Scott Weiland, the gruff-voiced former lead singer of the hard rock band Stone Temple Pilots who wrote angst filled 1990s anthems like “Creep” and “Big Empty,” was found dead on Thursday in a tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota, where his new band the Wildabouts were scheduled to play a show.
Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro was the first to break the news on Twitter.
Weiland, who long struggled with addiction, assured fans he was clean earlier this year, after a shambolic show in Texas with the Wildabouts had fans wondering about the state of his sobriety.
Jeremy Brown, guitarist for the Wildabouts, died on March 30 of multiple drug intoxication, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, just one day before the release of the group’s debut album “Blaster.”
Stone Temple Pilots is best known for its string of MTV hits, “Sex Type Thing”, “Plush” and “Wicked Garden,” from its 1992 debut, “Core,” which was certified eight-times platinum by the RIAA.
Despite its commercial success, the group faced critical derision for watering down the heavy grunge sound of bands like Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.
The Earthling Papers, which came out in 2011, Weiland went deep on the reality of being in one of the biggest bands of the 1990s - an experience that led to countless rehab stays, the dissolution of two marriages, and physical and mental scars that lasted a lifetime.
Weiland parted ways with the Stone Temple Pilots in 2002, joining the supergroup Velvet Revolver with former Guns N’ Roses members, guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum.
Velvet Revolver released two albums and lasted until 2008, until Weiland resumed an on-again-off-again relationship with Stone Temple Pilots, while maintaining a solo career on the side.
Things came to a head in 2013, when the members of Stone Temple Pilots sued Weiland, claiming he sabotaged a 20th anniversary tour by turning up late for performances and missing promotional gigs.
In 1995, he was convicted of buying crack cocaine and sentenced to one year’s probation.
Aidin Vaziri is the San Francisco Chronicle’s Pop Music Critic..
