singing, so we did it before we'll do it again."

He added, "We're really seriously thinking about doing something online. Yeah, we got offered a couple of different television ideas you know. [TV producer] Mark Burnett called us and asked us to do that 'Rock Star' thing and we basically said no to that. We didn't feel it was right for us. No disrespect to him, but it just didn't feel right for what we want to do. As many years as we've tried to keep our integrity intact, we felt that wasn't the right forum for us to do it, so we got some ideas and we should have that news in a couple weeks."

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Could An Unknown Be Chosen As The New Frontman?

Several rock-star wannabes are gunning for Scott Weiland's old job in online audition tapes.

By Chris Harris

Since it was revealed two months ago that singer Scott Weiland had been excised from Velvet Revolver, the rest of the guys have been searching for his replacement. They hosted auditions and even rejected an offer from reality-TV producer Mark Burnett, who wanted to make VR the subject of his next "Rock Star" series.

Not long after Weiland's departure, guitarist Slash stated that VR would be using the Internet to audition potential frontmen, adding that the band was even toying with the idea of launching a Web site, where audition videos could be posted for public review. That site never took off, unfortunately, but there are still hundreds of aspiring singers out there who are all at the band's beck and call, should the Revolver need them.

While the names of several established musicians (including Linkin Park's Chester Bennington) have been kicked around as rumored replacements, it hasn't deterred these unknown rockers, who claim they're ready to step into Weiland's imposing shoes at the drop of a hat. Some of them have taken their cases to YouTube and other video sites, where, with a little shameless self-promotion, they've manufactured their own hype, generating a groundswell of support from VR fans. Some are even claiming they're front-runners in the race to return the band to the stage, but none explicitly claim they've been contacted by VR.

Dale Toth, who sings in a band called Rogosonic and sounds frighteningly like Axl Rose, had an interesting take with his audition tape. The video, which features an original song from his band, shows nothing but images of Toth trying to look tough. He chose not to cover a VR track, because he figured "it's going to be new material they're more focused on right now, so maybe this is a better idea of what I can offer," he wrote in a post alongside the video. "If it goes further (crossing fingers), I'd be glad to do some vocal tracks to the other VR tunes so they know what I can do on that stuff."

"The vocals are amazing," complimented one fan. "Here's to blowing away the competition."

But Toth admitted on his YouTube page that the band "may have someone already, but I have to contact the VR camp again next week. Hearin' a lot of rumors of people they may already have in mind. Guess we just have to wait for [the] official release."

Another hopeful is Weiland sound-alike Sam Serinsky, who sings for a rock band called Lasting Factor. For his grainy, low-budget audition tape, Serinsky sang one of his own band's originals, and the video has been well-received — with some fans saying it would be a crime if he weren't asked to join the band.

"Damn, you are the real deal," wrote one user, pointing out that Serinsky can also play guitar, which Weiland didn't. "You would be a perfect fit for VR and then some."

"I think it would be good to get someone that is not already 'known' because it would give the band a new, fresh and unbiased sound," wrote another supporter. "I wouldn't be surprised if this kid got a call from Slash and offered the gig."

But perhaps the most-produced (and longest) audition tape belongs to Brian Phyll Miller, a man who desperately wants the gig. In his video (which features some classy footage of a dog licking itself), Miller — wearing a "Brutal Rockers" T-shirt — belts out a cover of AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie," and follows it up with VR's "Slither" and "Fall to Pieces." In the video, Miller talks of his love for "vodka, cigarettes and Jack [Daniels]," discusses some of his influences ("Anybody that's cool"), and talks about the vocal and breathing exercises he does before a performance. He also confesses that, since the age of 14, he's wanted to be in a band.

Google Miller's name, and you'll find he has a lot of online support, whether self-manufactured or not.

On the Rolling Stone site, an already-deleted comment on a Flobots piece read, "Flobots? Hmmm I don't think so ... Velvet Revolver is talking with a guy to be the new singer of their band. He is good, he has some epic vocal cords. Judge for yourself. Go to YouTube and search for Brian Phyll Miller. Make it happen, spread the word on this guy and give him support. He is already talking with the band, but it would be nice to have all the fans' support behind him."

