Editing Velvet Revolver (section)

===''Contraband'' and mainstream success (2003–2005)===
{{listen |filename=Slither.ogg |title=Slither |description=A sample of "[[Slither (song)|Slither]]" from ''[[Contraband (Velvet Revolver album)|Contraband]]''. The band's debut single topped both the [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream]] and [[Hot Modern Rock Tracks|Modern Rock Chart]]. It is considered the band's signature song and is frequently the closer to their shows. |filename2=Fall to Pieces.ogg |title2=Fall to Pieces |description2=A sample of "[[Fall to Pieces (Velvet Revolver song)|Fall to Pieces]]" from ''[[Contraband (Velvet Revolver album)|Contraband]]''. The second single released by Velvet Revolver topped the Mainstream Rock Chart. |format=[[Ogg]]}}
Prior to the recording of their debut album, Weiland took material that the band had previously written to his studio, Lavish, in [[Toluca Lake, Los Angeles|Toluca Lake]]. With engineer [[Doug Grean]], Weiland rearranged the music to fit his vocals, eventually coming out with the songs "Big Machine" and "Dirty Little Thing". The band worked on new material for songs such as "You Got No Right", "Slither", "Sucker Train Blues", and "Do It for the Kids", among others. During this time Weiland was arrested at the parking lot of his studio for [[drug possession]]. Upon release from jail, he wrote lyrics to material he was given previously, writing the lyrics to the song "Fall to Pieces".<ref name="Slash p.438">{{Cite book|author=Slash|title=[[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]]|author2=Bozza, Anthony|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|isbn=978-0-00-725775-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/slashautobiograp0000unse/page/438 438]|author-link2=Anthony Bozza}}</ref> Velvet Revolver soon began recording their debut album. Initially, they recorded "Slither" with producer [[Bob Ezrin]] at Henson Studios, but were dissatisfied with the result.<ref name="Slash p.439">{{Cite book | author = Slash | author2 = Bozza, Anthony | author-link2 = Anthony Bozza | title = [[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]] | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2007 | page = [https://archive.org/details/slashautobiograp0000unse/page/439 439] | isbn = 978-0-00-725775-1 }}</ref> After recording "Headspace" with [[Josh Abraham]], the band liked the track enough to do the rest of the album with him.<ref name="VR Ultimate Guitar"/><ref name="Slash p.439"/>

[[File:Velvet Revolver, Download Festival 2005.JPG|thumb|left|180px|Velvet Revolver performing at [[Download Festival#Download 2005|Download Festival]] in 2005]]
Velvet Revolver soon gained major-label attention with [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]] and [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]]. [[RCA Records|RCA]] and [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] were also interested in signing the band.<ref name="Slash p.439"/> They eventually signed with RCA Records.<ref name="AMG Bio"/><ref name="Slash p.439"/> They recorded their album at [[NRG Recording Studios]], while Slash recorded his guitar parts at a smaller studio on the southern corner between [[Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)|Highland Avenue]] and [[Sunset Boulevard]].<ref>{{Cite book | author = Slash | author2 = Bozza, Anthony | author-link2 = Anthony Bozza | title = [[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]] | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2007 | page = [https://archive.org/details/slashautobiograp0000unse/page/440 440] | isbn = 978-0-00-725775-1 }}</ref> During recording, Weiland could only work for three hours a day due to a court order mandating that he stay in a [[halfway house]].<ref>{{Cite book | author = Slash | author2 = Bozza, Anthony | author-link2 = Anthony Bozza | title = [[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]] | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2007 | page = [https://archive.org/details/slashautobiograp0000unse/page/441 441] | isbn = 978-0-00-725775-1 }}</ref> The marketing campaign for Velvet Revolver in the run-up to the release of the first album was profiled as part of the ''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]'' program ''The Way the Music Died'', which included interviews with the band members and producers.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Way the Music Died: Artists' Stories | work = [[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]] | access-date = June 25, 2010 | url = https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/music/artists/}}</ref>

