Scott Weiland has been making plenty of overtures that the timing is right for Velvet Revolver to put past issues aside and reunite, but Slash says there’s another motivation behind Weiland’s comments.

The guitarist tells Minneapolis/St. Paul’s 93X (heard in the player below), “That’s because he got fired fromSTP.” Troubles started to reach their height in Velvet Revolver when Weiland began to test the waters on a Stone Temple Pilots reunion a few years back and though tensions have ceased somewhat with Velvet Revolver in the time since his exit, it doesn’t appear that the other members are ready to reunite with Weiland anytime soon.

Slash says that Weiland’s comments concerning Velvet Revolver tend to take him by surprise, but he did a little inquiring and learned about the Stone Temple Pilots situation. He explained, “I think all things considered, because these things always catch me by surprise too cause I always find out about it through the media and I’m on the road in another country and I start hearing all this stuff and then I inquire within, and that’s what I was told.”

Velvet Revolver have tested out numerous singers since Weiland’s exit but have yet to settle on a replacement. In the interim, Slash’s solo career has taken off and his latest disc, ‘Apocalyptic Love,’ is getting a deluxe edition offering.

“It’s got the two bonus tracks and it’s funny because when we did the original record I wanted those tracks to be on there, but it was just too many songs on the record,” says Slash. “So every time I record too much material I find someway of getting it released later and so here it is.” In addition to the two bonus cuts, the deluxe package will come with the Guitar Center Sessions acoustic set and a DVD of the band’s New York show at Irving Plaza.

Slash also says he’s very happy with his working relationship with Myles Kennedy as singer for his solo band. “I don’t compare anybody,” says Slash. “Artists, singers, musicians — very rarely are they similar to anyone else. But the one thing about Myles is he’s very — we have a lot of similarities between the two of us because we’re both guitar players. He’s a brilliant guitar player and then on top of that he’s a brilliant singer, but his personality is very laid back and he’s a very hard worker, very conscientious and he’s got a great work ethic and he’s an unbelievable singer. He just never ceases to amaze me.”