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I just thought he was a great singer, and he'd always been on my mind for [Velvet Revolver]. He was the one vocalist that I knew had the kind of voice that would serve what we were going to do: he had a John Lennon-ish quality, a little bit of Jim Morrison, and a touch of almost David Bowie. He was the best singer to come out in a long time in my opinion. [31]
Weiland's first solo record, 12 Bar Blues (1998), represented a huge shift in Weiland's style, as the album featured a sound "rooted in glam rock, filtered through psychedelia and trip-hop". [76] With Velvet Revolver, Weiland's vocals ranged from his classic baritone to a rawer style to complement the band's hard rock sound. A New York Post review of Velvet Revolver's 2007 album Libertad commented that "Weiland's vocals are crisp and controlled, yet passionate." [46]
Weiland's second solo album, 2008's "Happy" in Galoshes , featured a wide variety of musical genres, such as bossa nova, country, neo-psychedelia and indie rock. [77] Weiland's 2011 solo effort, the Christmas album The Most Wonderful Time of the Year consisted entirely of Christmas music in a crooning style similar to that of David Bowie and Frank Sinatra, as well as some reggae and bossa nova. [78]
Weiland married Janina Castaneda on September 17, 1994, and they divorced in 2000. He married Mary Forsberg on May 20, 2000, and they had a son named Noah (born 2000) and a daughter named Lucy (born 2002) before divorcing in 2007. [79]
In 2005, Weiland and his son Noah were featured on comedian David Spade's The Showbiz Show with David Spade during a comedy sketch about discouraging music file sharing. Noah has a line during the sketch in which he tells a little girl, "Please buy my daddy's album so I can have food to eat." [80]
Mary Forsberg's autobiography Fall to Pieces was co-written with Larkin Warren and released in 2009. [81] Weiland's autobiography Not Dead & Not for Sale was co-written with David Ritz and released May 17, 2011. [82]
In a November 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Weiland revealed that he was engaged to Jamie Wachtel, whom he met during the 2011 filming of his music video for "I'll Be Home for Christmas". [83] They married at their Los Angeles home on June 22, 2013. [84]
In late 2020, Weiland's son Noah Weiland debuted his new band Suspect208, which also featured Slash's son London on drums and Robert Trujillo's son Tye on bass. Their debut song "Long Awaited" was described by Wall of Sound as being reminiscent of Purple-era Stone Temple Pilots. [85] [86] In early 2021, Noah was fired from the band for drug use, and the rest of the band dissolved by May of the same year. [87]
In 1995, Weiland was convicted of buying crack cocaine and sentenced to one year of probation. His drug use did not end after his sentence but rather increased, and he moved into a hotel room for two months; in the room next door was Courtney Love, who later said that the pair "shot drugs the whole time" together. [88]
Weiland revealed in 2001 that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. [89]
In a 2005 interview with Esquire , Weiland said that while performing in his first bands as a teenager, his drinking "escalated" and he began using cocaine for the first time, which he referred to as a "sexual" experience. [90] In December 2007, he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, his first arrest in over four years. On February 7, 2008, he checked into rehab [91] and left in early March. [92]
Weiland's younger brother Michael died of cardiomyopathy in early 2007. The Velvet Revolver songs "For a Brother" and "Pills, Demons, & Etc" from the album Libertad are about him. Weiland said in an interview with MTV News in November 2008 that several songs on "Happy" in Galoshes were inspired by the death of his brother and his separation from Mary Forsberg. In the same article, MTV News reported that Weiland had not done heroin since December 5, 2002. Weiland admitted that he went through a "very short" cocaine binge in late 2007. [93]
In April 2015, online footage from a concert raised questions about Weiland's health, as he appeared unsteady and was singing markedly out of tune and in a slurred voice. A representative for Weiland asserted that lack of sleep, several drinks and a faulty earpiece were to blame, not drugs. In June 2015, Weiland claimed that he had been off drugs for 13 years. His response was directed towards comments made by Filter's frontman Richard Patrick, who claimed Weiland was using drugs and that his fans were pushing him closer to death by "sticking up for" him. [94] [95]
After Weiland's death, the Wildabouts' tour manager Aaron Mohler said, "A lot of times I've seen Scott do coke so he could drink more." [96]
Shortly after his death, Weiland's widow Jamie acknowledged that her husband was drinking heavily before he left on his band's last tour, but that he promised her that he would "get it together". She accompanied him on the tour for a week in November and said that he was "just killing it" onstage and "taking it up a notch" every night. [97]
Weiland had hepatitis C, which he may have acquired from intravenous drug use. [96]
Weiland was found dead on his tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota, on December 3, 2015. [98] [99] He was 48 years old and had been on tour with the Wildabouts. [100] The band's scheduled gig that evening in nearby Medina had been cancelled several days earlier, though they were still planning to play the next night in Rochester. [101] [102] Police searched the tour bus and confirmed there were small amounts of cocaine in the bedroom where Weiland was discovered dead. [103] [104]
Police also found prescription drugs, including Xanax, Buprenorphine, Ziprasidone, Viagra, and hypnotics on the tour bus. Additionally, two bags of cocaine and a bag of marijuana were found. [105] Tommy Black, bassist for the Wildabouts, was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine, [106] although the charges against him were later dropped. [107]
Despite the discovery of drugs, no underlying cause of death was immediately given. [102] The medical examiner later determined Weiland's death was the result of an accidental overdose of cocaine, alcohol, and methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA). In its report, the examiner's office also noted Weiland's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, history of asthma, and prolonged substance abuse. [108]
News of Weiland's death quickly spread throughout the Internet, with many of his musical peers, including his former band members, along with fans and music critics throughout the world, sharing their condolences, tributes, and memories. [109] A day following his death, his former bandmates in Stone Temple Pilots issued a statement saying that he was "gifted beyond words" but acknowledging his struggle with substance abuse, calling it "part of [his] curse." [110]
He was remembered by media outlets as "the American musician whose mercurial vocal style was a signature of the rock band he helped start, Stone Temple Pilots, and later Velvet Revolver" and "a powerful voice." [111] [112]
A private funeral for Weiland was held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery on December 11, 2015, in Los Angeles. Members of both Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver attended. Mary Forsberg and the two children were not in attendance, [96] later having a private ceremony in honor of Weiland.
