Rock band dumps lead singer Weiland

Rock band dumps lead singer Weiland

Velvet Revolver founding members Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner announced Tuesday that they are parting ways with singer Scott Weiland. “This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn’t 100 percent committed to either,” said Slash. “Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on.”

‘Satanic Verses’ on stage in Germany

POTSDAM, Germany — A German theater has brought Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” to the stage, with no sign of trouble after authorities promised thorough security precautions. The Hans-Otto Theater in Potsdam says its version, which has 12 actors and ran for nearly four hours, is the first theatrical presentation of the novel. Iran’s late spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a 1989 fatwa, or religious edict, ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie because “The Satanic Verses” allegedly insulted Islam. The threat forced Rushdie to live in hiding for a decade. Theater director Uwe Eric Laufenberg had invited the author to Sunday’s premiere, but it had been unclear whether he would attend and Rushdie could not be seen in the audience. “I think it is time for the Muslim world to say exactly what it finds so provocative about this book. Simply to say, ‘This book insults us,’ is no longer enough at some point,” Laufenberg said. He argued that the theatrical version could help to focus on the book’s contents and ease objections. Police spokesman Rudi Sonntag said there were no disturbances at the performance and no demonstrators were seen at the lakeside theater. The event passed without incident.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Leon Russell is 66. Jazz guitarist Larry Coryell is 65. Actress Linda Hunt is 63. Singer Emmylou Harris is 61. Actress Pamela Reed is 59. Drummer Dave Robinson of The Cars is 55. Country singer Buddy Jewell is 47. Actor Chris Meloni (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) is 47. Singer Keren Woodward of Bananarama is 47. Country singer Billy Dean is 46. Guitarist Greg Camp of Smash Mouth is 41. Guitarist Tony Fredianelli of Third Eye Blind is 39. Actor Adam Rodriguez (“CSI: Miami”) is 33. Keyboardist Jesse Carmichael of Maroon 5 is 29. Actress Bethany Joy Galeotti (“One Tree Hill”) is 27.