Scott Weiland talks new Velvet Revolver album
Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland has spoken to Billboard about the band's second album, for which recording is finally getting underway after months of false starts. Although Weiland had said in several earlier interviews that the project would be a concept record, he now says he has "thrown that idea out the window," adding, "In my opinion, there are so many schlock concept albums that have come out in the past year. The ground is way too over-fertile with concept records. I prefer to write a lean and rather vicious rock 'n' roll record. I think that would be a better contribution to rock'n'roll at this moment."
There is no word on whether the album will keep its tentative title of Libertad. A mid-to-late-spring release is planned for the disc, which will follow up the group's 2004 debut, Contraband.
Velvet Revolver is working on the CD with producer Brendan O'Brien after an initial stint with Rick Rubin "did not work out," according to Weiland.
The former Stone Temple Pilots vocalist said that the band first started writing new songs about six months ago, but then "really kind of flat-lined for a while." Weiland admitted, "There was a definite loss of inspiration for a bit there...Once Brendan came on board, I guess it was kind of like a shot in the arm. It was a new energy."
Brendan O'Brien has produced or mixed records by many of the major rock bands of the last 20 years, including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave.
Weiland has also been working on his first solo effort since 1998's 12 Bar Blues, which will come out in late 2007 or early 2008 through Softdrive Records, which the singer co-owns.