Velvet Revolver/ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash has issued the following update:

"I don't know how I'm supposed to wait until next year to put out [my recently completed solo] record! It is so fucking cool and I am so anxious to get it out already. We start mixing soon and that will be that, ready to go. But I have to wait, there's no way around it, for all kinds of logistic reasons and that's the reality.

"My Velvet Revolver bandmates and I had a meeting a couple of weeks ago and although the search for a [new] singer will continue, I am going to tour on my solo record most likely through next summer starting in March or April. We (Velvet Revolver) will keep the word of mouth system going and listening to submissions from singers and checking out different singers' sites etc. We know the right guy is out there somewhere. It's possible somebody could turn up before I do my tour and we could start working on new material sooner than later, in a perfect world.

"As far as my tour is concerned, I have already started to put together ideas for a kick-ass band and the plan is to perform some new stuff, [Slash's] Snakepit, Velvet Revolver and GUNS stuff. The new album is really great and deserves that I should support it. Plus, I'm really looking forward to getting out there and doing some gigs; it's been more than a year since I was on a proper tour and all these one-off jams are basically just a tease.

"So, there's the update for now. I'm still tinkering away on the solo record, but there really isn't much left to do on it but mix it, which starts in September."

I still think Velvet Revolver is done. This will be a shock if they come back and do anything. Duff has his solo band Loaded, Slash has his solo band, and Matt Sorum is banging all the groupies he can. I think everyone in Velvet Revolver is busy with other projects and thus no more VR.