Velvet Revolver to reunite for charity gig

This year Slash, Duff McKagen and Matt Sorum will indeed reunite on stage with their volatile former singer to play some of their old hits.

No, not that old singer.

Velvet Revolver — Slash, McKagan, Matt Sorum, Dave Kushner and Scott Weiland — will reunite for one show Jan. 12 at L.A.'s House Of Blues, according to Rolling Stone. Guitarist Kushner brought the band back together to play a benefit show for the family of his best friend, musician John O'Brien, who was found dead at the age of 45 in a Chicago hotel room in August.

"I found out he passed away on August 20, and it was like out of nowhere," Kushner told Rolling Stone. "Next day I was in shock and my wife said to me, 'You gotta have a benefit concert for his wife and you have to get Velvet Revolver back together.' That's how it started."

Velvet Revolver is officially still a band, though their search for a replacement for Weiland seems to be never ending, since he left the band following the tour for 2007's "Libertad." Slash, McKagan, and Sorum are slated to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year with their previous band Guns N' Roses. There has been much speculation over whether the band would reunite with singer Axl Rose to play at the induction.

This reunion seemed much easier. Kushner said the response was almost instantaneous from everyone, something he attributes to how loved O'Brien — a childhood friend of Kushner's —
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was in the industry, as well as by the members of Velvet Revolver.

The show will also feature Maroon 5, Sheryl Crow, Tom Morello, Stephen Stills and more. Which Kushner said takes the pressure of Velvet Revolver, who will likely only play three songs.

"Because we hadn't played with Scott in a long time I said, 'Look, let's just do three songs.' It's not too much of a commitment," he told the magazine. "So we just got a bunch of people, everyone will do three songs."

It will be the first time Weiland has performed with the band in four years. He has since rejoined Stone Temple Pilots.

All of the proceeds from the benefit will go to O'Brien's wife and family. "Unfortunately, John didn't have life insurance at the time and he left behind a wife that's pregnant and a 4-year-old son. That to me is the main focus of why I'm doing this," Kushner said. "I'm doing it so that this sells out and that money can go to her, period."

Kushner said he realizes the show will prompt questions about a full-fledged reunion. "We haven't played together in four years, and so we're really just like, 'Let's see how this goes,'" he said. "I know everyone's got other commitments, but I think everyone's like, 'Let's get this thing done and get through this and then we'll see.'"