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June 2, 2008

Scott Weiland Goes A Long Way To Suggest Drugs Aren't Good For You

No sooner do we mention Amy Winehouse's return to form in Lisbon than Scott Weiland reminds us about his own wobbly self. Looks like the Stone Temple Pilots reunion is going about as swimmingly as we predicted. He gave us false hope by not getting kicked out or arrested during STP's debut at the Harry Houdini Estate in in L.A., then showing he can still gyrate/dervish on Kimmel, but two weeks after the band started their big summer tour, there was no dervishing to be had. Nope, according to those who saw it in full, STP were an anti-climactic bust at K-ROCK's "Return Of The Rock" night with Filter and Ashes Divide. Scott, nostalgia isn't supposed to be this depressing. (Same goes for you, Filter.) Here's Weiland in NJ, apologizing for starting an hour late, etc., etc. He's also apparently mentioning that it's a hometown show because of the brothers DeLeo and their Jersey ties. The NY Times quotes Robert DeLeo as saying, "apology accepted, brother," and trying to start the show. Here, watch.

Yes, the NY Times were there at the PNC Bank Arts Center. They help fill in a few of the blanks regarding Weiland's act of contrition.

[Weiland] seemed bedraggled and bushed, like a scarecrow. His first comments were barely coherent, and what came next was dispiriting. "Sometimes you make crazy choices," he said, in a distinctly undefiant tone...

The show got better, but not by much. Stone Temple Pilots was always a riff-driven band with an impressive low-end churn, and a handful of its songs are exceptionally sturdy. So it made sense that the crowd carried the choruses of "Plush" and "Dead and Bloated," and that the band nailed a handful of its other 1990s staples, like "Interstate Love Song" and "Vaseline." But the feeling imparted by these performances was desultory and joyless. The band never rose above a sort of grim competence.

It was the same with Mr. Weiland. While he expertly struck the image of a rock star -- strutting and preening, and shedding his white jacket and T-shirt to reveal a sinewy torso -- his voice sounded less flexible than usual, and he sometimes seemed nearly out of breath. He forgot some lyrics and flubbed others, and often used a megaphone as a prop, or perhaps a crutch.

Read the rest at the NY Times. Sorta feels like deja vu, Amy Scott.

Let us know how the next shows are Detroit, St. Paul, and Kansas City. You must be psyched.

Posted at 5:34 PM in
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32 Comments

didn't weiland always use a megaphone? hasn't that always been his stage prop of choice since well....forever? can't trust their review of the show if they didn't even know that simple STP fact

Posted by: jimm at 06/02/08 7:28 PM | Reply
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agreed. dont trust them

Posted by: Chris in reply to jimm's comment at 06/02/08 10:47 PM | Reply
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Yeah, the reviewer states "he often used a megaphone" so obviously he doesn't know the simple facts of STP life.

Posted by: Ebert in reply to jimm's comment at 06/02/08 11:17 PM | Reply
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Saw them in Chicago and Weiland's voice seemed shot....I thought the bass DeLeo carried more of the show than Wieland.... Good to seem them back though... stretching their sea legs

Posted by: Chicago STP at 06/02/08 7:33 PM | Reply
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From those videos I wouldn't say that Weiland's "stretching [his] sea legs" as much as he's steering a ship straight towards Heroin Island. Good lord...

Posted by: Chadams in reply to Chicago STP's comment at 06/02/08 7:42 PM | Reply
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Saw them in Chicago and Weiland's voice seemed shot....I thought the bass DeLeo carried more of the show than Wieland.... Good to see them back though... stretching their sea legs

Posted by: Chicago STP at 06/02/08 7:33 PM | Reply
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Saw the show. Was pissed for waiting 90 minutes to get going. I was in the 11th row, scott's hair has got to go!!! Awful. He used to be pretty beautiful. Also looked very tired and stumbly. I left there with a deep concern that this guy isn't going to be on this earth a whole lot longer and its pretty sad to watch. Someone needs to seriously help this guy before it way too late.

