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The founding members of Velvet Revolver — guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum — announced their decision to fire vocalist Scott Weiland in a press release issued at the conclusion of the band's final performance with Weiland in Amsterdam, Holland. Weiland has fired back at the band, defending himself to MTV News:

"After reading the comment by Duff, Matt, Dave and the illustrious 'Guitar Hero,' Saul Hudson, a.k.a. Slash, I find it humorous that the so-called four 'founding members' of Velvet Revolver, better known to themselves as 'the Project' before I officially named the band, would decide to move on without me after I had already claimed the group dead in the water on March 20 in Glasgow.


Scott Weiland

"In response to Slash's comment regarding my commitment (to the band), I have to say it is a blatant and tired excuse to cover up the truth. The truth of the matter is that the band had not gotten along on multiple levels for some time. On a musical level, there were moments of joy, inspiration, fun... at times. But let's not forget the multiple trips to rehab every member of the band had taken (with the exception of one member — no need to mention his name).

"Personally speaking, I choose to look forward to the future and performing with a group of friends I have known my entire life, people who have always had my back," Weiland continued. "This also speaks to my commitment to my music and my fellow bandmates in Stone Temple Pilots and to the fans who I feel would much rather watch a group of musicians who enjoy being together as opposed to a handful of discontents who at one time used to call themselves a gang."

Weiland is referring to his plans to reunite with his old band, Stone Temple Pilots, who broke up in 2002. The group has scheduled a press conference in Los Angeles for April 7 where it is expected to announce a full tour of over 50 dates for the summer and fall in addition to the handful of festival shows they've already confirmed.

Weiland took a last parting shot at Velvet, warning fans not to be "fooled by veiled trickery" and wished the band,  "Good hunting, lads — I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice."


Sebastian Bach

If any Revolver fans were holding out hope that this was only a false alarm, and that the band would work its problems out, they have certainly been proven wrong.