My Audition for 'Velvet Revolver'.....

[AxlCole]

Ok, so, I told some forum members I'd post this story, so here it goes (hopefully this is the appropriate location for this)....

In late Summer (at least I think it was late summer.... could have been early Fall) of 2002, I was hanging out in my younger brother's office.  My younger brother discovered and manages a band called The Strokes.  They actually became friendly with Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum around this time (if you watch their video for the song "Someday" on youtube, you'll see them all hanging out in the beginning of it).  So, he says to me "I just got off the phone with Matt Sorum.  He said him, Slash, Duff, and Izzy are starting a band and looking for a singer!".  And I'm like ".... uh... hello?  You're older brother here is a singer, and, as you damn well know, a HUGE GnR fan!  Can you send him a demo of mine?".  And he says "Oh, right.  Sure, I guess".

Now, I didn't expect to hear a damn thing back, honestly.  I simply thought it would be awesome knowing that Slash and Duff got to hear my music... if my brother sent the demo, of course.  So, I didn't really think anything of it after that.

What could have been a couple of weeks, or even a month or two later, in maybe October of 2002, I get a call from my brother.  He says "You're not going to believe this, but I just got a call from Duff McKagen.  He said they loved your voice and songs and he wants you to call him".  I'm of course in total shock, and he says "Now, be cool!  Don't sound like some overexcited fan-boy!". 

So, I little bit later, I call Duff while standing somewhere in the middle of Manhattan while on my lunch break.  He answers, and as soon as I tell him my name, he knows exactly who I am and starts telling me how much they loved my voice... he thought it was reminiscent of Marc Bolan and Bowie... and my songwriting.  I'm basically in shock but trying to play it way cool.  I mean... for FUCK'S sake.... the voice on the other end is DUFF MCKAGEN!!!  He's telling me how him and Slash..... FUCKING SLASH.... love my voice and songs.  What the FUCK?!!!  THEY KNOW WHO I AM!!!  To try to quickly explain why this is so unreal to me: "Appetite" was the record that _literally_ made me decide to pursue music.  It's why I started taking guitar lessons.

One of the things I ask is "So, is Izzy involved too?" and he says, yeah, for the moment.  He's writing songs with him but, in his words "You never really know with Izzy".  He then says he wants to send me a CD with three recorded demos of music, and wants me to write and record vocal melodies and lyrics over them.  Ok, I say (obviously), and that's that.

A short while later, I receive the CD.... I put it on, and I can't believe it: it's the first time hearing these guys play together on new music in over 10 years.  It was a little different than I expected, but still awesome.  A little Zeppeliny in some ways... very classic rock, which is my thing.... very different than the 'modern rock' type of sound Velvet Revolver ended up sounding like.  I really liked the music to the first two songs, not so much the third.  It wasn't awful, it just seemed not as interesting overall.

So, Duff called me twice after that.  Once to make sure I got the CD, and once just to follow up to see how it was going.  He was really nice on the phone, but I really feel like I came off as uncool and stiff.... who the fuck knows, but you really can beat yourself up after a phone conversation like that and think "Did I really say THAT?!  What the FUCK was I thinking?!!!".  I mean, I think he was telling me about someone having a drug problem and said something like "We've all been there though" and I said "I haven't, actually.  I've actually never done a drug in my life" which is true but WHO THE FUCK SAYS THAT IN THAT CONVERSATION?!!  I must have sounded like a complete fucking square or like I was passing judgment... which I wasn't.... or something. 

Anyway, so, I record the songs... and was pretty damn happy with what I did... and send them back.

And then.... nothing..... weeks go by.... and.....nothing.  It's fucking TORTUROUS!!!  Eventually, my brother bumps into Duff and Matt backstage at a Strokes show in L.A., and he says they told him they're really excited to hear what I did but Slash has been in Hawaii and they have an agreement to only listen when they're all together.  So, I breath a sigh of relief. 

And then..... nothing.  I never, ever hear back.  Fucking.  Torture.  At one point I called Duff and left a message.... which, looking back, is like a crazy girl you date once or twice calling to see what's up because you never called her to go on another date.... what a fucking idiot I was to do that.  Basically just said "Hey, I haven't heard back so I thought I'd touch base to see how it's goin..." or something like that.  I must've sounded like a complete loser.

Eventually I hear through the press that they hired Weiland.  And while after that there's a VH1 doc about the 'Rise of Velvet Revolver'.  Judging by the dates on the camera footage in it, it appears to have taken place several months after what I went through.

