SCOTT WEILAND Is 'Completely Open' To Reuniting With VELVET REVOLVER

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland tells RollingStone.com that he is excited about possibly reuniting with VELVET REVOLVER, which has been on hiatus since he was fired from the band in April 2008. "I am completely open to it, and I know there are other guys in the band that are completely open to it," he says. "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 continues. "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 says, "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."

During an appearance on Eddie Trunk's "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM last May, Slash was asked whether there was any truth to the reports that VELVET REVOLVER was once again working with the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman. "I talked to Dave Kushner and he said that he and Scott had some conversations at some point about getting back together. But I remember that was sort of Scott's M.O. when we did that reunion thing [VELVET REVOLVER reunited for a short performance at the January 'Love You Madly: A Concert For John O'Brien' at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California. (see video below) — Ed.] So he's been interested in burying the hatchet and getting back together and sort of juggling this whole STP/VELVET REVOLVER perfect-world thing. And I'm, like, there's no way that's gonna happen. I love Scott — he's a great guy when I'm not in a band with him. I'd just like to keep it that way. So there's no truth to this whole thing. [It's been given] way more attention than it even deserves."