On Monday, several comments popped up on our Newsroom blog, following a post on the VR singer search, mostly praising Miller's abilities.

"A lot of talk about who will be the next Velvet Revolver frontman. ... There is a new guy in town that would be very worthy of filling those shoes," one commenter said. "Brian Phyll Miller is getting a lot of comments on his YouTube and MySpace site. A lot of people are saying he should be the next Velvet Revolver lead singer. I would have to agree. This guy is awesome, great range with his vocals, something I think Slash and the guys should take a serious look at."

"Just watched his YouTube video — he's amazing," another commenter wrote.

On Miller's YouTube page, where he admits he hasn't been contacted or spoken with anyone representing VR, the remarks (the origin and authenticity of which we can't verify) are more of the same: He rules and is the best replacement for Weiland.

"How come this guy isn't signed with some band and changing the world with his epic vocal cords?" wrote one fan, adding that his voice is "much better than Scott Weiland's."

But will these guys ever get their shot at a proper audition? It's doubtful that a band as established as VR, with its members' vaunted history, would opt to add a complete unknown to its ranks over someone who's road-tested, studio-savvy and has a recognizable name. But then again, stranger things have happened.

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SCOTT WEILAND: Sets Release Date For Second Solo Album


The Pulse of Radio reports that STONE TEMPLE PILOTS vocalist Scott Weiland has set October 7 as the release date for his yet-to-be-titled second solo album, according to Absolute Punk. Weiland has been working on the project for several years and will issue it through his own label, Softdrive Records. The record will follow up his 1998 solo debut, "12 Bar Blues", and Weiland told The Pulse of Radio the new one is a natural progression. "It'll definitely be a sonic journey like the first album was, a little bit more focused since I'm not on a narcotic journey like I was on the last one. But, you know, still sort of all over the map, because my influences are so wide and varied."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS reunited in April for a major summer tour after a six-year hiatus. The band rose to stardom in the 1990s, but its career was derailed by Weiland's drug problems and arrests.

Weiland spent a month in rehab earlier this year, following an arrest last November on a DUI charge.

The singer and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz were recently sued by the group's label, Atlantic Records, who allege that the pair have issued threats to stop performing unless their recording contract is changed.

STP performs on Wednesday (July 2) in Morrison, Colorado.

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Spacehog's Royston Langdon Tries Out For Velvet Revolver

British rocker Royston Langdon split from his wife Liv Tyler earlier this year, and now he is moving on.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the Spacehog frontman, 36, is currently auditioning in L.A. to be Velvet Revolver's lead singer. Former singer Scott Weiland left the band in April,.

A source says that Langdon and the current members of Velvet Revolver hit it off.

"They all got along great," the source said. "It was really a refreshing change for the band."

The band's management wouldn't confirm whether an offer was made to Langdon, but they are saying they're still looking at other singers. A source for RCA - Velvet Revolver's record label - says that Langdon is "definitely in the mix."

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DUFF MCKAGAN Hopes VELVET REVOLVER Has Found Its New Singer

VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan has told UK's JournalLive that the band should hopefully have a new singer by the end of next month.

The new vocalist's identity may still be a closely guarded secret but McKagan explained: "We have a guy who we've been working with who's a really good singer and a great guy. I really hope he's the one. The question is, does he have that extra thing? It's just really hard to tell until you do a gig. There's a lot of expectation. In truth, he has to be killer to front VELVET REVOLVER. We're writing amazing material and I really think the new record will be the best thing that we've done as a band. So do we have the right singer to do that music justice?"

VELVET REVOLVER has been looking for a new frontman since dismissing Scott Weiland back in April. Rumored candidates have included ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach, former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs (THE PANIC CHANNEL) and ex-SPACEHOG vocalist Royston Langdon, who has apparently had several successful rehearsal sessions with the band.

Speaking to the Artisan News Service on July 23, 2008 at a fashion event in Los Angeles, VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum stated about the group's lead singer search, "We got a call from a pretty big guy who wants to be our singer. I can't say who that is yet but talks are happening about it and hopefully we'll see what happens in the next couple of months."