In the wake of Weiland's death, many critics and peers offered re-evaluations of Weiland's life and career, including David Fricke of Rolling Stone . [113] Several other artists paid tribute to the singer by covering Stone Temple Pilots tunes in concert, including Life of Agony, [114] Saint Asonia, [115] Umphrey's McGee, [116] Candlebox, [117] Halestorm, [118] and Pop Evil, [119] among others, while Chris Cornell dedicated a performance of "Say Hello 2 Heaven" by Temple of the Dog to the singer. [120]
On the Smashing Pumpkins' website, Billy Corgan praised Weiland, saying: "It was STP's third album ( Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop), that had got me hooked, a wizardly mix of glam and post-punk, and I confessed to Scott, as well as the band many times, how wrong I'd been in assessing their native brilliance. And like Bowie can and does, it was Scott's phrasing that pushed his music into a unique, and hard to pin down, aesthetic sonicsphere. Lastly, I'd like to share a thought which, though clumsy, I hope would please Scott In Hominum. And that is if you asked me who I truly believed were the great voices of our generation, I'd say it were he, Layne, and Kurt." [121]
In 2018, Guns N' Roses with Slash and Duff, honored Weiland during the Not in This Lifetime... Tour by covering the Velvet Revolver hit song "Slither". [122]
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [123] | US Rock [124] | NZ [125] | ||
12 Bar Blues |
| 42 | — | 47 |
"Happy" in Galoshes |
| 97 | 25 | — |
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year |
| — | — | — |
Blaster (as Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts) |
| 133 | 24 | — |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
US AAA [126] | |||
"Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down" | 1997 | 39 | 12 Bar Blues |
"Barbarella" | 1998 | 36 | |
"Missing Cleveland" | 2008 | 28 | "Happy" in Galoshes |
Stone Temple Pilots, commonly abbreviated as STP, is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. Originally consisting of lead vocalist Scott Weiland, guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Eric Kretz, the band's lineup remained unchanged from its formation until the firing of Weiland in February 2013. Vocalist Chester Bennington joined the band in May 2013 but left amicably in November 2015. In 2016, STP launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist; Jeff Gutt was announced as STP's new lead singer on November 14, 2017.
Saul Hudson, known professionally as Slash, is a British and American musician, best known as the lead guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and mid-1990s. Slash has received critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest guitarists in history.
Slash's Snakepit was an American rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash in 1994. Though often described as a solo or side project, Slash stated that Snakepit was a band with equal contributions by all members. The first lineup of the band consisted of Slash, two of his Guns N' Roses bandmates—drummer Matt Sorum and guitarist Gilby Clarke—as well as Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez and former Jellyfish guitarist Eric Dover on lead vocals.
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop is the third studio album by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on March 26, 1996, through Atlantic Records. After a brief hiatus throughout 1995, the band regrouped to record the album together at Westerly Ranch in Santa Ynez, California, where they also lived at the time. Like all of the band's albums up to that point, production was handled by Brendan O'Brien.
Shangri-La Dee Da is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. It was released on June 19, 2001, through Atlantic Records. Recording took place throughout the winter and spring of 2001 in a Malibu villa. It was the band's fifth and final album to be produced by Brendan O'Brien and their last before breaking up in 2003.
Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth, and Scott Weiland formerly of Stone Temple Pilots. The band formed in 2002 and was active until 2008, when Weiland was fired from the band and subsequently rejoined Stone Temple Pilots.
