Apparently, the departure of Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland is turning into a good thing for Slash and the rest of VR. According to a report in Rolling Stone, Slash and the boys aren’t cutting any corners in their ongoing search for a new singer.
Slash reminisced to Rolling Stone that the band learned a few valuable lessons during the Weiland era. He also mentioned that the band continues to write new material, as well as audition singers for the vocal position left vacant when Weiland decided to rejoin – or got booted, depending on who you believe – his old bandmates in Stone Temple Pilots.
“We spent at that time 10 months listening to 200 singers a week, and chased after Scott, and managed to make that work,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “We were off and running, but then things fell short and we’re at it again. It’s actually sort of a blessing, because we originally wanted to do something really heavy and it took a different turn, especially on the last record. This time around we’re not going to make any compromises.”
Compromise or not, Slash acknowledges the difficulties involved in finding the right person for such a volatile role, but he also lives for those definitive onstage moments when everything gels perfectly.
“Singers are a very interesting breed,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “It’s hard to be choosy when it comes to finding somebody talented enough to be a really great frontman for a rock and roll band. There’s always something that comes along with it, just like with any musician. It’s all worth it if you manage to get those magical moments.”
In addition to finding a new singer for VR, Slash also continues to work on his own solo album, which he expects will be released sometime next year – maybe.
“I’ve been working on the solo album all summer,” Slash told Rolling Stone. “I only have three of four more songs left to get on [demo] tape. We’re probably going to record the album next year. It’s hard to say when it will actually be released because this industry is so f@#$ed up right now.”—Gabriel J. Hernandez