The remaining members of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS — Robert DeLeo (bass), Eric Kretz (drums) and Dean DeLeo (guitar) — performed with soul singer Joss Stone as JOSS STONE TEMPLE PILOTS on last night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” You can now watch video footage of the “Interstate Love Song” performance below.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and singer Chester Bennington yesterday officially announced that they have parted ways, barely two days after former STP frontman Scott Weiland hinted in an interview that the split had happened. Bennington, who also sings in LINKIN PARK, said in a statement, “The last few years have been an amazing experience. I got to create and perform with one of the greatest rock bands of our generation, that had so much influence on me growing up. With the amount of time STP deserves, in addition to being in LINKIN PARK, and with the needs of my family, one of them always seems to fall short.”
Bennington continued, “The four of us… Robert, Eric, Dean and myself knew what we were up against. We decided in due fairness to friends, fans and the legacy of STP that it needs more than time was allowing me. And in all fairness to my bandmates in LINKIN PARK, as well as to myself and to my family, I’m going to focus solely on LINKIN PARK so I can contribute 100 percent.”
The DeLeos and Kretz said, “What an amazing and beautiful few years we’ve all had together… We have thoroughly enjoyed our time together with Chester not only professionally, but even more so on a personal level. Sadly, it was evident that scheduling and time was working against us. Within this, there is a new beginning. There is an abundance of new music written, some of which is already recorded.”
The band members added, “We have had the fortune of playing with some very talented singers over the last few months and will continue to do so until each of us feels and knows when the right person arrives.”
Speculation about Bennington’s future with STP started over the weekend when Weiland told Alternative Nation, “He’s not in the band anymore. Chester’s got a band, LINKIN PARK, where he gets paid $700,000 a night with, and with STP, the brand is kind of falling apart, which is a shame.”
Bennington joined STP in 2013, shortly after they fired Weiland. He recorded one EP with the band, “High Rise”, and did a handful of tours.
Dean DeLeo told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that Bennington was their first and only choice to replace Weiland. “We simply did not have a list of guys we were thinking of, we didn’t hold auditions, we thought of Chester and that was it,” he said. “It’s very interesting, honestly, because Chester told me a story that when he was dating his wife about nine years ago, he told her that one day he was gonna get a call from us to be the singer of this band.”
There is no word yet on who STP might recruit next on lead vocals, although one candidate, Johnny Stevens of the band HIGHLY SUSPECT, claimed in a tweet that Dean DeLeo called him in August offering him Bennington’s slot. Stevens said he wasn’t interested.
Source: Blabbermouth
