There are a lot of bands coming out of the attic these days. Some we’ve always predicted (Rage Against the Machine) and some that seem asinine (Blind Melon). This summer, Scott Weiland reunites his California quartet for some good ol’ wholesome grunge. In the wake of modern rock n’ roll, it’s never been more necessary.

It’s been a long time since we last saw them, something like six years have come and gone. In that time, Weiland’s fiddled around with the boys of Guns’ (Velvet Revolver), while the rest of the Pilots saddled up ex-Filter frontman, Richard Patrick for Army of Anyone. The latter saw dismal success, if any, and Velvet Revolver hit a certain target audience that would probably prefer Stone Temple Pilots or a reunited Guns N’ Roses anyhow.

Politics aside, the band is back.

Stone Temple Pilots (STP) came out of left field during the 90’s grunge daze (or is it days?), starting out in Los Angeles strip clubs until finally being picked up by a major label. With their debut of 1992’s Core, the band found a rough footing in the music scene at the time, albeit scoring hits “Creep”, “Plush”, and “Sex Type Things.” Detractors labeled them Pearl Jam rip offs, which isn’t so hard to buy given Weiland’s vocals in “Plush.”

However, what didn’t stop Bush, Silverchair or even the Smashing Pumpkins from being labeled Nirvana-rip offs, didn’t stop Weiland & Co, which is success. Between notoriety from wins at the American Music Awards and the Grammy’s (including Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal, ironically for “Plush”), STP managed to hit up enough of a racket to follow up with 1994’s Purple.

Interstate Love Song” became the staple radio hit of 1994. It matched every market, from radio to MTV, where the music video became a fan favorite. The song also marked a brief foray into a sound the band would later articulate into it’s own. Weiland still had the scowl of Vedder, but Dean DeLeo’s guitar work sent off a candy coated vibe as opposed to the rugged, outside flavors of Mike McCready. One particular track, “Big Empty”, is a perfect example of this, employing Weiland’s melodic vibe to the more relaxed melodies DeLeo (and his brother, Robert) would orchestrate.

By the time the band was even able to record it’s third album, Weiland had already been in and out of the headlines with drug abuse and enough scandals to send the next Hollywood regular up the hills. Let’s just say most of it involves our favorite, lovable crack cocaine. While STP managed to churn out Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop, a following tour was anything but likely. However, that didn’t sustain them from seeing radio success with singles, “Big Bang Baby” or “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart”. Tiny Music… is an important release for the sole purpose that it finally saw the band departing from the proverbial “knock off artists” airport. Good thing or not, I’m not one for morality, if Weiland’s drug use was responsible for this (see below), then God bless him.

“Big Bang Baby” revealed an out of control, disturbed California band on the handle of a safety door, ready to hit “Escape” at any minute. The songs were paranoid, honest, and an indication that things weren’t alright, but somehow they sounded happy and lively. It was a great juxtaposition that became a signature of the band, really.

In the aftermath of a two year collision course, something strange happened, if not fitting. Both parties split for awhile. In 1997, Weiland went on to record his solo album, 12 Bar Blues, while the DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz went on without him, recording Talk Show. Each effort received critical success, but fared very little commercially. Some consider this hiatus a cleansing, where Weiland cooled off after a radical drug binge. Whatever it was worked because STP went on to record their strongest album yet, No. 4.

No. 4 is a depressing album. There’s songs about heroin abuse (as if the title didn’t give it away), isolation, and lost love. Fitting given the period it follows, right? It’s no surpise then that the biggest hit off the album, and possibly the band’s entire career, was “Sour Girl”, which delved into the unsuccessful, first marriage for Weiland.

There were hints of Weiland calling out, especially in the somber yet bittersweet ballad “I Got You”, where he parallels his abuse to a loving relationship. It’s eerie, but it’s inclusive. Not to break off in too paltry a sound, Dean DeLeo managed to break out some heavy numbers, like “Sex and Violence” or “Down.” These would later become live favorites. Despite the lyrics and support, Weiland found himself in even more trouble, after breaking probation which led to a year in Los Angeles’ county jail.

Looking back, STP’s final album (or last work, depending on the success of this reunion) seems more like a last minute attempt to save it all from falling down. Shangri-La Dee Da (2001) is an inspired collection of songs, if not largely ignored. Save for “Days of the Week”, one of the worst songs the band has ever put out to date, most of the album went unnoticed. It’s a shame as songs like “Bi-Polar Bear”, where Weiland whines, ” Don’t sleep behind the wheel at the stoplight/Can’t sleep behind the wheel as you’re drivin’ home”, reveal a vivid, surreal lifestyle that’s all too much a reality for the troubled frontman. Where No.4 brought out this inner poetic style, Shangri-La Dee Da capitalized on it and turned it pop, but in a good way. It never became too tongue-in-cheek, it never became too over the top. They were simple songs with intricate story and background and to top it off, they sounded good.

That’s what was lost in bands Army of Anyone and especially Velvet Revolver, where Weiland’s self professed acquittal of drug use became moreover a joke (see “Fall To Pieces”, for a good example). Everything felt plastic and asinine that it’s a mystery it ever reached the success it did.

With good reason, it should be a thrill to see Stone Temple Pilots back in action. As I reported yesterday, the idea of a new album would be refreshing, odd given that it’s a reunion, right? There’s so much to tell and if that sound can continue to mature where they left it in 2001, then I’m sure fans will be there.

Especially if they were for last year’s Libertad.

[Official Site]

[MySpace]

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Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Retrospective, Stone Temple Pilots