Matthew William Sorum is an American drummer. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. Sorum is currently on tour with Billy Gibbons, with whom he also records, is a member of the touring project Kings of Chaos, and is a former member of both The Cult and Y Kant Tori Read. Sorum was also a member of Guns N' Roses side projects, Slash's Snakepit and Neurotic Outsiders, and has released two solo albums, Hollywood Zen (2004) and Stratosphere (2014). He was the touring drummer for the supergroup Hollywood Vampires from 2015 to 2017. His latest project is Deadland Ritual, featuring Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens, and Apocalyptica vocalist Franky Perez.
Contraband is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Velvet Revolver, released on June 8, 2004, by RCA Records. A commercial success, Contraband debuted at number one on the American Billboard 200 chart and was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Dave Kushner is an American musician best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver. Kushner has also been a member of Wasted Youth, Electric Love Hogs, Loaded, Danzig, Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro's solo band, Sugartooth, Zilch while he has also recorded with Infectious Grooves, Cyco Miko and more recently collaborated with Scars on Broadway guitarist Franky Perez releasing songs under the pseudonym of DKFXP, a combination of the initials of Perez and Kushner, as well as working with Indian singer and actress Shruti Haasan.
"Slither" is a song by American hard rock band Velvet Revolver, featured on their 2004 debut album Contraband. When it was released as the second single from the album in 2004, "Slither" topped both the American Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts, as well as reaching number 56 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 35 on the UK Singles Chart. The song won the 2005 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Libertad is the second and final studio album by American hard rock band Velvet Revolver, released on July 3, 2007. The name is Spanish and translates to "Liberty" or "freedom" in English. According to a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone, along with the Stone Temple Pilots albums Core and the self-titled 2010 album, Libertad is one of only three albums lead singer Scott Weiland wrote while sober.
"The Last Fight" is a power ballad by American supergroup Velvet Revolver, and appears on the band's second album, Libertad. The song was released on August 20 as the second single off the album, after "She Builds Quick Machines." The band began promoting the single on K Rock radio in New York City, with an exclusive acoustic performance, and then live on the Late Show with David Letterman on August 22. This song was #62 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.
Doug Grean is an American record producer, audio engineer, guitarist, based in Los Angeles. He has worked with artists Sheryl Crow, Ricki Lee Jones, Glen Campbell, Scott Weiland, Slash, Velvet Revolver, Stone Temple Pilots, The Crystal Method, Tim McGraw, Cyndi Lauper, Annabella Lwin, Corey Glover, Camp Freddy, DJ Hurricane and John Taylor. Grean was formerly the lead guitarist and touring musical director for Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. Some of Grean's television appearances with Weiland include: VH1 Legends, Last Call with Carson Daly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the Grammy awards with Velvet Revolver as keyboardist, performing "All Across the Universe" with Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, Bono, Steven Tyler, Brian Wilson, and Alison Krauss.
"Dead & Bloated" is a song by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots that appears as the opening track on their debut studio album Core. The song remains a favorite among the band's fans and continues to see frequent play during concerts, despite never receiving a commercial single release outside a radio promo.
The discography of Velvet Revolver, an American hard rock band, consists of two studio albums, one extended play (EP), 11 singles, two video albums and eight music videos. Velvet Revolver was a supergroup formed in Rancho Santa Margarita, California in 2002 by former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan (bass) and Matt Sorum (drums), along with rhythm guitarist Dave Kushner and late vocalist Scott Weiland.
Electric Love Hogs were a short-lived American funk rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1991. The band's lineup consisted of John Feldmann, Dave Kushner (guitar), Donny Campion (guitar), Kelly LeMieux (bass) and Bobby Hewitt. They released one self-titled album in 1992, followed by a tour of the United States and United Kingdom, before they disbanded the following year.
Stone Temple Pilots is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. The album was released between May 21 and May 27, 2010 worldwide, and is the band's first album since 2001's Shangri-La Dee Da. The album is the result of the band's reunion, which occurred in April 2008 with their North American tour. After Stone Temple Pilots had begun playing together, the band decided to record again, but a lawsuit filed by Atlantic Records on June 12, 2008, made the sixth album an uncertainty. Atlantic eventually withdrew the lawsuit, and the band's attorney called the legal situation a "misunderstanding". The album is also the band's final release with the full original lineup, as vocalist Scott Weiland was dismissed from Stone Temple Pilots in 2013, and died in 2015. It is also their last to be released through Atlantic.
"Between the Lines" is the first single from the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots's sixth studio album, Stone Temple Pilots. The single was released on March 22, 2010. The song set the record for largest positional gain on Billboard's Rock Songs chart, jumping from number 40 to 2, later reaching number 1. "Between the Lines" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards, an award the band previously won for "Plush" in 1994.
High Rise is an EP by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on October 8, 2013, through their own record label Play Pen. It is the first release by the band without lead vocalist Scott Weiland, who was fired from the band in February 2013, and the only release to feature Chester Bennington of Linkin Park on lead vocals. Two singles were released to promote the EP; "Out of Time" and "Black Heart". The EP received generally mixed reviews from critics.
Blaster is the only studio album by American rock band Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts, as well as Weiland's final album to be recorded and released during his lifetime. The album was released on March 31, 2015, by Softdrive Records.