Album review: Velvet Revolver, Contraband (2004)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 24, 2004

By Steve Newton

Every time I see that oft-shown video from last year’s Guns N’ Roses riot of a Vancouver cop smashing an innocent guy’s teeth out, I can’t believe it. It’s not that I can’t picture our boys in blue pulling those types of stunts now and again; their penchant for violence is well-documented. What I find difficult to comprehend is that the poor sap lost his chompers as a result of Axl Rose not making it to the gig.

That self-centred jackass is hardly worth a painful trip to the dental surgeon.

No, if you’re gonna spend time getting familiar with a constable’s joystick, it might as well be for a band like Velvet Revolver, which is three-fifths of Guns N’ Roses anyway. G N’ R guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagen, and drummer Matt Sorum have hooked up with Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland and guitarist Dave Kushner to form a mighty effective raunch-rock combo.

Contraband kicks off on a high note with “Sucker Train Blues”, which proved such a barn-burning blast of propulsive rhythms and grinding guitars that they recorded it again as Track 12 and renamed it “Dirty Little Thing”. In between are a bunch more songs that, although not particularly inventive, should please the CFOX crowd with their bludgeoning riffola and big sing-along choruses.

If that’s what you’re into, look no further. At least you won’t have to put up with riot-starter Rose’s massive ego and nauseating screech.

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