As was reported earlier, Scott Weiland, lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died in his sleep on December 3 due to cardiac arrest. His passing struck the music world hard, and musicians such as Billy Corgan have been paying tribute after the tragic loss. Let’s take some time to remember the frontman and look back on his life.
Weiland loved music all his life, and started his first band while he was still in high school in California. Along with bassist Robert DeLeo, Weiland formed the band Mighty Joe Young in the late ’80s and the grunge group that would later become the iconic Stone Temple Pilots. Among the band’s highlights, STP was voted both best and worst new band in Rolling Stone, and they would even perform as the cast of Hedwig And The Angry Inch, a play that the band loved. Weiland’s last performance before his death included the STP fan favorite “Vasoline”. He also fronted Velvet Revolver, a band he won a Grammy with for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2005. While he struggled with substance abuse throughout his career, he had been clean for years. He likened his experience to Keith Richards’ as both still fielded questions about their battle with addiction years after the fact despite being completely different people. More recently, Weiland has released several solo albums and was touring with The Wildabouts.
At the time of his passing, Weiland had been part of more than four bands, with a professional career spanning close to 25 years. What’s your fondest memory of his career?
