So Scott Weiland is dead at the ripe old age of 48. Raise your hand if you’re surprised that this particular guy would go at a very young age. No one? That’s what I figured.
STP was the first early 90’s grunge band that made me think the party was over. Their first record sounded like they sat in a room with the first Pearl Jam record playing and did everything in their power to sound exactly like it. That pissed me off in a big way. Want to know what else pissed me off about that record? It was so freakin’ good. I really wanted to hate it. I wanted to point my finger at that album and say, this is where grunge died. I just couldn’t do it though. It wouldn’t have been honest. That album was outstanding. Fortunately it wasn’t long before the band Bush came along and I got to do my finger pointing.
Their second record grew up quite a bit. They didn’t sound quite so derivative anymore. They broadened their musical horizons and started to sound like themselves. Well, maybe they just sounded like clones of other bands, but overall it was more legit. It was also more awesomer. Their second record squashed their amazing first record like a grape. It was fantastic.
I was off the wagon by their third record. The first single was okay but I was listening to other things by then. Years later I listened to it with Jen and I liked it. I maybe should have given it more of a chance back then. Anything after that album though I haven’t heard yet. Maybe this weekend I’ll give them all a spin in remembrance. Velvet Revolver was something I never got into. I wasn’t a G&R fan, so I didn’t really pay attention to them. The band I played in from ’03-’05 did cover one of their songs. We did an STP song too. In fact, here’s the STP song…
My general feeling about the sad news today is, what a colossal waste. This guy had “it”. I’m not sure what “it” is, but he had it and he blew it. Imagine if he had put himself into his work instead of into whatever chemical shit he was using. Think of what he could have accomplished. Think of the places STP could have gone. Instead of two amazing records we might have 10 of them by now. Hell, maybe 20. He could have used his gifts to say something important. To make a statement that effected people for years to come.
Instead, dead at 48. Two great records, a handful of very good records, and dead at 48.
Rest in peace, Scott Weiland.
Inside the Red Head's Head 