Hey bands: What’s better than a press release? Announcing via the web that you’ve fired your singer and are looking for a new one. Velvet Revolver recently announced that Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum (all of Guns N’ Roses) and Dave Kushner (of Wasted Youth) have parted ways with Scott Weiland (of Stone Temple Pilots). Slash was quoted as saying in a band statement, “This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn’t 100% committed to either. Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on.”
And now you, dear reader, may have a shot to audition. In an interview with Billboard magazine, Slash let it slip that while VR have been auditioning some singers, the band plans to build a website to allow potential singers to audition via the web.
Slash said in the interview that the site should appear “in the next month or so.”
As for what they want, singer-wise? Let’s just say Slash will know it when he sees and hears it. That’s what he told Billboard: “We’re at that point of just listening to different things…it’s one of those kind of situations where you can’t really explain it to anybody because you’ll know it when you hear it. So I’m waiting to get that feeling of, ‘Yeah that’s it.’”
On Thursday Billboard reported that Dr. Pepper cares enough about Chinese Democracy to offer a free soda to every American should the long-awaited album come out this year. Chinese Democracy, the Guns N’ Roses album that Axl has reportedly toiled on tirelessly for over 14 years and has spent over $13 million recording according to the New York Times, is slated to debut in 2012 (according to their Wikipedia page).
In a release, Dr. Pepper director of marketing Jaxie Alt said, “It took a little patience to perfect Dr. Pepper’s special mix of 23 ingredients, which our fans have come to know and love. So we completely understand and empathize with Axl’s quest for perfection–for something more than the average album. We know once it’s released, people will refer to it as ‘Dr. Pepper for the ears’ because it will be such a refreshing blend of rich, bold sounds–an instant classic.”
One nod to Axl and fan’s frustrations is that two Americans–Slash and Buckethead–are excluded. No free sodas for you, axe men.
Parent label Interscope has not said whether they will comply with the soda giant’s offer, but over on gunsnroses.com, Axl said, “We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr. Pepper with our album Chinese Democracy, as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead’s performances are on our album, I’ll share my Dr. Pepper with him.”
Ignorance of the deal is no excuse, Axl. And, what about Slash?
The soda company has launched a blog to help promote their offer, which may never come true.
Axl insider Sebastian Bach has said in an interview with Rock My Monkey, “I think there’s a lot of business shit that goes on with him. It’s just not as easy. It’s a little more complicated than people think.”
Nothing a few million cans of free soda can’t clear up, Dr. Pepper is willing to gamble.
The album was also the subject of a successful April Fools Day prank last year on Spin.com; Chuck Klosterman’s review of the album caused fans and record collector types to repost the article en masse and then look silly to their less-rabid friends who were less than impressed with the fake news.
“Music can inspire, entertain and agitate–and we intend to do all three on this tour,” taunts Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello, while talking to The Fix on the eve of announcing his unique 7-city “Justice Tour”. Morello’s solo project and onstage alter ego, The Nightwatchman, will be the core performer on a distinctive tour that combines a day of local activism with a night of star-studded rock. Underscoring Morello’s belief in the power of local, grassroots action, the tour bills local bands in each city alongside names like Perry Farrell, Slash and Ben Harper.
Morello will be inviting a changing line-up to share the stage with him and bring awareness to a specific issue at each stop. Current confirmed guests (expect more surprises–both announced and unannounced) include: Slash, Ben Harper, Perry Farrell, Maynard James Keenan of Tool and Puscifer, MC5 founder Wayne Kramer, Boots Riley of The Coup, Mike Einzinger of Incubus, Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, Davey Havok of AFI, and State Radio.
Morello adds that the motto of The Justice Tour is “Feed the poor, fight the power, and rock the fuck out,” an extension of his longtime intermingling of music and politics. Despite an avid commitment to music as a teenager (Morello’s high school band was The Electric Sheep, with Adam Jones of Tool on bass), Morello went on to Harvard, graduating with honors with a degree in Political Science. His duality in rock and activism is also reflected in his various achievements in both fields, such as inclusion in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitar Players” and being the 2006 recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award.
Justice Tour participant and Morello pal Perry Farrell, leader of Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros and founder of the Lollapalooza Festival, shared some thoughts with The Fix about combining music and activism. “Activism has changed so dramatically in America. There is more of a level playing field today that allows the individual to be more important in the service of charity and aid. We can mobilize ourselves quicker and easier today to fix problems–and become our own media hub to make our point.”
Also joining forces with Morello as tour partners are Amnesty International, whose focus on the tour will be support for tearing down Gitmo, Axis of Justice, Morello’s social justice organization devoted to bridging fans of music with local activism, and Project Noise, an organization partnering with musicians and non-profits to maximize their impact through music, media and technology. Also involved is Erin Potts, who along with Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys, brought us the Tibetan Freedom Concerts.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $10 for all shows except the April 17 Road Recovery benefit in New York. Proceeds from each show benefit the local social justice partner.
April 15: Los Angeles: Issue: Homelessness: Tickets on sale now at TicketMaster outlets, at ticketmaster.com, and at the Troubadour box office. Proceeds benefit Axis of Justice and People Assisting the Homeless (PATH).
April 17: New York: Issue: Road Recovery benefit: Tickets for this previously announced benefit are $60, $100, and $250 and are on sale now at TicketMaster outlets and at ticketmaster.com. Proceeds benefit Road Recovery.
April 20: New Orleans: Issue: Safe, secure and affordable housing: Tickets on sale now at TicketMaster outlets, at ticketmaster.com, at the House of Blues box office and hob.com. Proceeds benefit Sweet Home New Orleans and Amnesty International.
April 22: Asheville, NC: Issue: A living wage: Tickets on sale now at www.thegreyeagle.com, or 800-594-TIXX, and at the Grey Eagle box office after 5 PM on a day with another event scheduled, at Harvest Records and at Orbit DVD. Proceeds benefit Just Economics.
April 24: Washington, DC: Issue: Iraq Veterans Against the War: Tickets on sale now at TicketMaster outlets, at ticketmaster.com, and at the Black Cat box office between 8 PM and midnight. Proceeds benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War.
April 28: Boston: Issue: Affordable healthcare: Ticket sales TBA. Proceeds benefit HealthCare-Now.
May 1: Chicago: Issue: Labor organizing: Tickets on sale now at TicketMaster outlets, at ticketmaster.com, and at the Park West box office. Proceeds benefit Service Employees Int’l Union.