STEVEN ADLER’s Guest Appearance On SLASH’s Solo Album To Be Recorded Next Week

According to a posting on Slash’s Twitter account, the guitarist’s former GUNS N’ ROSES bandmate Steven Adler will play on Slash’s forthcoming solo album. Adler is scheduled to lay down his drum track sometime next week.

Slash has been recording his solo CD with former NINE INCH NAILS drummer Josh Freese and ex-JANE’S ADDICTION bassist Chris Chaney. Confirmed guest singers so far include Ozzy Osbourne and AVENGED SEVENFOLD’s M. Shadows. Freese told MusicRadar.com that Iggy Pop, Fergie (a.k.a. Stacy Ann Ferguson) of the BLACK EYED PEAS and Chris Cornell (SOUNDGARDEN, AUDIOSLAVE) will also appear on the LP.

Working songtitles include "We’re All Gonna Die", "These Last Words", "Crucify The Dead" and "Beautiful, Dangerous".

In other news, Slash has revealed via Twitter that he "plays guitar on the theme song for [the new movie] ‘Bruno’." He added that "there’s a cameo of me, Snoop Dog, Sting, Chris Martin and Bono at the end" of the film.

Slash left GUNS N’ ROSES in the mid-’90s, forming SLASH’S SNAKEPIT before later assembling VELVET REVOLVER with several other ex-members of GUNS N’ ROSES and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland.

VELVET REVOLVER is currently searching for a replacement for Weiland, who was dismissed in April 2008.

DUFF MCKAGAN: Inspiring And Painful

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan has penned the latest installment of his weeky column, which appears every Thursday on Reverb at SeattleWeekly.com. An excerpt follows below.
"So I have finally arrived back home in Seattle after being on the road for the last two months. Traveling and playing gigs sometimes gives me a chance to witness or be a part of some pretty spectacular events. Whether getting a chance to see another inspiring band play or slipping and falling in a unfamiliar shower, life on the road is never without a daily event, it seems. Here I will list a few events that have highlighted my last eight weeks:

"As I have previously written about, I had a chance to see SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES twice in Germany. If you are looking for music to set a tone for your summer, may I suggest getting ‘Communion’, SOOL’s new double record. Super-cool and vibey.

"Was bestowed the honor of sitting at the "big kids’ table" with Billy Gibbons and Jeff Beck at the MOJO Awards in London: Whoa…! Was also given the pleasure of presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to the MANIC STREET PREACHERS that night. Pretty damn cool for sure.

"Lost a tooth: Yep, the same day I lost my bag, half of one of my back teeth just broke off. That same day we played in 70 mph winds in Zaragoza, Spain. The wind was so strong that it blew me off the microphone a couple of times and blew cymbal stands over, etc… The sound out front must have been atrocious. I attribute this triumvirate of bad luck to the fact that my wife and kids had just left after their visit to me out there on tour. I was sad and apparently vulnerable to asshole bad luck."

DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED To Support BLACK STONE CHERRY In U.K.

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan’s current project, DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED, will support BLACK STONE CHERRY on their upcoming U.K./Ireland tour. The dates are as follows:

Oct. 10 – 02 Academy – Birmingham, UK
Oct. 11 – Spring and Airbrake – Belfast, IRE
Oct. 12 – Dublin Academy – Dublin, IRE
Oct. 14 – Portsmouth Guildhall – Portsmouth, UK
Oct. 15 – Hammersmith Apollo – London, UK
Oct. 16 – Leeds Academy – Leeds, UK
Oct. 17 – Glasgow Academy – Glasgow, UK
Oct. 19 – Newcastle Academy – Newcastle
Oct. 20 – Manchester Apollo – Manchester, UK
Oct. 21 – Bristol Academy – Bristol, UK
Oct. 23 – Norwich UEA – Norwich, UK
Oct. 24 – Oxford Academy – Oxford, UK

On Sunday, June 28, DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED will sign autographs at the Fame record store in Amsterdam, Holland at 5:00 p.m. prior to the band’s concert at the Melkweg venue.

DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED Added To ‘Crüe Fest 2′ Second Stage

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan’s current project, DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED, has reportedly been confirmed as one of the second-stage performers at Crüe Fest 2 tour, which stars MÖTLEY CRÜE and features additional support from GODSMACK, THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DROWNING POOL and CHARM CITY DEVILS. As a result, DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED’s previously announced short run of U.S. club dates, which was scheduled for later this week, has been canceled.

"Sick", the new full-length album from DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED, sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position No. 43 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

SLASH Recalls Hearts Scare At MICHAEL JACKSON Show

Paul Cole of the U.K.’s Sunday Mercury reports that former GUNS N’ ROSES and current VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Slash faced a medical crisis of his own while appearing at Michael Jackson’s 40th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden.

Slash — whose real name is Saul Hudson — reveals that it was his first gig after having a major heart operation.

"Years of drinking had swollen my heart to the point of bursting," he recalls. "It reached the point where the doctors gave me between six days and six weeks to live. They installed a defibrillator to keep my heart from stopping and keep it beating at a steady rate. After the operation I began therapy and miraculously my heart started to heal. I was out of circulation for four months before I picked up a guitar. It was the darkest period of my life — but in 2001 I agreed to play at Michael’s birthday celebration.

“This was my first gig since the operation so I was looking forward to it. It certainly turned out to be memorable."

