2003.01.03 - Chart Attack - Can Todd Kerns Fill Axl Rose’s Leather Pants?

Can Todd Kerns Fill Axl Rose’s Leather Pants?

The rumours have been flying for a few weeks now, but ChartAttack have finally secured a wee bit of confirmation — Todd Kerns, of Age Of Electric and Static In Stereo fame, has been invited to audition for the lead vox position in a new band comprised of former members of Guns N’ Roses.

The band, tentatively titled The Project, already features Slash, Duff McKagen, Izzy Stradlin and Matt Sorum, all formerly of GN’R. The group, who have nothing to do with Axl Rose’s new GN’R, who recently scrapped their comeback tour, launched a highly publicized search for a singer earlier this year. Names like Courtney Love and Buckcherry’s Josh Todd have been brandied about, but Slash has led his fans to believe that the three frontrunners are Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach, Neurotica’s Kelly Shaefer and Days Of The New’s Trevor Meeks (wasn’t that guy up for the lead singer spot in The Doors too?).

Apparently, though, the search is far from over. Slash’s official fan site is reporting that a Vancouver fan by the name of Dawn (who could that be?) has revealed that Slash has contacted Todd Kerns, asking for an audition tape. According to Kerns, the report is true, but don’t hold your breath waiting for a Slash/Kerns tour just yet.

"I was sent three songs to work on," Kerns says. "Every singer on the planet has been sent three songs to work on. I am to write lyrics and record vocals to three instrumental tracks that the guys recorded… Appetite For Destruction is still in my Top 3 greatest rock records of all time, so I do find the entire thing amusingly surreal."

Kerns says he’ll get to work on the tracks this week, but is trying to downplay his potential involvement in The Project, making it very clear that he has not actually been asked to join the band. In the meantime, Kerns is busy producing an album by Superbeing 77, working on his solo album and getting ready to play a gig with his new band, TKO. Catch him on January 23 at the Back Alley in Calgary.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030219123803/http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2003/01/0311.cfm

Update on this; The Province, February 14, 2003

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Kerns covets GNR job

Vancouver’s Todd Kerns (Age of Electric, Static in Stereo) is one of many musicians up for the part of Axl Rose’s stand-in in what’s being referred to as a revamped version of Guns N' Roses.

Ex-Gunners Slash, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan and, at times, Izzy Stradlin have formed “The Project” (for lack of a better name), and will be auditioning dozens (if not hundreds) of frontmen while VH1 turns the sessions into a reality show.

Kerns, now nurturing a solo career as a performer and producer as well as fronting a new band (with Zuckerbaby’s Reed Shimozawa) called TKO (Todd Kerns Oddity), was first contacted by Rhian Gittins, a former receptionist at Vancouver’s now-defunct Little Mountain Sound studio who went on to play a key role in Guns N’ Roses management in Los Angeles.

Kerns says he isn’t sure of his status as yet. He wrote lyrics and melody and added vocals to a three-song demo tape sent by the band and shipped it back to them two weeks ago. Chances are he’ll be in on that VH1 cattle call.

In related news, expect to see McKagan on America’s Most Wanted very shortly talking about the mysterious murder of his website’s webmaster, Lori Lepper.