Yesterday, bassist and emergent finance pundit Duff McKagan told Rolling Stone that his somewhat-supergroup Velvet Revolver was “weeks away” from announcing its new singer, after a lengthy search that attracted demos from some 400 hopefuls who were, for whatever reason, interested in being the next Scott Weiland. Said Duff of the pick: “It’s not like Chris Cornell or one of those guys… We just want someone that fits. It can’t just be good. It has to be amazing or we won’t do it.” I guess “better than Audioslave” is a pretty low bar to want to leap over, but good on the VR guys for at least trying. Five people who definitely aren’t in the running, after the jump!

5. Royston Langdon. Once the front-runner for the position, the former Spacehog singer has been touted as “fucking awesome” by McKagan but not the right fit. (I hope that compliment was on his rejection letter!)

4. Ripper Owens. While it would be sorta-poetic for the man who briefly went from tribute-band frontman to Judas Priest wailer to join Duff, Slash, and the other guys, pitching all the songs in the band’s back catalog up an octave would be too jarring for the few diehard fans that VR has left.

3. Courtney Love. She’s performed with Duff in the past, but she’d probably have a crazy idea to make the band’s four other members dress in Gothic Lolita clothing.

2. Axl Rose. Obviously.

1. You. I mean, if you sent your demo tape in to the guys, good on you… but you’d let us know if you were actually in the running, right?

Velvet Revolver “Weeks Away” From Announcing New Singer [RS]

Scott Walker won’t be singing his songs next month at Drifting And Tilting: The Songs Of Scott Walker in London, but the people he got to fill in for him aren’t all that bad–Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn are headlining the list, with more special guests to be announced. [Guardian]

Prog-rock giants Yes are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, but one person isn’t feeling festive: Lead singer Jon Anderson, who’s on doctor-ordered bed rest for the rest of 2008 after suffering “acute respiratory failure” in June. Anderson’s illness resulted in the band canceling its milestone-celebrating jaunt earlier this summer, but as the leaves turn, so does the membership of Yes: The remaining members have announced that it’s recruited Benoit David, lead singer of the Montreal-based Yes tribute band Close To The Edge (tagline: “It wont be Yes playing, but if you close your eyes, you might think twice…”), to serve as Anderson’s replacement for a North American tour that kicks off in November. So how will David sound? Well, since Yes is apparently flogging the “we found him on YouTube” story that worked so well for other band’s lead-singer swaps, I figured the time was right to go right to the source. Clip of David performing with his now-former band after the jump.

Well, uh, at least his new band will be a bit tighter on those harmonies. Yipes.

Close To The Edge [YouTube]
Rock band Yes to tour with replacement lead singer [AP]

Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes pinch-hit for Dave Grohl at the taping of VH1′s Rock Honors tribute to the Who on Saturday night, thanks to Grohl’s voice being too tired to make its way through two songs. Coombes sang “Bargain” while backed by the Foo Fighters for the show, which will be broadcast Thursday night. Meanwhile, Pearl Jam covered “The Real Me,” a song choice that makes me wonder if they’re trying to dethrone Blackie Lawless as the heir to that particular track. Fight! Fiiiiight! [Hollywood Insider / Photo: AP]

Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes pinch-hit for Dave Grohl at the taping of VH1′s Rock Honors tribute to the Who on Saturday night, thanks to Grohl’s voice being too tired to make its way through two songs. Coombes sang “Bargain” while backed by the Foo Fighters for the show, which will be broadcast Thursday night. Meanwhile, Pearl Jam covered “The Real Me,” a song choice that makes me wonder if they’re trying to dethrone Blackie Lawless as the heir to that particular track. Fight! Fiiiiight! [Hollywood Insider / Photo: AP]

A tipster has very important innuendo regarding the new singer of Velvet Revolver, which will not be picked by reality-TV committee: “I have some new information coming from fans/family close to the hard rock Australian band Rose Tattoo to which Slash & Duff are HUGE fans of and shared the stage with many times, that Duff has been in communications with an Australian singer currently living in the USA. This guy can apparently sing up a storm and of course is a bloody Aussie, so that in itself along with the great voice will be a good choice for the band from all marketing angles.” Well, if there’s one thing Velvet Revolver needs after Libertad, it’s a better marketing angle. So, we have but one question for all of you: Who can it be, now? (We’re pretty sure the candidate in question is not Rose Tattoo singer Angry Anderson, since he’s apparently living in Sydney these days.) Poll after the jump!

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Previously: Idolator’s Velvet Revolver coverage

Oasis has allegedly replaced drummer Zak Starkey (The Who/Icicle Works/Lightning Seeds) with Chris Sharrock (Robbie Williams/Icicle Works/Lightning Seeds). Seeing as how Noel called Williams “the fat dancer from Take That,” I’m guessing it’s the rest of Sharrock’s pedigree (which also includes a stint with The La’s) that impressed him. Starkey helped record Oasis’ upcoming album, but is no longer involved with the group. [Mirror]