VELVET REVOLVER Cover GUNS N' ROSES, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS During Live Debut

VELVET REVOLVER, the new band formed by STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland and former GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, made their official live debut Thursday night (June 19) at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California.

The group, who are completed by ex-LOADED/WASTED YOUTH guitarist David Kushner, played two original tracks and four covers, including renditions of songs from GUNS N' ROSES and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS.

The band's set list for the short performance was as follows:

01. Bodies (SEX PISTOLS)
02. Set Me Free
03. Sex Type Thing (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS)
04. It's So Easy (GUNS N' ROSES)
05. Slither
06. Negative Creep (NIRVANA)

The exclusive invitation-only event was preceded by a media question-and-answer session beginning at 7:30 p.m. Check out pictures from Film Magic, Wire Image.

Duff McKagan told reporters during the press conference that Weiland's much-publicized substance abuse woes were a fact of life.

"Rock 'n' roll is not a safe thing," McKagan said. "It shouldn't be a safe thing. There's a lot of safe rock 'n' roll out there right now. We're real. What happens is real ... What happened to Scott Weiland a few weeks ago, it really could happen to any of us. It has happened to all of us."

VELVET REVOLVER manager David Codikow told Reuters "everybody's optimistic" that Weiland won't go back to jail.

"Like everybody else, they've all had their problems in the past," Codikow said. "They've all worked through it, there's a real support group, and you never give up."

VELVET REVOLVER reportedly have five original songs in the can, and have about 50 tunes in various forms of completion. The band hope to do some touring in the summer and release an album by the end of the year. So far, they do not have a record contract, and are keeping their options open.