According to GnrDaily.com, Matt Pains of Metromix Chicago recently interviewed VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland. When asked about his relationship (or lack thereof) with GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose, Weiland replied, "Oh, man. I have never spoken to him, but I've gotten messages from him through [VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES drummer] Matt Sorum. They speak every once in awhile. I know that [Axl] was a fan of STP back in the early days of GUNS. Well, I guess it wasn't the early days; it was just sort of mid-days, early-mid days ... I think that — depending on his mood — he vacillates between being into the idea [of Weiland playing with former GUNS members] and kinda diggin' it and then hating my guts."

After reading the interview, the webmaser of the GUNS N' ROSES fan site Here Today… Gone To Hell! contacted Beta Lebeis (Axl's assistant and close friend) to check the validity of Scott's quote. Here is her response:

"Though Axl spoke with Matt roughly a year ago, Scott doesn't interest Axl, there are no messages, no vacillating, no messages were given to Matt by Axl for Scott. In fact earlier on the same night that Axl ended up speaking with Matt when Scott saw Axl enter the same club that he and Matt were in, Scott immediately RAN out of the club which Axl's guests found mildly amusing, beyond that nothing. I was the one whom Slash spoke with when he came to Axl's house in 2005 and expressed his negative comments regarding the others in his new band. Behind the scenes it is a very different story than what the public is sold."

The "feud" between Axl and Scott started back in March 2006 when Axl issued the following statement via his attorney, Howard Weitzman:

"In October of 2005 Slash made an unannounced 5:30 a.m. visit to Axl Rose's house. Not appearing to be under the influence, Slash came to inform Axl that: 'Duff was spineless,' 'Scott [Weiland] was a fraud,' that he 'hates Matt Sorum' and that in this ongoing war, contest or whatever anyone wants to call it that Slash has waged against Axl for the better part of 20 years, that Axl has proven himself 'the stronger.' Based on his conduct in showing up at Rose's home, Axl was hopeful that Slash would live up to his pronouncements that he wanted to end the war and move on with life. Unfortunately that did not prove to be the case." (Read More)

Slash didn't comment on Rose's press release, but a VELVET REVOLVER spokesperson did promise that Slash would be heard from "within days." Slash's press release never came, but Scott Weiland's did. On March 10, 2006, he posted an open letter on VR's official web site in response to Axl's comments. Here's an excerpt from the letter, which was later removed from the site:

"Get in the ring. Go to the gym, motherfucker, or if you prefer, get a new wig, motherfucker. I think I'll resist the urge to 'stoop' to your level. Oh shit, here it comes, you fat, botox-faced, wig-wearin' fuck! O.K., I feel better now.

"Don't think for a second we don't know where those words came from. Your unoriginal, uncreative little mind — the same mind that had to rely on its bandmates to write melodies and lyrics. Who's the fraud now, bitch?" (Read More)

Axl didn't respond to Scott's letter, whereas Duff McKagan made a neutral comment, stating, "I won't get involved in a war of words, you know. People say all kinds of stuff and I'm not going to be one of them."

On May 13, 2006, Slash appeared on Camp Freddy Radio on Indie 103.1 FM and denied having visited Rose's house or saying anything that Rose claimed Slash said regarding his VELVET REVOLVER bandmates.