Here's the postlog:  In May or June of 2004, Slash and Matt came to my brother's bachelor party at the Mercury Lounge in NYC (he used to book this venue, and it's where he discovered the Strokes).  I came out late after my shift barbacking at the Bowery Ballroom.   My brother introduced me to Slash saying "This is my brother Cole, he auditioned for you guys, remember?" and Slash goes "Brother Cole!  That's what I'm going to call you for now on!", and then he says, "Hey man, you know, I probably would have just started working with you at the time, but there were so many people involved and so much riding on it, that we decided to go with someone who'd already been around the block".  Now, he might have been lying... it's likely they just hated what I did over their material... but it was SO sweet of him to say that.  He had absolutely _no reason_ to say that to me.  However, according to my brother, he says as far as he knows, Duff and Slash _did_ want to work with me... or at least explore it further, but Matt didn't.  I don't know how true that is or isn't, but I recently watched the documentary again, and it _does_ seem like Matt could have been the one to have squashed things for me given how he behaves in the doc.

Anyway.... that's the story.  I've included links to two of the songs I wrote with them (the third one I didn't like either what they did or what I did over it).  I only recently put them up on sound cloud a couple of weeks ago after not letting anyone hear them for 14 years, as I wasn't sue of the legality of it, and quite frankly I didn't want to revisit them because I figured what I did probably wasn't very good since I didn't get the gig.  But upon relistening, I'm pretty happy with it... though I do think I'm oversinging a bit in some places.  I usually don't push my chords quite that hard.  I also included a pic of the cover of the CD they sent me, and a pic of me with Slash and Matt Sorum (who's making a weird face) at my brother's bachelor party:
 

 

 

[SerenityScorp]

Is Velvet Revolver still looking for a Singer? Maybe You could try again?

[Gracii Guns]

That is such a cool story! Thank you for sharing. Cole Gentle is such a rockstar name too- you totally deserve to be one! Thanks for sharing those tracks, I actually prefer them to most of what VR ended up producing! 

[Słash]

Thats a pretty cool story man, I can understand how frustrating it would have been for you. Thanks for sharing it with us fans. 

[Silent Jay]

What's up with Matt's head? He looks like Sloth Fratelli

[AxlCole]

1 hour ago, SerenityScorp said:

Is Velvet Revolver still looking for a Singer? Maybe You could try again?

Ha... I don't know, I think some of the members are currently working with a little side project called Guns n Roses.   Honestly, even if they were, I doubt I'd try.  I don't think my brother has talked to them in several years, so I don't know if I could get them anything, and besides, they already rejected me so I doubt they'd change their minds on that.  Either way, I'm knee deep committed to a project I've been working on for close to 10 years now: a fully orchestraed animated rock opera, which is almost completely recorded and which I am currently in the middle of animating (I'm at about the 43 minute mark and it's going to be about 90 when complete).  So, that's my thing now.

 

 

48 minutes ago, Gracii Guns said:

That is such a cool story! Thank you for sharing. Cole Gentle is such a rockstar name too- you totally deserve to be one! Thanks for sharing those tracks, I actually prefer them to most of what VR ended up producing! 

Thanks!  I've never been thrilled with my name, but thank you.

 

 

46 minutes ago, Slash787 said:

Thats a pretty cool story man, I can understand how frustrating it would have been for you. Thanks for sharing it with us fans. 

You're welcome.  Yes, it was frustrating at the time, but at the same time an amazing experience.  I mean, really, when all is said and done, I got to write 3 songs with some of my all-time musical heroes, and got to interact with them as a peer to a degree.... that they actually liked and respected me as an artist.  How many people can say that? So, I choose to focus on that stuff and not focus on regret.  No one can take that away from me. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, Silent Jay said:

What's up with Matt's head? He looks like Sloth Fratelli

Yeah, I've always wondered that.  It's really fucking weird. 

[center27j]

fantastic story, thanks for sharing

[Jane M.]

That was so cool to read. Thanks for sharing!

[SoundOfAGun]

Amazing story! Great voice as well dude!

[Snake-Pit]

I saw a televised thing, like an hour long, (filmed before they found their frontman/vocalist);.. About Velvet Revolver looking for a lead singer; I wonder if you were mentioned/featured in that thing I saw?

My memories of that was seeing Slash driving around Los Angeles in a Jaguar though.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Snake-Pit

[melonhead87]

Pretty awesome story bro!

[Len Cnut]

Anyone ever tell you look a bit like Gary O Sullivan with long hair?  

[Silverburst80]

Very cool story man i really dig your voice. It's quite a different sound than what Velvet Revolver ended up sounding like, is that Izzy playing on the demo's?

[AxlCole]

4 hours ago, Snake-Pit said:

I saw a televised thing, like an hour long, (filmed before they found their frontman/vocalist);.. About Velvet Revolver looking for a lead singer; I wonder if you were mentioned/featured in that thing I saw?

My memories of that was seeing Slash driving around Los Angeles in a Jaguar though.

