Velvet Revolver Fires Lead Singer
Scott Weiland Has Been Officially Terminated by His Rock N Roll Band
Over the past few months, there have been many persistent rumors about the escalating dissension within Velvet Revolver. It has now culminated with an apparent firing.
After months of speculation, a verdict has finally been delivered. Scott Weiland has been officially fired from the band Velvet Revolver. According to Slash, lead guitarist for the rock n' roll-fuelled band: “This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn’t 100% committed to either….Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on”.
Velvet Revolver was formed by three ex-Guns N’ Roses members Slash (A.K.A. Saul Hudson), bassist Duff McKagan and drummer, Matt Sorum. Dave Kushner rounded out the band as the group’s rhythm guitarist.
Legal Issues for Weiland
According to a report by ‘The Star Online’, the band and Scott Weiland have been at odds ever since Scott Weiland’s recent arrest in November for driving under the influence of drugs. Weiland has had numerous stints in rehab for drug and alcohol related addictions and has even spent time in jail for it. He pleaded innocent to the charges brought against him but it may have been his undoing in the minds of the band.
In February, Velvet Revolver was forced to cancel a show in San Diego as a result of Weiland having voluntarily entered himself into rehab for his addiction problems. The band apologized for this untimely cancellation and vowed to make it up for the fans.
The Beginning of the End
However, on March 20, during a show in Glasgow, Scotland, the band appeared to physically dissolve on stage. According to MTV, Scott Weiland made a rather shocking statement to the raucous fans in attendance. Apparently nearing the end of the show, Weiland, in between songs, remarked to the audience: “you guys are watching something special…the last tour by Velvet Revolver”. Apparently this was a great shock to the rest of the band as they appeared to look at one another in disbelieving shock.
As the show proceeded, the animosity grew to a feverish pitch and during a rendition of the hit song ‘Fall to Pieces’ from the first of their two albums, ‘Contraband’, Weiland apparently walked over to the sound guy off-stage and vehemently argued with him. After a few songs, Weiland then threw down his microphone in disgust and walked off the stage. After a few moments of awkward hesitation, the band decided to press on without Weiland and proceeded to sing a Guns N’ Roses song with Duff on vocals. Weiland returned during the middle of the song, apparently sang it without emotion and once again left the stage. The band concluded their tour on April 1 in the Netherlands.
Attempting some sort of damage control, Matt Sorum wrote (on his blog website) assumptions about why Weiland may have acted the way he did. Weiland immediately retaliated claiming that Sorum had no business making claims about him (or his personal life) when he had no evidence verifying it.
Weiland continued on, stating that he was not the cause of the band’s breakdown. According to MTV, Weiland remarked: “I will sweat, bruise and bleed for you….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”.
This war of words continued on between Weiland and the band and once the tour was officially completed, Velvet Revolver (apparently) decided that the only logical thing to do would be to move on without Weiland as their leader. However, Weiland did not go quietly. In a statement posted by MTV, Weiland, in regards to his dismissal noted: “…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”.
There is no apparent word on the future of Velvet Revolver. Whether they break up or continue on will most likely be addressed in the coming months. As for Weiland, he has already moved on. This summer, he reunites with his former band, Stone Temple Pilots, for a mega summer tour. Only time will tell if the band can rekindle what they once had 15 years ago.
So, how will Velvet Revolver be remembered? As a band which attempted to reinvigorate the stagnant world of rock n' roll or as a band which self destructed in front of the entire world?
