Late Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland formed the supergroup Velvet Revolver with Guns N’ Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum in 2003, along with guitarist Dave Kushner. Matt Sorum recently revealed how Velvet Revolver tried to set themselves apart from Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl in the mid-2000’s in a new Drum For The Song interview. Ultimate-Guitar transcribed Sorum’s comments.
“I think, as a drummer, it’s an interesting thing – because you look a lot of drummers… I’ve always tried to be a ‘song’ drummer, so I’m always listening outward, like, ‘What are those guys doing…?’
I’m gonna try to pick up the rhythm of what they’re playing and work that into my groove or whatever, so going the other way around, I mean, especially if you look up guys like Don Henley, Phil Collins and, of course, Dave Grohl.
You listen to the Foo Fighters, that’s so rhythm-driven. From what I understand, he records the guitar parts first, and then he cuts the drums second. So he’s got the rhythm, you know, the guitar is such a rhythm instrument. And he knows in his head he’s going to put the kick drum on that, so that’s all already manufactured inside.”
He later added, “When the Foo Fighters came, I remember Velvet Revolver when we did our first record [2004’s ‘Contraband’], and all those beats were like *thumps* rather than Foo Fighters *mimicks percussion noises*. And all of a sudden, everything is really rigid – so I was listening to that going, ‘Well, let’s be aggressive that way.’ If you go back and listen to the first Velvet Revolver album, there’s a lot of that kind of shit going on.
It came off punky, but it was modern. Rhythmically, I think the world moves rhythmically. What’s the difference now about music in the ’70s and even ’80s? I usually say the drugs people are taking [Laughs].”
Velvet Revolver released two album before firing Scott Weiland and disbanding in 2008, though they did try out replacement singers like Corey Taylor over the next few years. Velvet Revolver reunited with Weiland for a one off benefit show performance in January 2012, with Weiland later claiming the band were reuniting for a full scale tour and new album. Slash shot down these claims, and Velvet Revolver never played together again prior to Weiland’s December 2015 death. A Velvet Revolver member discussed Scott Weiland’s funeral last year.
