Velvet Revolver

Biography

Hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver was formed in 2002 from the ashes of rock and roll legends Guns and Roses and Stone Temple Pilots, both of which had recently broken up or experienced lineup changes. Comprised of lead guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, drummer Matt Sorum, guitarist Dave Kushner, and lead vocalist Scott Weiland, Velvet Revolver has been described by Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame as "the best rock and roll band left on the planet." Indeed, Velvet Revolver is one of the few successful bands today to adhere to a sound deeply rooted in the classic rock of decades past - the band routinely plays songs by Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and Cheap Trick at live shows.

Velvet Revolver released their first record, Contraband, on RCA Records in mid 2004. Though the band had big shoes to fill, Contraband lived up to the hype. Contraband debuted at the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 4 million copies worldwide and winning a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2004. The album spawned four singles: "Slither", "Fall to Pieces", "Dirty Little Thing", and "Set Me Free". Music from Contraband has appeared on the soundtracks of a number of movies, including Hulk (2003), The Italian Job (2003), and xXx: State of the Union (2005).

The group revealed in 2005 that they were working on a sequel to the wildly successful Contraband. The album was originally rumored to be a concept album, but these plans were scrapped as some members of the bands thought a concept album would be too gimmicky. Their sophomore effort finally materialized in mid 2007 with the release of Libertad. Featuring thirteen tracks of raw, powerful heavy metal, Velvet Revolver proved with the release of Libertad that their first album's success was no fluke. Standout tracks from Libertad include "She Builds Quick Machines", "The Last Fight", and "Get Out The Door".

In early 2008 lead singer Scott Weiland announced he was leaving the band, citing a desire to reform his previous band Stone Temple Pilots - though the remaining members of Velvet Revolver maintain that legal problems and substance abuse issues are a major reason for his departure. The band is committed to releasing a third album, and is currently working with a variety of singers to find a placement for Weiland.

From Discogs:

Velvet Revolver is a hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer since their formation until parting ways with the band in 2008. In 2004, the band achieved commercial success with their debut album, Contraband. Critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses, and criticized the band for a "disconnection" between Scott Weiland and the rest of the band. With their single "Slither", they won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

From Lastfm:

Velvet Revolver is a formed in 2002 and consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until 2008. In 2004, the band achieved commercial success with their debut album, Contraband. Critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses, and criticized the band for a "disconnection" between Scott Weiland and the rest of the band.

Read more about Velvet Revolver on Last.fm.

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From Wikipedia:

Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth and Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland who left the band in 2008. In 2004, the band achieved commercial success with their debut album, Contraband. Despite positive reviews, some critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses, criticizing them for a "disconnection" between Scott Weiland and the rest of the band. With their single "Slither", they won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

The band released Libertad in 2007, driven by the release of the single "She Builds Quick Machines", and embarked on a tour with Alice in Chains. In April 2008, Weiland left Velvet Revolver and reunited with Stone Temple Pilots. Velvet Revolver was put on indefinite hiatus in April 2008, and in November of that year, the band was released by their record label RCA Records at their request to allow them "complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish" replacing Weiland.

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