There was something special about Scott Weiland. He had that indefinable quality of being cool without ever trying. It’s a skill few learn to master and even fewer are born with. He was completely unchained, beyond talented, unique, and absolutely knew it. The sadness that accompanied the brilliance when the crowd had stopped screaming eventually overtook him in the end. The substances he used for so long to numb the real pain eating his soul, consumed his body finally after decades of abuse. He was one of the most surprising rock-stars to make it past the age of 27, and more so a career past his first band.
“In 1995, Weiland was convicted of buying crack cocaine. He was sentenced to one year of probation. His drug use did not end after his sentence, but increased, and he moved into a hotel room for two months, next door to Courtney Love, where she said he “shot drugs the whole time” with her.”
When Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Red Hot Chili Peppers were the main competition in a very select genre of music within that microcosm of time, Stone Temple Pilots separated themselves from the rest and defined the sound during the evolutionary grunge era. Mostly due to the charismatic style and undeniable genius of their frontman in Weiland. The group was formed off the bond that occurred initially when Weiland and bassist Robert DeLeo discovered they were in fact, dating the same woman. This typically rough social-situation turned serendipitous experience developed into a friendship instantly and an iconic band eventually. “Plush”, “Vasoline”, “Interstate Love Song”, “Sour Girl” are true testaments of their collective songwriting capabilities but would be nowhere as good without Weiland’s vocal range.
These songs are more than just classics, they truly emphasize what music is about. If you’re down they revive a mentality like a B-12 shot for the psyche. There is nothing better than scouring the radio stations after playing everything you own twice on a cross country road trip, and then suddenly hearing the opening chords to any of those records, brings instant elation. The only thing that tops that experience is seeing them live.
When Scott Weiland is on stage, he is free. Free of his inner demons, outer reality and completely untouchable in his every move. He is beyond cool, eccentric and bears the scars of an individual that is long past the common pettiness of most human beings. Some artists while on stage get into their own shit, and then there’s rarities like him. I have never seen a lead singer so absolutely in tune with every beat through pure physical enthusiasm and a painfully obvious joy of performing live. He feeds off the crowd like Superman does the sun. From mortal to god in mere seconds, his soul is replenished and revived along with everyone in the audience witnessing this amazing supernova of life. He gives every effort on stage and every ounce of who he is, without fear. That courageous artistry earns reciprocal reactions from fans. It’s like watching a grunge version of Freddie Mercury. He connects with each person in the building through brilliant showmanship, audience participation and pure love of every song in the catalogue, evident by the smiles even rock-stars can’t contain when they know it’s sounding good. Especially when you’re just supposed to look cool.
It’s beyond impressive when an entertainer can control a crowd the way he does. He cares deeply about his performance while somehow not giving a fuck at the same time. For all of you aspiring rock-star’s out there, if you want an example of how to completely own an audience take notes from Scott. (see 33:00 in)
Billy Corgan said it best.
“It was STP’s third album 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 Hominin. 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.”
-Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.
I couldn’t agree more, and may he rest in peace knowing that he was loved, and still is by millions. Below are some reasons why.
-Plush
-Vasoline
-Creep
-Sex Type Thing
-Interstate Love Song
-Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart
-Hollywood Bitch
-Down
-Dancing Days
-Come
-Sour Girl
Food made at 2am Inspired by the Music
-Stoned-Out Temple Soup+Sandwich–
–Flank steak, Avocado, Tomato, Muenster Cheese on French Bread accompanied with Acorn Squash/Sweet Potato Soup.
The Modern Renaissance Man 
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