Marshall Of Rock

Velvet Revolver guitarist Dave Kushner talks about getting the band back together for a recent benefit show, Scott Weiland's recent comments saying he's back in the band and Slash's response saying that is definetely not happening. He also talks up his new project PusherJones, which has a song on the 'Avengers Assembled' soundtrack.

Dave Kushner's new project PusherJones is an "animated" rock band, featuring The Simpsons' creative director Dave Warren, singer Frankie Perez (Camp Freddy and Scars On Broadway), bassist Scott Shriner (Weezer) and drummer Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age). The group's first single, 'Count Me Out,' is featured on the 'Avengers Assembled' soundtrack and will be on the bands upcoming E.P.

Kushner describes the band's sound as "A cool riff-rock thing. We're all influenced by everything from Zeppelin and Sabbath to newer bands," he says, adding that the lyrics for "Count Me Out" chronicle a fish-out-of-water story about the genesis of the band. "A lot of it has been based on different stuff that has happened to me or stuff I've heard being in Velvet Revolver for eight years," says Kushner. "It's basically about a big, notorious rock band, and there's a new guy that's coming into the band. You're basically seeing all of the dysfunction and insanity, and the things that make for great rock bands through the eyes of the new guy."

PusherJones hope to become a real cartoon, as Kushner is currently shopping a pilot episode in the hopes of landing an animated TV series about the trials and tribulations of a famous rock band. "The original concept was for a Gorillaz-type thing, animated," Kushner says. "Basically, me and Dave Warren became friends through Don Bernstein, who used to buy all the memorabilia for the Hard Rock. Dave worked on the The Simpsons, and then he and I started talking about stories and different ideas. It eventually became an idea for a TV show, but then we thought, 'The music has to be as good as the animation.'

Kushner hopes that the band will eventually play shows or record a full-length at some point. "That's the hope, that we can do that," he says. "Who knows what Weezer, Queens of the Stone Age, or Velvet Revolver are going to do next? It's just a matter of getting everyone's schedules and ducks in a row."

Velvet Revolver performed last night (Jan. 12) with vocalist Scott Weiland for the first time since he left the band in 2008. A cover of Pink Floyd‘s ‘Wish You Were Here’ was part of the four song, one-off reunion concert.

The concert was a benefit to honor the late composer John O’Brien, who was the best friend of Velvet Revolver guitarist Dave Kushner. The band also performed their ‘Sucker Train Blues,’ ‘She Builds Quick Machines’ and ‘Slither’ during the brief set. Sheryl Crow, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Stephen Stills also appeared at the event.

There has been talk that this could lead to more shows with Weiland, but no one is talking full-blown reunion. Kushner reportedly told Rolling Stone after the concert, “We haven’t played together in four years, and so we’re really just like, 'Let’s see how this goes.' Slash told Eddie Trunk on his Sirius/XM radio show this past Monday not too read to much into this one-off, as he will be busy with his next solo project.