First, Velvet Revolver is a terrific band. I love both GNR and the STP, so when Slash, Duff, Matt and Scott got together to put this thing together I knew it would work, my expectations were high. The thing is, my expectations were high regarding whatever they produced, that is, I wanted to hear what they would sound like regardless of what GNR or STP traits would come along. I knew they would sound good and I knew they would sound and act up-to-date. Of course, guitar, bass and drums are coming from three former GNR members, while there’s one STP former member who’s the singer. It’s pretty fair.

GNR and STP have a common thread — both blend hard rock and punk rock, both were commercial hits. Some people talk about selling out. To sell out means to do something strictly for the money. That’s not the case with VR, even though it’s just okay for any rocker to actually want to sell records. It’s fun and it’s rewarding to be in front of large crowds and under the limelight. That doesn’t mean you’ve sold out at all.

Velvet Revolver’s music is genuine, even if this or that vision prevailed on this or that album, and even if the second album was intended to be a little more radio-friendly.

Scott Weiland is one of the greatest singers/frontmen ever, and it’s really hard to replace him — that’s why the band is taking so long. One guy here said he wanted to do emo stuff… I’m sorry, that’s stupid, there’s nothing emo about anything he does. “Emo” is a just another silly tag, but it refers to a totally different vibe.

If Weiland had more say on the making of Libertad, well… the other guys must’ve thought it was good. It is good, it just doesn’t sound like Contraband. So what?

Someone said Matt Sorum sucks. Come on, there he is drumming for Motorhead now, if you like sheer brutality. He was with The Cult before and after GNR, he played on a lotta great musicians’ albums. Why do you think he was picked? Not just because he looks good and dresses fancy. Please don’t hate him for that, btw.

I don’t compare VR to GNR or STP. I think of it as a great band that put out two great albums and several great live performances. I’m sorry I missed them live.

Lastly, I hope they get a good singer soon. Sebastian Bach would be good and would fit right in, but he’s friends with Axl so I don’t know. I hope it’s not that After Bridge singer Slash got for his band. That would kill Velvet Revolver. I don’t care about his polite, high-pitched singing. I wanna hear a guy who can sing his guts out, with a real rock n roll attitude. Cheers!!!

Oh, and then there’s VR in concert. Talk about a snoozefest. I’m glad AIC was the opener, because VR was way below expectations. They all seemed bored.

As for the debate (if you can call it that) between Contraband and Libertad, I’d say you could pull about 12 good songs from the two and make a good album. And I’d probably have to, off hand without recalling which songs are from which, guess that 8 would come from Contraband and 4 from Libertad. But that’s kind of the point – that I can’ t really recall too many songs. Too many are forgettable songs. Not great, not bad, some good, some average.

Also, I heard the chick from Aqua sings on a hidden bonus track. I can’t wait.

See, *Contraband* totally sounded like what it was, which was the product of a year or so of pre-production with the band composing alone and Weiland’s vocals just thrown in over the top at the last minute. The arrangements were awkward from the standpoint that there was no meld between the differing styles and artistic sentiments. After *Contraband,* I was briefly less interested in who the band was at the time than who I thought they COULD be after a year or more of gel-ing through touring and the chance to write and arrange TOGETHER, as opposed to trying to jam disparate parts together by brute force. I say briefly – by the time *Libertad* came around, I had lost interest and didn’t care at all anymore. Oh, and I let the single they released for *The Hulk* to slide because they were just finding their feet, but they didn’t slip another one past me with the stupid single they released for *The Fantastic Four.*

Overall, the sniping comments each faction continues to make agains the other in the press don’t interest me. The reason why they failed doesn’t interest me. They tried and it didn’t work. On to the next thing, please. So horribly disappointing. Thank you, Duff, for bringing back Loaded. VR would have had more integrity had they just played weekend gigs around L.A. as Camp Freddy, Option B.

Regards