Back in March, Stone Temple Pilots announced a 25th anniversary reissue of their perennially underrated 1996 classic Tiny Music… Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop. Billed as the super deluxe edition, it includes a remaster of the original album on both vinyl and CD plus two more CDs’ worth of previously unreleased bonus material. One contains early versions, instrumentals, and alternate mixes of Tiny Music tracks, while the other features a full live set from 1997. Upon announcing the reissue the band shared an raw alternate take of the album’s lead single, “Big Bang Baby.” Today they’ve got another one of the album’s radio hits teed up for you, an early attempt at “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart.”

“Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” rules. The day after Scott Weiland died, I listed it as the greatest song of STP’s career. There are many legitimate contenders for that title, but this song particular has always stood out to me for its sense of bracing urgency: the way the verses’ turbulent Zeppelin groove segues into the high drama of the chorus, the way Weiland rides the former with slithering pop prowess and explodes into the latter with an unhinged desperation. As I put it back then, “Nothing else in STP’s catalog speeds along at such a brisk pace, with such a furious sense of purpose and regret.”

STP drummer Eric Kretz offered this statement to Stereogum about the song:

So usually we would have one or two songs per album where we would record the music and not have any vocal ideas to accompany us. With this Early version of “Trippin,” Scott had the rhythm tracks to work off of and this was his first day at singing the song. I really enjoy hearing him trying to work out the tongue twisting verse lyrics that are such a great counter rhythm to the music in the verses.

Hear the early “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” recording below.

Here’s the tracklist for Tiny Music… Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop: Super Deluxe Edition:

Disc One: Original Album 2021 Remaster
01 “Press Play”
02 “Pop’s Love Suicide”
03 “Tumble In The Rough”
04 “Big Bang Baby”
05 “Lady Picture Show”
06 “And So I Know”
07 “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart”
08 “Art School Girl”
09 “Adhesive”
10 “Ride The Cliché”
11 “Daisy”
12 “Seven Caged Tigers”

Disc Two: Early Versions, Instrumentals, & Alternate Mixes
01 “Press Play” – Full Length Version *
02 “Pop’s Love Suicide” – Early Version *
03 “Tumble In The Rough” – Early Version *
04 “Big Bang Baby” – Early Version *
05 “Lady Picture Show” – Early Version *
06 “And So I Know” – Early Version *
07 “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” – Early Version *
08 “5 Or 4 Times (Art School Girl)” – Early Version *
09 “Adhesive” – Instrumental *
10 “Ride The Cliché” – Instrumental *
11 “Seven Caged Tigers” – Early Version *
12 “Big Bang Baby” – Alternate Version *
13 “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” – Percussion Mix *
14 “Art School Girl” – Jaw Harp Version *
15 “Kretz’s Acoustic Song” *

Disc Three: Live at Club La Vela, Panama City Beach, FL (3/14/97)
01 “Crackerman” *
02 “Meatplow” *
03 “Tumble In The Rough” *
04 “Vasoline” *
05 “Wicked Garden” *
06 “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” *
07 “Plush” *
08 “Big Empty” *
09 “Interstate Love Song” *
10 “Lady Picture Show” *
11 “Unglued” *
12 “Big Bang Baby” *
13 “Dead & Bloated” *
14 “Sex Type Thing”
* previously unreleased

Bonus “Big Bang Baby” 7-inch
Included with www.stonetemplepilots.com preorder, limited edition of 1,000 units
Side 1: “Big Bang Baby”
Side 2: “Daisy”

The super deluxe edition of Tiny Music is out 7/23 on Rhino. Pre-order it here.