Posted by: Robbin at 06/02/08 8:38 PM | Reply
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Saw the show at PNC and although I was slightly bent about having to wait 90 minutes for STP to come on stage, I enjoyed every single minute of the concert. I've seen them many times in the past and I agree this was not their best performance, but they still freaking rocked. STP has returned and I am on cloud nine. Scott is a great talent and I wish nothing but wellness and the best for him.

Posted by: MRJBIGGLES in reply to Robbin's comment at 06/03/08 11:12 AM | Reply
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jesus that dude is wasted. wa-hay-sted! but in his defense, he might just be really, really drunk. but probably not, i mean...come on.

Posted by: onceler at 06/03/08 3:07 AM | Reply
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Dear God, Allah, or Buddah,
Please let this band get their shit together before their show in Atlanta. It will be my first time at the new Verizon Amphitheater and we're in the pit so i have huge expectations. I know i don't speak to you often because i think you are a figment of imagination but i'll try anything at this point.
R89

Posted by: shockadow at 06/03/08 8:22 AM | Reply
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STP, never much of a "Live" Band to begin with...
Throw in the whole Velvet Revolver thing, the Ticket Sales for the STP Reunion are not lets say what GNR with orignal line up would bring to the table...

That being said I love 90's rock and would much rather check out a Pearl Jam performance then a STP any day...

Posted by: rocknrollchad at 06/03/08 12:29 PM | Reply
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Their bass player is still one of the best in the bizz.

Posted by: waregle at 06/03/08 1:06 PM | Reply
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I was at the PNC show and Weiland was definitely wasted - I, like everyone else, was extremely annoyed with the 90 minute wait. I saw Weiland with Velvet Revolver back in December and he was amazing. I agree with Robbin' s post - I, too, left there feeling he isn't going to survive much longer. It truly is sad. Additiction is not a life anyone wants... My husband arrested Weiland in NYC in the mid-90's (buying herion). My husband said he truly felt pain for the guy - he is very sick... (By the way, my husband didn't even know who he was until the next day when another cop told him... LOL) Robbin, you are right, someone needs to try to help him because it is clear he cannot help himself. Problem is, unless he wants help, it won't do $hit..

Oh yeah, Slash is definitely living large about this!

Posted by: HDgurl at 06/03/08 6:52 PM | Reply
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My co-worker saw this show and was very disappointed and disgusted. Scott is clearly not over his drug problems. People waited 1.25 hours after Filter ended for STP to show up at 10:15, and the venue closes at 11. I saw them just 2 weeks ago and he seemed really to do well, I was enthused about the show. But he needs help, fast, or he will die an early death and leave 2 young children behind. I pray he gets the help he needs.

Posted by: Ike Warren at 06/03/08 9:44 PM | Reply
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I paid HUGE dollars on Ebay for tickets to their Las Vegas 6-12 show, so I am knocking on wood, crossing my fingers and not looking for any black cats, that the performance goes off without a glitch, unlike this story here.
I have seen STP twice before and both shows were AWESOME. Viewing the current tour via YOU TUBE videos, I haven't seen much of the candle lit stages and velvet curtains as in their prior tours. Oh the good ol' days I guess!
And yes SW has always used a megaphone, in STP and Velvet Revolver.
Anyways, here is to LAS Vegas and the 2 shows there at the Pearl theatre (PALMS).

This goes out to ALL OF THE BAND... Stay well my friends.

Posted by: SHELLY at 06/04/08 11:29 PM | Reply
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He always sings off key, even on their numerous performances on Howard Stern. That said, he seems like a nice polite sort of felliow.

Posted by: Guru Dev Rulez at 06/05/08 7:00 AM | Reply
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you know i've been a big supporter through out all the drug shit and band switching etc., but this is just pathetic. it's just sad.

some people have been waiting 6 years for this tour to happen, and for him to be 90 minutes late (which happens sometimes) but then get up there and say "oh... i met a girl...". He's 40, married, and has kids. it's posing, and it's just lame.


