Biography by Jason Ankeny
After first rocketing to fame as the frontman for grunge-era favorites Stone Temple Pilots, singer Scott Weiland later mounted a solo career. Born October 27, 1967, in Santa Cruz, CA, he was raised outside of Cleveland, but moved back to the West Coast at the age of 15, immersing himself in the thriving Orange County punk scene. In 1987 Weiland founded the band Mighty Joe Young with guitarist Robert DeLeo; later rechristened Stone Temple Pilots, the group became one of the biggest acts of the mid-'90s, following the lead of artists like Nirvana and Pearl Jam to top the charts with their angst-ridden hard rock sound. However, their success did not come without a price, and following the group's second LP, 1994's Purple, it was revealed that Weiland had become a heroin addict. After a stay in rehab, he returned to Stone Temple Pilots to record their third record, 1996's Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Giftshop. However, after Weiland suffered a relapse in his ongoing battle with drugs, the group was forced to cancel their upcoming tour; when the other three members subsequently recorded an album with a different singer under the name Talk Show, STP's continued existence appeared shaky at best, and Weiland went solo to record 1998's 12 Bar Blues.
Problems stemming from drug abuse continued to dog Weiland during the late '90s as his album faltered commercially and a subsequent arrest for buying heroin ultimately landed the troubled singer in jail. Nonetheless, STP reconvened for the 1999 album No. 4 featuring the hit single "Sour Girl" -- purportedly inspired by the breakup of Weiland's marriage. Despite the success of the album, STP officially parted ways around 2001 surrounding speculation that a fight between Weiland and DeLeo was to blame. Post his time with STP, Weiland still seemed unable to avoid controversy as a car crash on his birthday in 2003 landed him in rehab. Around this time, former Guns N' Roses members guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Matt Sorum auditioned Weiland for their new band. The trio took to Weiland immediately, and the newly christened hard rock ensemble Velvet Revolver released their debut album, Contraband, in 2004. The album sold well and the band even picked up a Grammy for Best Rock Song for the single "Slither" in 2005. Weiland was also onboard for Velvet Revolver's 2007 sophomore effort, Libertad.Content provided All Music Guide. Copyright 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
