Slash would have been content to play with any other band by the middle of the 1990s if he hadn’t been in Guns N’ Roses. Although performing at the largest stadiums in history might have been enjoyable, the exaggerated sound of their records and Axl Rose’s antics were very different from the rootsy rock and roll that the guitarist had built his career on. He wasn’t in the best of shape when Velvet Revolver hit the road. Some of his bandmates followed him, but he needed a more creative outlet.
However, it’s actually very simple to argue that the supergroup is among the greatest acts of the 2000s when you consider how they came to be. While it’s true that Audioslave from this era is the ultimate supergroup of its time. Adding Slash’s sleazy riffs and Scott Weiland’s disillusioned voice to the mix is much more inspired than one might think.
Looking back, Contraband, their debut album, is a really good record. Does it resemble any of their former bandmates in the slightest? No, not really, but you could certainly do much worse for a nice slice of arena rock. Especially considering that this was during the period when the aftereffects of grunge were still very much fresh in people’s memories.
Slash wasn’t having the greatest time in the background, despite having the appropriate songs to work with. Since this was the right time to go back on the road. Some of his old habits ended up resurfacing. Typically, this meant descending into a much more modest version of the drama found in Guns N’ Roses.
Slash told Loudwire that even though he loved singing, his time as the supergroup’s lead singer wasn’t always ideal. “As crazed as that whole period was, I was still shocked to hear about Scott,” Slash said in reference to Weiland’s passing in 2018. Yes, Velvet Revolver was a drag. Other than the fact that we wrote some really cool stuff, I have nothing good to say about that experience.
Slash noted in his autobiography that Weiland fell victim to many of the traps he had observed during his time in his previous group. Even though the grunge singer had a history of drug abuse. It’s impossible to ignore that he appeared on both of their albums. He contributed significantly to tracks like “Slither” and “Fall to Pieces.”
If anything, the supergroup offers fascinating “what if” scenarios about what they might have become if Weiland hadn’t been replaced. It’s not as if they were short on possible vocalists. Aside from the grunge icon, there had been rumors. Everyone from Ian Astbury of The Cult to Corey Taylor of Slipknot had applied for the role.
It’s unlikely that we’ll ever find out what the perfect Velvet Revolver would have sounded like, but does it really matter now? All that remains now is a faint recollection of Slash’s supergroup. Even though the headaches were unbearable, it was still worthwhile to hear a song like “Sucker Train Blues.”
