Dave Kushner: Scott Weiland’s Impact on Velvet Revolver’s Early Demos Was a Game Changer
Dave Kushner recalls: “Scott’s arrival was a game-changer, like, you know, this is really happening!”
In a recent interview for Rob’s School of Music, Dave Kushner shared some insightful anecdotes about the early days of Velvet Revolver, particularly focusing on Scott Weiland’s impact on the band’s formative demo sessions. Kushner recounted a pivotal moment when Weiland first joined the group and how his involvement brought a newfound energy and direction to their music.
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“Scott’s arrival was a game-changer,” Kushner began. “I remember when Scott came in and we first were like, okay, he’s in the band and we’re going to do this. I remember we gave him like all 60 pieces of music on CDs because it was 2002, so the MP3 and that technology wasn’t as simple as it is now where it’s just like you could listen on your phone or you know. So the first song that we ever gave him was “Set Me Free”, and we got back exactly, pretty much how it sounds on the record. And we were like: holly sheet this is our guy.”
One of the most memorable experiences for Kushner was a road trip with Weiland, where the singer played some of the band’s demos for the first time. “Me and Duff were in Seattle and I remember driving on this road to whatever mountain we were driving to to snowboard and he put the CD in. He’s like, ‘Dude, I got the CD,’ and I hadn’t listened to it yet, and it was ‘Slither,’ ‘Fall to Pieces,’ and ‘Big Machine.’ We were like, you know, like, I mean, dude, like our first two singles were on that, you know, in those first three demos. And we were like, holy crap, like this is, this could really, like this is happening.”
Kushner highlighted the significance of this moment, explaining that these early recordings with Weiland were a testament to the potential and chemistry the band had found. “Those are the big moments you cherish,” he reflected. “Listening to those demos and realizing how special they were made us believe in what we were creating.”
Velvet Revolver’s debut album, Contraband, featuring those very tracks, went on to achieve massive success, and Kushner’s recollection offers a glimpse into the early dynamics and creative process that laid the foundation for the band’s iconic sound.
For more interesting stories about Velvet Revolver and Dave’s guitar choices and preferences, listen to the whole episode of Rob’s School Of Music and subscribe to the channel.