I mentioned that documentary in the original post.  It takes place a good number of months after this went down.  There are time stamps on some of the video tape used in it, and they read March, 2003 if I'm not mistaken, whereas this went down primarily during the Fall of '02. 

 

 

17 minutes ago, Silverburst80 said:

Very cool story man i really dig your voice. It's quite a different sound than what Velvet Revolver ended up sounding like, is that Izzy playing on the demo's?

Thank you.  I _think_ it's Izzy playing rhythm, as I was told he was involved at this point at the very least in the writing.  I forget if I asked if he was on the recording as well, I probably just assumed he was.

Thanks everyone else for the kind words!

[Silverburst80]

4 hours ago, Snake-Pit said:

I saw a televised thing, like an hour long, (filmed before they found their frontman/vocalist);.. About Velvet Revolver looking for a lead singer; I wonder if you were mentioned/featured in that thing I saw?

My memories of that was seeing Slash driving around Los Angeles in a Jaguar though.

Its on youtube somewhere, called the Rise of Velvet Revolver i think if anyone's interested in checking it out. Funny Cole talks about Sorum probably being the one who might have not dug him the main thing i remember from the doco was Sorum's whining and Slash and Duff having this big arguement with him

[AxlCole]

28 minutes ago, Silverburst80 said:

Its on youtube somewhere, called the Rise of Velvet Revolver i think if anyone's interested in checking it out. Funny Cole talks about Sorum probably being the one who might have not dug him the main thing i remember from the doco was Sorum's whining and Slash and Duff having this big arguement with him

Yeah, that's what made me think there was truth to what I was told, that Duff and Slash wanted to work with me but Matt didn't, and they had to be unanimous. 

He was nice to me when I met him the night that pic was taken though.

[triad]

Good stuff!  I enjoyed listening.  

[ZoSoRose]

Great story!!!! Thanks for the share

[ludurigan]

13 hours ago, AxlCole said:

Ok, so, I told some forum members I'd post this story, so here it goes (hopefully this is the appropriate location for this)....

In late Summer (at least I think it was late summer.... could have been early Fall) of 2002, I was hanging out in my younger brother's office.  My younger brother discovered and manages a band called The Strokes.  They actually became friendly with Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum around this time (if you watch their video for the song "Someday" on youtube, you'll see them all hanging out in the beginning of it).  So, he says to me "I just got off the phone with Matt Sorum.  He said him, Slash, Duff, and Izzy are starting a band and looking for a singer!".  And I'm like ".... uh... hello?  You're older brother here is a singer, and, as you damn well know, a HUGE GnR fan!  Can you send him a demo of mine?".  And he says "Oh, right.  Sure, I guess".

Now, I didn't expect to hear a damn thing back, honestly.  I simply thought it would be awesome knowing that Slash and Duff got to hear my music... if my brother sent the demo, of course.  So, I didn't really think anything of it after that.

What could have been a couple of weeks, or even a month or two later, in maybe October of 2002, I get a call from my brother.  He says "You're not going to believe this, but I just got a call from Duff McKagen.  He said they loved your voice and songs and he wants you to call him".  I'm of course in total shock, and he says "Now, be cool!  Don't sound like some overexcited fan-boy!". 

So, I little bit later, I call Duff while standing somewhere in the middle of Manhattan while on my lunch break.  He answers, and as soon as I tell him my name, he knows exactly who I am and starts telling me how much they loved my voice... he thought it was reminiscent of Marc Bolan and Bowie... and my songwriting.  I'm basically in shock but trying to play it way cool.  I mean... for FUCK'S sake.... the voice on the other end is DUFF MCKAGEN!!!  He's telling me how him and Slash..... FUCKING SLASH.... love my voice and songs.  What the FUCK?!!!  THEY KNOW WHO I AM!!!  To try to quickly explain why this is so unreal to me: "Appetite" was the record that _literally_ made me decide to pursue music.  It's why I started taking guitar lessons.

One of the things I ask is "So, is Izzy involved too?" and he says, yeah, for the moment.  He's writing songs with him but, in his words "You never really know with Izzy".  He then says he wants to send me a CD with three recorded demos of music, and wants me to write and record vocal melodies and lyrics over them.  Ok, I say (obviously), and that's that.

A short while later, I receive the CD.... I put it on, and I can't believe it: it's the first time hearing these guys play together on new music in over 10 years.  It was a little different than I expected, but still awesome.  A little Zeppeliny in some ways... very classic rock, which is my thing.... very different than the 'modern rock' type of sound Velvet Revolver ended up sounding like.  I really liked the music to the first two songs, not so much the third.  It wasn't awful, it just seemed not as interesting overall.

