2007.04.DD - Classic Rock - Revolver Re-Load (Duff)

REVOLVER RE-LOAD

New album and tour beats Chinese Democracy. Again.

Velvet Revolver return to Europe this summer for an appearance at the Download Festival and a brief headline tour. Coinciding with the arrival of their second album, Libertad, in early June - predicted to be ahead of any release by G'NR - they can be seen at: London Hammersmith Apollo June 5, Cardiff Arena 7, Download Festival 8, Glasgow SECC 10, Blackpool Empress Ballroom 11. VR join Motley Crue, DragonForce, Evanescence, Machine Head, Slayer, Wolfmother and Marilyn Manson at Download, headlined by Iron Maiden, Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance.

Although the band had intended to work with Rick Rubin on Libertad, the ubiquitous producer's schedule forced them to bring in Brendan O'Brien instead. Bassist Duff McKagan has no regrets, insisting the new album is a vast improvement over 2004's Contraband.

"If we'd waited around for Rick, I don't even know if we'd be in the studio yet," the bassist told us. "Contraband was a great first record, but a three-and-a-half years on we've toured for 18 months. Slash and I have played together for 20 years off and on, but a whole new dynamic has developed."

Velvet Revolver prepared 50 songs for the album. The best 18 of those were recorded, including Talking Heads' Psycho Killer and Can't Get It Out Of My Head by ELO. However, only 13 or 14 songs will make the final listing. "Those that don't make it will get used for something else," says McKagan. "It's hard to envisage us doing those songs, but they came out really fucking amazingly."

This year, VR (who played Download in 2005) appear on a day headlines by My Chemical Romance. "I'm cool with that," insists McKagan. "We wanted to take them out with us on the Contraband tour, so I really like them as a band."

Slash, who recently got out of rehab, has also signed a deal to collaborate with writer Anthony Bozza on an autobiography for Harper Collins Books. "He's probably too embarrassed to tell us about that, but I'll read it," chuckles Duff. "Slash is in the best mindspace I've know him since we were 19 years old. It's great to see. The few months before [he went into rehab] were pretty scary. But he's sought help and done the hard work. He's faced some shit and dealt with it."

By the time you read this, Velvet Revolver will also have inducted Van Halen to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. With the organisers doubtful that Edward and Alex Van Halen would attend the ceremony - rightly, as it turned out only Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar showed up - Velvet Revolver agreed to perform two Van Halen songs on the band's behalf.

"Our involvement changes on a daily basis," sighs McKagan, talking during a break in rehearsals. "We're inducting the Roth and Hagar line-ups, so we'll play Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, plus Runaround from the Hagar years. We're happy to do that, but I admit the Roth version of Van Halen is the only one for me."

Meanwhile, Van Halen's reunion plans have descended into farce. It was claimed that their summer shows were never formally announced, then that they'd been placed on "indefinite hold". As this issue went to press, Edward Van Halen admitted himself to rehab.