Axl, Slash And Weiland Call Each Other Names

03/13/06 8:00pm

by Phil Villeneuve (CHARTattack)

It all began last month when Velvet Revolver's Slash did an interview with a British radio station and commented positively on new Guns N' Roses material. Axl Rose later reacted to Slash's interview, but it wasn't as friendly, and now Scott Weiland has released a statement regarding Rose that's even meaner.

Slash claimed that he's "always been supportive" of Rose's work with the newly formed GN'R and was looking forward to the long-awaited Chinese Democracy album, some of which was recently leaked on to the internet.

However, a statement released on March 6 by Rose's Sanctuary Group management company called Slash's comments "surprising" and called him "a consummate press, photo and media opportunist and manipulator" who "has attacked Axl Rose on a number of levels."

Things got even uglier when Rose filed a lawsuit against Slash (real name Saul Hudson) on March 10 requesting a federal judge's confirmation of his "ownership of his own creative works." This was in response to a suit filed last August by Slash and bassist Duff McKagan. The two accused Rose of changing the publisher of the group's copyrighted songs without advising them and then taking all royalties.

Rose issued another statement in regards to his suit and claimed that Slash showed up at his house one morning in October to offer a truce. He said the guitarist insulted his Velvet Revolver cohorts, calling McKagan "spineless," Weiland "a fraud" and saying that he "hates [drummer] Matt Sorum."

So far Slash hasn't reacted to Rose's name-calling, but Weiland hasn't held back. He released a statement via the band's website on March 10 calling Rose a "fat, Botox-faced, wig-wearin' fuck." He continued by stating that the singer has an "unoriginal, uncreative little mind, the same mind that had to rely on its bandmates to write melodies and lyrics."

Weiland then goes on to criticize the GN'R leader for backing out of the band's planned 2002 world tour and for his lack of released material. He concludes by saying that Rose is a "frightened little man who once thought he was king, but unfortunately this king without his court is nothing but a memory of the asshole he once was."

Velvet Revolver are heading into the studio next month to begin work on the follow-up to 2004's Contraband. There's still no release date for Chinese Democracy.—