The resulting album, titled ''[[Contraband (Velvet Revolver album)|Contraband]]'', was released on June 8, 2004.<ref name="Contraband Review">{{cite web | last = Loftus | first = Johnny | title = Contraband Review | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | access-date = July 20, 2010 | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=contraband-r691400/review|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> Helped by the success of the single "[[Slither (song)|Slither]]",<ref name="AMG Bio"/> it debuted at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]],<ref name="AMG Albums">{{cite web | title = Velvet Revolver Album Charts | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | access-date = July 20, 2010 | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=velvet-revolver-p651389/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> selling over 250,000 copies in the first week.<ref name="Classic Rock Contraband"/> ''Contraband'' went on to sell four million copies worldwide, 2.9 million of which were sold in the United States, and was certified 2× platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]].<ref name="Classic Rock Contraband"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Gold and Platinum Database Search | publisher = [[Recording Industry Association of America]] | access-date = June 25, 2010 | url = https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Contraband&artist=Velvet%20Revolver&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152854/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Contraband&artist=Velvet%20Revolver&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25 | archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref> Both "Slither" and "[[Fall to Pieces (Velvet Revolver song)|Fall to Pieces]]" peaked at number one on the Mainstream Rock Chart as well as number 56 and 67 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], respectively.<ref name="AMG Singles"/> "Slither" also peaked at number one on the [[Hot Modern Rock Tracks|Modern Rock Chart]] and number 35 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref>{{cite web | title = UK Singles Chart info | publisher = [[Official Charts Company]] | access-date = June 2, 2009 | url = https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Summer}}</ref> The album's third single, "[[Dirty Little Thing]]", peaked at number eight on the Mainstream Rock chart.<ref name="AMG Singles"/>

Critically, the album was generally well received.<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web | title = Critic Reviews for Contraband | publisher = [[Metacritic]] | access-date = November 17, 2010 | url = https://www.metacritic.com/music/contraband/critic-reviews}}</ref> Despite being praised for its hedonism and maturity,<ref name="Contraband Review"/> critics noted a disconnection between "singer and band".<ref name="ShakingThrough">{{cite web | last = Forest Moreau | first = Kevin | title = Velvet Landmines | publisher = ShakingThrough.net | date = June 16, 2004 | url = http://www.shakingthrough.net/music/reviews/2004/velvet_revolver_contraband_2004.html}}</ref><ref name="Contraband ew">{{cite magazine | author = Browne, David | title = Contraband Review | magazine = [[Entertainment Weekly]] | date = June 4, 2004 | url = https://ew.com/article/2004/06/04/contraband/ | author-link = David Browne (journalist)}}</ref> Velvet Revolver won the [[Kerrang! Awards#2004 Results|Kerrang! Award]] for Best International Newcomer in 2004, and the following year they won the [[Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance|Best Hard Rock Performance]] Grammy Award for "Slither". They were also nominated for Rock Artist of the Year at the [[Billboard Music Award]]s while "Fall to Pieces" was nominated for a Song of the Year/Rock Radio [[Radio Music Awards|Radio Music Award]]. They recorded a new song entitled "[[Come On, Come In]]" for the movie ''[[Fantastic Four (2005 film)|Fantastic Four]]'' in 2005, which peaked at number 14 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. "Fall to Pieces" then re-entered the charts, peaking at number twenty-five on the [[Adult Top 40]] the same year.<ref name="AMG Singles"/>

Velvet Revolver toured extensively for nineteen months in support of ''Contraband''.<ref name="Slash p.442">{{Cite book | author = Slash | author2 = Bozza, Anthony | author-link2 = Anthony Bozza | title = [[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]] | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2007 | page = [https://archive.org/details/slashautobiograp0000unse/page/442 442] | isbn = 978-0-00-725775-1 }}</ref> They toured both the United States and Europe twice, while also performing in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. They performed at [[Live 8]] and various festivals including [[Download Festival]],<ref name="Slash p.442"/> as well as [[Ozzfest]]. During the tour, the band members, with the exception of Kushner, began to relapse on alcohol and drugs.<ref name="Weiland Split Spinner">{{cite web|last=Dekel|first=Jonathan|date=May 19, 2010|title=Slash Sets the Record Straight on Velvet Revolver Split|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/slash_sets_the_record_straight_on_velvet_revolver_split.html|publisher=[[Spinner (website)|Spinner]]}}</ref><ref name="Duff CRR">{{cite web | last = Wright | first = Jeb | title = Sick Things – An Exclusive Interview with Duff McKagan | publisher = Classic Rock Revisited | date = May 19, 2010 | url = http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/interviewduffmckagan.htm | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100919001528/http://classicrockrevisited.com/interviewduffmckagan.htm | archive-date = September 19, 2010 }}</ref> Though they got clean in time for the recording of their new album, Slash felt that "[the band] lost [Weiland]" and "thought the overall spirit of everything was declining at that point."<ref name="Weiland Split Spinner"/>