Posted by: rybear at 06/06/08 8:11 AM | Reply
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I saw them on Kimmel. I saw this coming from there.

Posted by: suzyJ at 06/06/08 3:08 PM | Reply
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ElliotP

hell of a drug......

Posted by: ElliotP profile link at 06/06/08 7:53 PM | Reply
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no no, he was drunk. maybe mixed with a couple pills. he was LOW. not high. if he was high he would've danced around n shit like he always did.

Posted by: NUSSY in reply to ElliotP's comment at 06/07/08 12:06 AM | Reply
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Somehow, he managed to be worse live than he was with those Velvet Revolvers.

Posted by: scott at 06/07/08 12:16 AM | Reply
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It really could have been much worse considering what he's been thru lately..

Posted by: Loni in reply to scott's comment at 06/07/08 12:25 AM | Reply
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hmm. . looks like he pulled a Ryan Adams

Posted by: Aric at 06/07/08 2:49 PM | Reply
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i mean the hair.. not the drugs

Posted by: Aric in reply to Aric's comment at 06/07/08 3:00 PM | Reply
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I just saw them last night at Rockfest in Kansas City...The show was in front of 50,000 so it was a pretty big deal. I thought Scott sounded great and so did the band...Scott does look very unhealthy though...reminds me a lot of Lane Staley shortly before he died. He said a lot of strange comments like "I see a lot of buildings, corporate buildings. But they are all invisible. I see a lot of people, real people. It's a real festival man, a real festival"...lol.

Posted by: josh at 06/08/08 6:03 PM | Reply
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I just saw them last night at Rockfest in Kansas City...The show was in front of 50,000 so it was a pretty big deal. I thought Scott sounded great and so did the band...Scott does look very unhealthy though...reminds me a lot of Lane Staley shortly before he died. He said a lot of strange comments like "I see a lot of buildings, corporate buildings. But they are all invisible. I see a lot of people, real people. It's a real festival man, a real festival"...lol.

Posted by: josh at 06/08/08 6:04 PM | Reply
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I saw them at the KC Rockfest the other day, and they put on a solid show. Scott was totally fucked, as anyone could tell when he opened his mouth to speak. When he opened his mouth to sing, though, he was very cohesive and along with the band churned out a pretty stellar show. 2nd favorite of the night.

As I left, however, I hoped that the ending song, "Dead and Bloated", wasn't a premonition about what's to come for Scott in the near future. He was seriously messed up on something.

Posted by: Lizzy at 06/09/08 5:57 AM | Reply
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i don't know about that. i mean, people were probably saying things like this 11, 12 years ago.. he [somehow] survived that phase..

Posted by: rybear in reply to Lizzy's comment at 06/09/08 7:18 PM | Reply
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But he wasn't in his FIFTH tenure with a band then either.

Posted by: Xander in reply to rybear's comment at 06/10/08 12:04 AM | Reply
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Something's obviously not right. I saw the band a few times back in the day, and they always put on a fantastic show. I was ecstatic at the chance to see them again, until I saw the performance on Kimmel. Yipes. I know TV mixing sucks and all, but Scott was just way out of form, and the band sounded like hell. WTF is going on? Scott's obviously on something again... Very very sad. At least I hope the album they're supposed to do at the end of the tour comes out well, and I hope Scott cleans up his act for his own sake.

Posted by: AC at 06/10/08 5:43 PM | Reply
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Even though they had great musical talent back in the day I believe that his addiction is so far out there that even though he will have a few great shows it is only because he is high. If he didn't have any drugs for a couple of days they would cancel the tour. I hope that he can find help.

Posted by: Narconon VistaBay at 01/12/09 4:46 PM | Reply
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This is why drugs don't improve your ability to play music. If he had gotten his life under control he wouldn't be slipping on this last ditch attempt to regain what a wonderful following he had back in the 90's.

Hope for the best expect the worst.
Charles
Narconon Vista Bay

Posted by: charleswilson at 02/08/09 5:13 PM | Reply
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