SLASH Says SCOTT WEILAND Has Been Fired From STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

Slash says that singer Scott Weiland's interest in rejoining VELVET REVOLVER — which has been on hiatus since Weiland was kicked out of the band in April 2008 — is motivated at least in part by the fact that Scott was recently fired from STONE TEMPLE PILOTS.

Speaking to the Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station 93X earlier today (hear audio below),Slash was asked about Weiland's recent comments that he was "completely open" to reuniting with VELVET REVOLVER. "That's because he got fired from STP," Slash said, before explaining, "I think, all things considered, because these things always catch me by surprise, too, because I only find out about it through the media. I'm on the road in another country and I start hearing all this stuff, so I inquire within, and that's what I was told."

Weiland recently told RollingStone.com that he was excited about possibly reconnecting with VELVET REVOLVER. "I am completely open to it, and I know there are other guys in the band that are completely open to it," he said. "There have been some things that have stood in the way that aren't anything that have to do with the band — just other players, whether it be agents . . . But now we're sorting through things, and we want to start writing for some big film opportunities that have come our way, and try to set things up the way we set things up when we initially got together.

"I think it's the perfect time for VELVET REVOLVER to get back together," he continued. "Slash has done some great things, and I look forward to the opportunity to seeing him on my left and seeing Duff McKagan — who, in my opinion, is without a doubt one of the greatest rock and roll and punk rock bass players of all time. And is still in amazing shape — is more ripped than just about any 25-year-old on the planet. And with Matt [Sorum] and Dave [Kushner] as well, who are just incredible musicians. I think that's exciting to look forward to. It's the old cliché, 'If the gods of rock want it to happen, then it will.'"

On the status of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Weiland said, "I think we kind of overplayed ourselves by playing the same set over and over. I think the band needs to take some time off and be creative again. I always felt that our creativity and the growth we made within making records as artists was equally as important as we were as a live band. The transformation from 'Core' to where we ended up before we took that time off, when I started with VELVET REVOLVER, was enormous. I think we need to get back to that. I don't think that touring consistently with a greatest-hits package gets you anywhere. It diminishes things."