According to The Pulse Of Radio, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS guitarist Dean DeLeo revealed in a new interview with Celebration Rock that the last time he saw former singer Scott Weiland alive was in a courtroom. DeLeo recalled: “The last time Scott and I were nose to nose, we actually were in the judge’s chambers, we were sitting across one another when we were in this court thing. It goes well beyond what you probably read. Our relationship was strained for many years, man.”
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS dismissed Weiland in 2013, five years after the band reunited in 2008. The band later sued Weiland, citing his erratic behavior, poor performances and prioritizing of his solo career as reasons for letting him go. Weiland countersued the group, although the dispute between the band and singer was eventually settled.
Weiland died in early December from a lethal mix of drugs and alcohol while on a tour with his solo act, THE WILDABOUTS.
DeLeo added: “I spent half my life just full of false hope, with every intention to try to help him, and try to get him together. It led to what we’re talking about right now, the guy died. No matter how you look at it or how you slice it, it’s just so tragic that that is where he went.”
The guitarist also said that Weiland’s ongoing troubles while he was in STP led DeLeo to despise the term “rock star,” explaining, “When I was a kid, the term rock star was intriguing to me, it kind of meant something. As I got older, and I was in business with someone who abused that term, I found it more and more repulsive. Because I don’t know any other line of work where I could simply just show up late, not show up at all, show up really out of it, and it’s kind of glorified, and I think it sucks.”
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS joined forces with LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington in 2013 for an EP and several tours, but Bennington exited last fall. The band is currently holding open auditions for a new vocalist.
Photo credit: Ryan Williams
Source: Blabbermouth