So, Duff called me twice after that.  Once to make sure I got the CD, and once just to follow up to see how it was going.  He was really nice on the phone, but I really feel like I came off as uncool and stiff.... who the fuck knows, but you really can beat yourself up after a phone conversation like that and think "Did I really say THAT?!  What the FUCK was I thinking?!!!".  I mean, I think he was telling me about someone having a drug problem and said something like "We've all been there though" and I said "I haven't, actually.  I've actually never done a drug in my life" which is true but WHO THE FUCK SAYS THAT IN THAT CONVERSATION?!!  I must have sounded like a complete fucking square or like I was passing judgment... which I wasn't.... or something. 

Anyway, so, I record the songs... and was pretty damn happy with what I did... and send them back.

And then.... nothing..... weeks go by.... and.....nothing.  It's fucking TORTUROUS!!!  Eventually, my brother bumps into Duff and Matt backstage at a Strokes show in L.A., and he says they told him they're really excited to hear what I did but Slash has been in Hawaii and they have an agreement to only listen when they're all together.  So, I breath a sigh of relief. 

And then..... nothing.  I never, ever hear back.  Fucking.  Torture.  At one point I called Duff and left a message.... which, looking back, is like a crazy girl you date once or twice calling to see what's up because you never called her to go on another date.... what a fucking idiot I was to do that.  Basically just said "Hey, I haven't heard back so I thought I'd touch base to see how it's goin..." or something like that.  I must've sounded like a complete loser.

Eventually I hear through the press that they hired Weiland.  And while after that there's a VH1 doc about the 'Rise of Velvet Revolver'.  Judging by the dates on the camera footage in it, it appears to have taken place several months after what I went through.

Here's the postlog:  In May or June of 2004, Slash and Matt came to my brother's bachelor party at the Mercury Lounge in NYC (he used to book this venue, and it's where he discovered the Strokes).  I came out late after my shift barbacking at the Bowery Ballroom.   My brother introduced me to Slash saying "This is my brother Cole, he auditioned for you guys, remember?" and Slash goes "Brother Cole!  That's what I'm going to call you for now on!", and then he says, "Hey man, you know, I probably would have just started working with you at the time, but there were so many people involved and so much riding on it, that we decided to go with someone who'd already been around the block".  Now, he might have been lying... it's likely they just hated what I did over their material... but it was SO sweet of him to say that.  He had absolutely _no reason_ to say that to me.  However, according to my brother, he says as far as he knows, Duff and Slash _did_ want to work with me... or at least explore it further, but Matt didn't.  I don't know how true that is or isn't, but I recently watched the documentary again, and it _does_ seem like Matt could have been the one to have squashed things for me given how he behaves in the doc.

Anyway.... that's the story.  I've included links to two of the songs I wrote with them (the third one I didn't like either what they did or what I did over it).  I only recently put them up on sound cloud a couple of weeks ago after not letting anyone hear them for 14 years, as I wasn't sue of the legality of it, and quite frankly I didn't want to revisit them because I figured what I did probably wasn't very good since I didn't get the gig.  But upon relistening, I'm pretty happy with it... though I do think I'm oversinging a bit in some places.  I usually don't push my chords quite that hard.  I also included a pic of the cover of the CD they sent me, and a pic of me with Slash and Matt Sorum (who's making a weird face) at my brother's bachelor party:
 

 

 

while i was reading your post all i could think is this is a great story but i need to hear these tracks

and i kept thinking how is that i am gonna convince this guy to share the tracks...

so when i finished reading the story and i noticed that you actually posted the tracks...

FUCK, this has got to be the coolest post ever in this forum!

  

[Mendez]

That is so (for lack of better words) awesome! And a good vocal sound too

[AxlCole]

Thank you so much for the feedback, guys!  I'm glad you all enjoyed it. 

[GabrieL_TiT]

I really enjoyed reading your story, thanks for sharing

[annablue]

Really liked the track with no title! I never got into Velvet Revolver because I was never a big Scott Weiland fan and my opinion of Sorum is pretty low too. I liked what I heard from you. Keep us in the loop on what your future venture is? or is there a way to follow you? Twitter or something? Was so great to come across your post. Hope everyone here gets a chance to see it!

[OmarBradley]

On 8/12/2016 at 10:11 AM, AxlCole said:

Your story is awesome, thanks for telling it. I don't mean to take anything away from that, but Slash is wearing a Silvertide shirt here!!! That's fucking awesome.

[Tiffani]

@AxlCole That is an amazing experience. Sorry it didn t work out but boy do you have a story to tell! Love the demos also, btw. You've got a very unique voice. Very nice! 

Maybe Slash was being nice but maybe he was telling the truth also. I heard that's what happened with AC/DC. The band really liked the tribute band singer but ultimately decided on Axl for his big stage experience and name recognition. So who knows...