Stone Temple Pilots have parted ways with lead singer Scott Weiland. The group announced the decision this morning in a single sentence press release: "Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland." STP reformed in 2008 after a five year hiatus and toured heavily through last year. It's unclear if they plan on carrying on with a new vocalist.

By apparent coincidence, Rolling Stone spoke with Scott Weiland late yesterday and he denied all rumors that he had been fired from the band. "STP has not broken up," he said. "I haven't quit. I haven't been fired." The rumors began a couple of months ago when Slash said in an interview that STP had fired Weiland.

"Slash doesn't know anything about STP," Weiland countered yesterday. "We're talking right now about when we want to tour next."

Weiland is launching a solo tour next month that will focus almost entirely on material from the first two STP albums, but he insisted the band very much remains a priority. "My personal feeling is that we need some new blood in the band," he said. "We've been playing the same greatest hits set since we got back together. I'd like to make a new record. It will breath new life into the group."

He does acknowledge the group has been going through a rocky period. "There were some hurt egos," he says. "But that's the way it is. No one has ever fired anybody in STP. We're like a family. It's also a partnership. I started the band. We've always kept things going. We've taken time off before. They've done their own projects and I fully support that. No one has been fired and I haven't quit. That's all hearsay."

Rolling Stone reached out to a spokesperson for Weiland about the band's statement and will update this story when we get more information. Check back soon for an extended interview with Weiland about his upcoming solo tour, his desire to return to Velvet Revolver and why he feels reputation as a difficult bandmate is undeserved.

Per Scott Weiland:

I learned of my supposed “termination” from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press. Not sure how I can be “terminated” from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that’s something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday.

Per Scott Weiland:

I learned of my supposed “termination” from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press. Not sure how I can be “terminated” from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that’s something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing <del>all of my fans</del> both of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday.

(LOS ANGELES) – Fans attending KROQ’s annual Weenie Roast over the weekend got a real surprise when Stone Temple Pilots took the stage unannounced, for a blistering set with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park as lead vocalist.

The crowd went wild as the band performed STP classics like ‘Sex Type Thing’ and ‘Vasoline’ and also debuted a brand new song, “Out of Time”– the recording of which KROQ premiered immediately following the band’s explosive 40 minute set.

When Stone Temple Pilots band members, Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz began thinking of singers to accompany the new music they were working on, Bennington was at the top of the list. “Chester has a one-of-a-kind voice that we’ve admired for a long time,” said Dean DeLeo. “We know Linkin Park will always be his priority, but we thought it would be cool to try something together. We managed to find the time to record a song and we’re all really happy with the result.”

“I’ve loved STP since I was 13 years old and they’ve had a huge influence on me,” explained Bennington. “When the opportunity came up to do something creative with them, I jumped at the chance. The guys in Linkin Park have been incredibly supportive of me undertaking this project while I’ve continued to work on new music with LP.”