Velvet Revolver Reveal Reason For Reunion

Kushner spoke to Rolling Stone about the one-off reunion with frontman Scott Weiland that will happen this Thursday. 

Kushner instigated the reunion after his close friend, musician John O'Brien, was found dead at the age of 45 in his Chicago hotel room last August. 

"I found out he passed away on August 20, and it was like out of nowhere," Kushner exclusively tells Rolling Stone. "Next day I was in shock and my wife said to me, 'You gotta have a benefit concert for his wife and you have to get Velvet Revolver back together.' That’s how it started."

He then approached the different band members. "We did a benefit show for this thing called Road Recovery – me, Duff, Slash and Matt – in New York, and that’s when I asked those guys individually if they would agree to do it," Kushner says. "Once they said so then I got in touch with Scott, and he agreed."

All of the proceeds from the benefit will go to O'Brien's wife and family. "Unfortunately, John didn’t have life insurance at the time and he left behind a wife that's pregnant and a four-year-old son. That to me is the main focus of why I’m doing this," Kushner says. "I’m doing it so that this sells out and that money can go to her, period."

Although the guitarist is focused solely on next Thursday's gig, he understands that others are interested in what the future might hold for Velvet Revolver. "We haven’t played together in four years, and so we’re really just like, 'Let’s see how this goes,'" he says.

"I know everyone’s got other commitments, but I think everyone’s like, 'Let’s get this thing done and get through this and then we’ll see.'”

(Rolling Stone)