Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland died on Dec. 3, 2015, 10 years ago Wednesday.
Weiland founded STP alongside guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz in San Diego in 1989. The debut STP album, Core, was released in 1992.
As the grunge explosion was happening farther north in Seattle, STP’s similar brand of alternative rock was dismissed by critics as an imitation of the real thing. Even still, Core was a hit with fans, spawning the singles “Plush,” “Creep” and “Sex Type Thing,” and eventually earning eight-times Platinum certification by the RIAA.
1994’s Purple was similarly successful thanks to the singles “Vasoline,” “Interstate Love Song” and “Big Empty” on its way to being certified six-times Platinum.
STP released three more albums before breaking up in 2003. Weiland’s drug use, which led to stints in jail and rehab, as well as interpersonal issues with the other band members, contributed to the breakup.
Weiland then joined up with Velvet Revolver, a new band featuring Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses. The group put out two albums, 2004’s Contraband and 2007’s Libertad, spawning singles including “Slither,” “Fall to Pieces” and “She Builds Quick Machines.”
Weiland departed Velvet Revolver in 2008 and reunited with STP that year. The reformed band put out a self-titled record in 2010 before firing Weiland in 2013. STP continued on with Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, who left the band in 2015.
Weiland, who’d previously released two solo albums, launched a new solo project called Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. He was on tour with the Wildabouts when he was found dead of an accidental overdose on his tour bus at age 48.
STP has continued with singer Jeff Gutt, who joined in 2017.
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