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Slipknot singer Corey Taylor has finally confirmed rumors that he tried out for Velvet Revolver’s vacant lead singer slot, telling Altitude TV, “I had a meeting with those guys, we did some demos together, and it just didn’t work — for whatever reason.” Since Scott Weiland’s departure from Velvet Revolver in April 2008, everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Sebastian Bach to Chris Cornell to obscure Canadian singers have been rumored to be the permanent fill-in for VR, but Taylor is among the first to reveal that he actually tried out for the job.

“It was just really cool. It was one of those things where it’s like I could have got to jam with legends, man, in my opinion,” Taylor said, adding that he’s still on good terms with the band. Slash had previously said in passing that Taylor had worked with VR, and while it seemed like Taylor might take over as lead vocalist, the band decided against it, Blabbermouth writes. (more…)

Contrary to internet reports today, Lenny Kravitz is not set to become the new singer of Velvet Revolver. The singer told RollingStone.com, “I know and love the Velvet Revolver guys but there is no truth to the story about me joining their band.” Rumors out of the U.K. claimed that Kravitz was “spotted” in the studio with the now-singer-less Velvet Revolver and suggested that Kravitz has just enough star power to fill the role vacated by Scott Weiland (who pretty much filled the role vacated by Axl Rose). However, Kravitz has been busy touring Europe and hasn’t had any contact with the VR camp. Kravitz is just the latest vocalist to be essentially handed VR’s microphone by the rumor mill, following artists like Sebastian Bach, Spacehog’s Royston Langdon and that guy who won Rock Star: Supernova.

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.”

[Photo: Getty]

Even though they were seriously considering using a reality show to recruit a new lead singer, Velvet Revolver are foregoing a series and instead preparing to announce a development that will “surprise everybody” in a few weeks. “We’re coming out with something in a couple of weeks and I think it’s going to surprise everybody,” VR drummer Matt Sorum said. Several TV producers pitched the band, including Survivor architect Mark Burnett, who also produced Rock Star: Supernova. “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,” Sorum said. Sorum added that the band still plans on “doing something online” to recruit a new vocalist to fill in for the exiled Scott Weiland, if a new frontman hasn’t already been selected.

[Photo: Getty]

If Axl Rose wants back with his old Gn’R band mates, he’s going to have to do it the old-fashioned way: by auditioning over the Internet. Slash of the currently singer-less Velvet Revolver told Billboard that the band plans on setting up a Web site where potential vocalists will post video of themselves in hopes of swaying VR. “The band is actually talking about building a Web site [and] doing some auditions via that, so that’s been something that’s developing at this point,” Slash said of the site, which should be up “in the next month or so.” It’s like when Journey recruited a singer on YouTube, or Rock Star: Supernova without the television. Contrary to what Slash told RS last month, the guitarist said the band has no one specific in mind to fill the vacancy left by Scott Weiland’s departure. Velvet Revolver does have an upcoming gig in Las Vegas — a concert booked before Weiland’s exile — and will feature special guests taking turns at the microphone. No word whether Sebastian Bach has been invited.

Related Stories:

• Exclusive: Velvet Revolver’s Slash Talks Weiland Split, Search for New Singer
• Scott Weiland Responds to Velvet Revolver’s Overthrow, Recommends Sebastian Bach
• Velvet Revolver Part Ways With Scott Weiland Due to “Erratic Onstage Behavior,” “Personal Problems”

[Photo: Getty]

Rolling Stone spoke exclusively with Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash today regarding the band’s decision to split with frontman Scott Weiland. “Everybody’s just very relieved,” Slash tells RS. “This is something that’s been coming down for a while. I know everybody is tying the STP [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.”

As far as the search for a new frontman goes, Slash says, “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 U.K. and there just wasn’t enough time to break him in, so we’re gonna work with him again some more, and maybe some other guys as well.” As for Weiland’s recommendation that the band hire former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach, Slash is unamused. “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.”

Related Stories:

• Velvet Revolver Turmoil: Looking Back at Last Year’s Rolling Stone Feature
• Scott Weiland Responds to Velvet Revolver’s Overthrow, Recommends Sebastian Bach
• Velvet Revolver Part Ways With Scott Weiland Due to “Erratic Onstage Behavior,” “Personal Problems”

With all the turmoil surrounding the end of Velvet Revolver (at least as we know it) this week, take a look back at last year’s Rolling Stone story about the band, which reveals some interesting dynamics that are even more fascinating considering the events of the past few days. For the complete story by Rolling Stone’s Brian Hiatt, click here.

Scott Weiland has issued a scathing statement in response to yesterday’s non-April Fool’s Joke that Velvet Revolver would continue on without its singer’s services. “I find it humorous that the so called four ‘founding members’ of Velvet Revolver would decide to move on without me after I had already claimed the group dead in the water on March 20 in Glasgow,” Weiland said.

Weiland went on to remind everyone that he’s reuniting with Stone Temple Pilots (more…)

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. (more…)

Following Velvet Revolver’s concert in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, and following his arrest for driving under the influence back in November, singer Scott Weiland voluntarily entered a rehab facility, according to a statement from the band. Weiland’s rehab stay forced the cancellation of the band’s show tonight in San Diego and jeopardizes Velvet Revolver’s planned Australian tour, even though the promoter states, “We have not been told that the tour has been affected and right now I can say that it is still 100% going ahead.” The Australia jaunt is scheduled to start February 15th, meaning that Weiland has seven days to get clean. How this affects the apparent plans for a Stone Temple Pilots reunion (and whether Weiland was just hyping an STP reunion because he was chemically altered) remain to be seen.

Related Stories:

• Slash Says Stone Temple Pilots to Reunite
• Scott Weiland Charged for DUI
• Scott Weiland To Pen Memoirs

[Photo: Getty]