Last updated: August 24, 2003
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Velvet Revolver had initially planned to release a DVD/CD EP culled from a June concert at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre, but shelved the project in favor of pre-production work on its full-length debut.

The group logged studio time with producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Kiss) to record the new song "Slither," which was tapped for inclusion on the EP. In the near term, Velvet Revolver will avoid playing live, "because the shows will be on the Internet within hours," according to the spokesperson.

Last week, Weiland avoided possible jail time stemming from a May arrest on felony drug possession charges. The vocalist was sentenced to three years probation and will be required to continue counseling and rehab sessions, as well as submit to random drug testing.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

08/20 - Metal Edge magazine, October 2003 Issue.

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland has officially been named the lead vocalist for Velvet Revolver, the band featuring former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, and guitarist Dave Kushner. The group's first original song, "Set Me Free," appears on The Hulk soundtrack, which came out in June, while a cover of Pink Floyd's "Money" appears in the film The Italian Job. Writing has already begun for their first album, which they hope to begin recording in September, and a record deal is being sought. Their first gig took place at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on June 19, where the group played four cover songs - Sex Pistols' "Bodies," Stone Temple Pilots' "Sex Typ Thing," Guns N' Roses' "It's So Easy" and Nirvana's "Negative Creep" - and two originals, "Set Me Free" and "Slither." Meanwhile, on June 2, Weiland pleaded not guilty to charges of drug possession stemming from a May arrest where heroin and cocaine were found in his car. The singer claims that the drugs belonged to his travel companion, Jennifer Lynn Sires. Weiland told the judge that he would go through rehab before his next court date.

Whether Weiland is still in the Stone Temple Pilots or not has yet to be officially announced, though he did not sound optimistic about the bands future when asked about it prior to Velvet Revolver's El Ray performance: "We never officially broke up," he said, "but it looks like we're on a very, very extended hiatus..." He did, however, recently work with the band to record a new song, "All In The Suit That You Wear," for a greatest hits compilation due Nov. 4 from Atlantic Records.

Weiland, 35, of Los Angeles, was arrested May 17 after a police officer pulled him over for allegedly driving without headlights on and said he saw drugs in the car. He was initially charged with two felony counts of possessing heroin and cocaine.

Weiland appeared in a Pasadena courtroom Thursday and pleaded no contest, said Los Angeles County district attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons. He is scheduled to return to court Oct. 20 for a progress report.

Weiland was entered in the state's Proposition 36 program, which allows people arrested for possessing drugs for personal use to go to treatment instead of jail. Those who complete the so-called drug diversion program have the arrests removed from their records.

More than 20,000 people have qualified for treatment.

Weiland previously was arrested for investigation of cocaine and heroin possession and was jailed in 1999 after he violated probation and did not complete drug rehabilitation programs.

He pleaded guilty two years ago to domestic battery after a fight with his wife at a Las Vegas hotel. The judge agreed to dismiss the charges if Weiland underwent counseling.

His wife, Mary, filed for divorce last year because of irreconcilable differences. The couple have two children.

Weiland is also the frontman for Velvet Revolver, which features three former Guns n' Roses members. The band is expected to release an album next year.

Weiland appeared in a Pasadena, California, courtroom on two felony possession charges and was sentenced to probation, which includes court-monitored individual and group counseling sessions, mandatory Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and random drug testing, according to a spokesperson for the Pasadena district attorney's office.

The singer must also continue to attend a drug-rehabilitation program as a condition of his sentence. If he completes all the terms of his probation within the first year, the case could be dismissed. He faced up to a year in jail if convicted on the charges.

Weiland, 35, was arrested in Burbank, California, on May 18 on felony counts of possession of heroin and cocaine (see "Weiland Pleads Not Guilty To Drug Charges, Offers To Go Back To Rehab") after police stopped his car for a routine traffic violation.

According to Velvet Revolver spokesperson Arlett Vereecke, "Scott is doing very well ... and is looking forward to making the Velvet Revolver album." Vereecke said Weiland will continue attending, and spending his nights in, a drug rehab facility as the band gears up to record its debut. Velvet Revolver also features ex-Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.

"He will be in rehab until he gets back on his feet," Vereecke added. "He doesn't want to take any chances and he wants to make sure he doesn't relapse."

The bandmembers are currently sorting through the 65 original songs they've written and are waiting for Weiland to finish lyrics on the tracks they plan to record when they enter a studio in the fall. The album is tentatively slated for a February release. A producer has not yet been picked for the project. After negotiations with several labels, including Elektra and Warner Bros., the band is leaning toward signing with RCA, according to a source close to the group.

In the meantime, the group isn't scheduled to play live prior to the album's completion in light of the heavy online bootlegging of the six songs Velvet Revolver performed at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre on June 19. Plans for a previously announced DVD/EP of that show's brief set have also been scrapped for now, Vereecke said, in favor of concentrating on the full-length album. That release was to feature a cover of Pink Floyd's "Money," recorded for "The Italian Job," as well as the original song "Set Me Free" from "Hulk," and the new song "Slither," recently recorded with producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd).

—Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Jennifer Vineyard.

Weiland, 35, was arrested during a routine traffic stop on May 17 in Burbank, Calif., after police allegedly spotted drug paraphernalia inside the car. He and the driver of the car, 29-year-old Jennifer Lynn Sires, were later charged with cocaine and heroin possession.

Similar drug charges sent Weiland to prison in 1999, after he repeatedly violated his probation and failed to complete a rehab program. "Scott is doing very well, thanks everybody for their support and is looking forward to making the Velvet Revolver album to be released early next year," according the artist's publicist.

Velvet Revolver, which also features Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum plus David Kushner of Suicidal Tendencies, was planning on releasing a DVD/CD EP culled a June concert at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre, but has opted to shelve the project in favor of working on its full-length debut.

The group was recently in the studio with producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Kiss) to record the new song "Slither," which was initially tapped for inclusion on the EP. There are also no plans to play live in the coming months, "because the shows will be on the Internet within hours," according to the spokesperson.

Velvet Revolver has yet to ink a label deal but is in talks with Elektra and RCA for the release of the upcoming album.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.