Asked about the possibility of Sebastian Bach joining VELVET REVOLVER, Sorum said, "No. No, it's a lot cooler than that but I don't know if it's going to happen so I can't say. It's cool that people are calling us and wanting to get in the band, so that's exciting."

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Velvet Revolver’s McKagan Denies Band Hired Langdon as Frontman

Velvet Revolver’s Duff McKagan has denied reports that Spacehog’s Royston Langdon is set to become the band’s new singer: “He’s fucking awesome, at this point I’d have to say no.” McKagan added, “We just have to make sure it’s the right guy,” saying the band has grown closer since they parted ways with Scott Weiland in April. While they wait on their decision for a new singer, the band continues to work on new music. “We have a bunch of stuff finished. It’s great. It’s killer,” McKagan said. And here’s a fun fact: Slash listened to those leaked Chinese Democracy tracks, but McKagan hasn’t, saying “I wouldn’t even know where to look.”

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VELVET REVOLVER's MCKAGAN Comments On LENNY KRAVITZ Rumors

Ernest A. Jasmin of TheNewsTribune.com recently conducted an interview with VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

TheNewsTribune.com: For starters, there have been headlines for the past couple of months related to why you have more time to spend with [Duff's other band] LOADED.

Duff: Yeah, I mean, we kind of knew back in even last August when ALICE (IN CHAINS) came out and was opening for us on that tour. That's when we first started to really know this isn't going to work out with [now-former VELVET REVOLVER singer] Scott [Weiland]. But we went through the thing, hoping it was going to get better — you know, really tried to work with Scott and help him out and get back on the right path. But he kept going left, and we were going right. So that's really it.

TheNewsTribune.com: LOADED was formed pre-VELVET REVOLVER. But was it something that you wanted to take to the level of GUNS N' ROSES?

Duff: The music business is pretty cutthroat. It's pretty gross, really, to tell you the truth. My experience in the music business and with record companies and so forth is pretty poor. It's not a place where there's a lot of integrity. I try to guard LOADED (from) all of that stuff. Let's go play some live gigs; let's go have a good time, try to get as many people to the gigs as we can within reason. You know, nobody really knows who we are.

TheNewsTribune.com: Do people recognize you from your other gigs?

Duff: I think at this point in my career, people know who I am. I don't know if that's gonna pull 'em to come see us play. But it's like, "Oh, yeah, there's Duff. He's with VELVET REVOLVER. He was in GUNS N' ROSES like 20 years ago." (Laughs) If nothing else, I'd like to be recognized, anyhow, as a guy who (has) never really sold out. I've always just kind of done things because I mean it, you know. VELVET REVOLVER was something I wanted to do because I wanted to play. I think it was important that (GUNS N' ROSES guitarist) Slash and I played again. And it was this musical arena that we hadn't explored. He and I can explore music for the rest of our lives and still not really scratch the surface of what we're really capable of. That's something that's important to me. And it's always been about the music and not about the dollar, you know, or the chicks or whatever.

TheNewsTribune.com: I've seen a few rumors about who's in the running [for the VELVET REVOLVER singer slot]. Last I read it was supposedly Lenny Kravitz.

Duff: Yeah, I guess that was reported that he was our new singer, which is surprising to me. I got sent a ton of links yesterday by our management. And they were all from The New York Post; you know, the Sun in the U.K., reporting that he's our new singer. I don't know where people get all this (stuff).

TheNewsTribune.com: You know, I could almost see that workin'.

Duff: Well, I think that would be killer. That guy's a true musician. I've known that guy for 20 years. That would be great. But I'm not sure if Lenny knows about it. We didn't know about it. We'll find a guy.

You can hear clips of the interview, including what McKagan said about the possibility of Chris Cornell joining the band, on Bring the Noise.

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SCOTT WEILAND: To Release 'Happy' In November

Jonathan Cohen of Billboard.com reports that former VELVET REVOLVER and current STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland's second solo album, "Happy", will arrive November 18 via his own Softdrive label. The set was co-produced by Scott Weiland and Doug Grean, with Steve Albini engineering.