Bon Jovi join songwriting elite

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of rock band Bon Jovi have been inducted into the US Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York.

Jon Bon Jovi said of the honour: "It’s the closest thing to immortality that we’re ever going to see here."

The duo performed their hit Wanted Dead or Alive at a gala to celebrate 40 years of inductions.

Veterans Crosby, Stills and Nash were also inducted at the event, while Sir Tom Jones was given a hitmaker award.

‘Too talented’

The Welsh singer, who has only recently starting collaborating on his own material, said: "You have to have great songs to get your foot in the door."

He also performed a medley of his hit songs at the event, and had to restart It’s Not Unusual after admitting he had started in the wrong place.

US singer-songwriter Jason Mraz was presented with the award for the most promising talent, and was tipped as a future inductee into the Hall of Fame.

Former winner Rob Thomas, who gave Mraz his honour, joked: "I hate you. You’ve ruined the curve for everybody. You’re kind of young, and you’re cute.

"You’re just too talented and I think you should stop," he added.

British songwriting duo Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, whose credits include I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing and Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again, also gained a special award.

 

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8109568.stm)

Nobody Sells Records Like We Did In The ’90s Or ’80s

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan, who is currently on the road with his DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED project, recently spoke to Noisecreep about how the record industry has changed since the late ’80s when GN’R first burst onto the scene with its iconic "Appetite for Destruction" debut.

"Anybody that spends too much on a record these days, that’s fool’s money spent," McKagan said. "Nobody sells records like we did in the ’90s or ’80s. It’s not the business model anymore. People get their music for free off the Internet."

"We [DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED] signed with a small, indie label [Century Media], which was really cool. There’s not a lot of pressure like you get from a major. Major labels are becoming a thing of the past."

McKagan admits DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED, which was first formed a decade ago, is more widely known in Europe and Japan — and thinks it is just plain harder to crack America as an established artist. "I think people from the States don’t look at that as valid," he said. "Like ‘Oh, really? So and so from this band thinks he can put out his own record and we’ll come see him play? No. Ain’t gonna happen.’ They don’t really give the music a chance. But we’re going out to try our best. All I know is we made a record I really love and am passionate about."

VELVET REVOLVER Bassist Duff McKagan On New Singer – "The Right Guy Will Fall Into Our Laps When He Is Supposed To And Maybe That’s Why It Hasn’t Happened Yet"

According to Contactmusic.com, VELVET REVOLVER insist they are not concerned about not having a singer, insisting they will regroup "when it is supposed to happen."

Velvet Revolver expect their new singer to "land in their laps."

The group have been searching for a frontman since the departure of Scott Weiland last year but bassist Duff McKagan (ex-GUNS N’ ROSES) insists they are not worried about rushing into the search for a replacement.

He said: "Either you’ve got the guy or you’ve not and we’ve worked with some really talented guys. The trick is getting the chemistry right.

"Slash is making his solo record, which he’s desperately needed to do for years, so I’ll keep working with my other band LOADED, he’ll do that and music will happen when it’s supposed to happen. "The right guy will fall into our laps when he is supposed to and maybe that’s why it hasn’t happened yet."

DUFF McKAGAN’s LOADED Gear Up For European Dates With MÖTLEY ‘Fucking’ CRÜE!

DUFF McKAGAN’s LOADED, featuring VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N’ ROSES bassist Duff McKagan, have issued the following update:

"Today we are in Munich, Germany. Starting the first of six shows with MÖTLEY ‘Fucking’ CRÜE! While touring can be a blast, you don’t have a lot of responsibilities. You don’t really have to brush your teeth, take a shower, and you get to rock to the masses. There tends to be some downsides? This time around it seems that it all is revolving around our bus. Let me explain…. When you book a bus, there are just a few things that are important to us travelling gypsies:

1) Air conditioning
2) Power (lights, etc)
3) Internet
4) A working toilet

Well, I guess three out of four ain’t so bad? The toilet works! (other than it seems to always wants to overflow?)

Anyway, needless to say, it has been a hot and information-less week. To catch you all up to date. The Download Festival ruled! Thanks to everybody that came out! Another special thanks to Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) for once again gracing us with his rock power on (the Guns N’ Roses classic) ‘It’s So Easy’! We wish he would just jump on the bus and do it with us for the rest of the month. We are still out here in Europe for the rest of the month. So don’t forget to check out our tour dates, we want to see you all. And last but not least, go out and get our new record Sick It’s out and we want you to check it out, for real!"

"This Season For LOADED Has Thus Far Been, Well, Colorful…"

DUFF MCKAGAN of VELVET REVOLVER and LOADED has issued the latest installment of his weekly blog for Seattle Weekly. An excerpt reads as follows:

"Late spring in Europe and the UK means only one thing for the music lover over here: FESTIVAL SEASON! Of course, these festivals are good for both the fans AND the bands that play in front of them, as festivals will usually put an act in front of more people than they could otherwise garner by simply doing a club tour. This season for Loaded has thus far been, well, colorful, let’s say.

It’s always great to mix some club or theater gigs into your tour schedule if you are out doing the festivals. The beginning of June can be (and usually is) cold and wet in northern Europe. For whatever reason, whether with Velvet Revolver or Loaded, we’ve started the season more often up north, instead of, say, Spain. Loaded took it to the extreme this past week by starting things off in Finland, with two club shows in Helsinki and Oulu and an outdoor festival in Tampere."