"Happy" boasts guest appearances from three members of NO DOUBT: Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young. The record will follow up Weiland's 1998 solo debut, "12 Bar Blues", and the singer told The Pulse of Radio the new one is a natural progression. "It'll definitely be a sonic journey like the first album was, a little bit more focused since I'm not on a narcotic journey like I was on the last one. But, you know, still sort of all over the map, because my influences are so wide and varied."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS reunited in April for a major summer tour after a six-year hiatus. The band rose to stardom in the 1990s, but its career was derailed by Weiland's drug problems and arrests.

Weiland spent a month in rehab earlier this year, following an arrest last November on a DUI charge.

The singer and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz were recently sued by the group's label, Atlantic Records, who allege that the pair have issued threats to stop performing unless their recording contract is changed.

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DUFF McKAGAN: WEILAND's 'Other Demon' Got In The Way Of Us Doing Good Business

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan was interviewed yesterday (Monday, November 10) by Steve Migliore of "The BJ Shea Morning Experience" on Seattle's KISW 99.9 FM radio station. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Duff: "We [VELVET REVOLVER] had gotten rid of [singer] Scott [Weiland], last, it was actually on April Fools Day of this year…."

Steve: Was there any irony in that, by the way, Duff?

Duff: "It was kind of cool… it was kind of cool. It was the 'step into my office, you’re fired' kind of thing. I have to say. We went through a lot…he put us through a lot of crap that last tour. So it was kind of that feeling. We were getting through the gig, we were in Amsterdam…. we were getting through our last few songs. I started to get, I can't lie…. a little giddy. 'This going to be great…this is going to be great.' So we got done, and yeah… Slash and I did the 'step into my office' thing."

Steve: "So you guys were on stage and the rest of the band knew?"

Duff: "Oh, we knew four months prior we were going to do it. We just wanted to finish the tour."

Steve: "Wow."

Duff: "It was kind of cool. I mean, it wasn't cool that we had to do it at all. We put so much work into that band…but we had been through so much… anguish is too dramatic of a word… but B.S. on that tour. And Scott is a great guy… but he's just got this other demon that gets in the way of him being a great guy. And it got in the way of us doing good business. We were coming on late and he missed a couple of shows. We had to cancel two tours. . . He's just got so many things…. 'cause I have the same disease he has. In saying all this, I can make fun of some things, like saying we went through some B.S. and it felt good to have him step into the office. But all funning aside, he has the same disease that I have and a lot of us have and that is alcoholism and drug addiction. He is in a different stage of addiction than I am. I don't use or drink, and I've done things to help me through life, and I have a great life. There are some that are just less fortunate."

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VELVET REVOLVER Dropped by RCA/SONY BMG

BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received word from a reliable source that RCA Records (a Sony BMG label) has dropped VELVET REVOLVER, the band featuring former GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.

VELVET REVOLVER released two full-length albums through RCA/Sony BMG — 2004's "Contraband", which has sold 1.98 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan; and its follow-up, "Libertad", which has shifted 301,000 units in the U.S. since its July 2007 release.

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VELVET REVOLVER Manager Says Band 'Asked' To Be Released From RCA

The following press release has been issued by VELVET REVOLVER's publicist:

Finding the new lead singer for VELVET REVOLVER is a formidable task, and the remaining members knew this would be the case when they dismissed their former singer, Scott Weiland. So in June 2008, Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner approached RCA Records and asked to be released from their recording contract, as they felt they needed to have complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish the goal…freedom from any timelines, pressures, influences or interests other than finding THE best guy. RCA Records honored the band's request.

Carl Stubner, the band's manager, says: "We're incredibly grateful to RCA and Ashley Newton for their passion and hard work and for the success they achieved with VELVET REVOLVER through the band's first two records. The band is thankful that RCA understood the task at hand and has allowed the band to continue on their own." Stubner added: "This band is comprised of some of the greatest rock musicians of the past three decades. They have built a brand with a solid foundation on a global level. And their sole focus has been, and continues to be, finding the singer/songwriter who will stand alongside them."