Stone Temple Pilots, Weiland Take Separate Paths To New Album

Stone Temple Pilots had little trouble gearing up for the group's first new album in nine years, according to bassist Robert DeLeo.

"I think Dean and I always have music going on," DeLeo tells Billboard.com, referring to his older brother and STP's guitarist. "I think it's a matter of always having that on the back burner. Then it's just the right time of saying, 'Hey, let's go make a record.' I think once we made that commitment, the music was presented and off we went."

STP -- which began its reunion in 2008 with what DeLeo calls the "baby steps" of touring rather than immediately going into the studio -- also fashioned a new way of working for "Stone Temple Pilots," which comes out May 25. While the DeLeos and drummer Eric Kretz worked on songs together, frontman Scott Weiland mostly holed up in his own Lavish Studios to record vocals with producer Don Was.

"This record was made in a way that Scott wasn't really there for the creation of these songs, musically," DeLeo explains. "We kind of guessed our way through it. It was challenging because we had to get as much as we could done to complete a song, but then we had to hold back 'cause we had to see if it was in the right key and stuff like that. The songs that were sent over to (Weiland) were pretty much in a completed demo form with a scratch melody on there, and Scott has the option to use the melody or not.

"But, y'know, we've been a band for 18 years now -- more like 23, before we were signed. There's a certain understanding you have where you know what the other person is going to like and dislike and you know what's going to work. So even though it is challenging and you're not in the same room, to me it's a great achievement being able to write and produce and do this record the way we did. I'm very, very proud of that."

And even though STP produced the album itself, DeLeo says Was helped to make sure the group's two recording factions were in sync throughout the process. "Scott came over to Eric's studio two or three times, and Don was responsible for...sitting down with the band and kind of getting us together on the same page," DeLeo notes. "Don's very good at doing that. He's a people person. And I think sometimes you need someone in the middle to bring the ends together, so to speak, and Don did that."

STP is in the midst of a short nine-date promotional run celebrating the release of the album's first single "Between the Lines." But the bassist, whose second son is due a couple of days after "Stone Temple Pilots' " release, says the band will be busy in support of the set.

"We're looking at a schedule that takes us up to the end of 2011," he says, with a couple swings through North America and Europe as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan "and every place in between, man. The difference now is it's going to be promoting a new record instead of just getting together and playing songs that you've played. It's doing that kind of promotion and touring again."


BILLBOARD.com

Saw these guys a few nights ago in Detroit. Have to say, for having ravaged his body with drugs, Weiland still sounds great.

Setlist:
Vasoline
Crackerman
Wicked Garden
Hollywood Bitch
Between the Lines
Hickory Dichotomy
Big Empty
Sour Girl
Creep
Plush
Interstate Love Song
Bagman
Huckleberry Crumble
Sex Type Thing
Dead and Bloated
Lounge Fly
Encore:
Piece Of Pie
Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart

Wow, that sounds like a near perfect show-maybe a tad short. Crackerman and Trippin' both got played. I would have been in heaven. Pretty much a sure thing I'll be seeing them now. 16 years between shows is the longest I've ever gone with anyone. The band and I are both old.

Yep, my thoughts exactly. They played a few new songs and just soldiered through the hits. I know fans of the band are probably disappointed that they don't go deeper into the last three releases but I was pretty happy.

How long is their set?

Good to see STP out again.

About 90 minutes

Heard a snippet of one of the new songs - not bad but I don't think anything they'll do from here on out will ever be as good as No. 4

have heard the new single a few times now - not impressed. Weiland seems to have phoned the vocals in.

I've listened to the album a few times now and it's solid, not spectacular. I think for me the vocal delivery and the music is good, but I don't really find a lot of the lyrics to be great.

If you are talking about the new song that is Spin.com is streaming then I agree, it did nothing for me.

Haven't heard anything save the single and a few songs live. My hopes aren't very high but I'm hoping for a solid album. The last record was their only one that did nothing for me. I think lyrics are what scare me the most.

The whole album is streaming at Billboard.com:

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/ston...y?tag=hpflash1

STP concert (from here in Chicago two months ago) airing tonight on VH1 and tomorrow in HD on Palladia

saw the 30 minute concert last night on vh1 (5 songs)... looking forward to the extended 1 hour version tonight (and many more airings) on Palladia HD...

I thought the band sounded in top form!

Anyone know what is "exclusive" about the deluxe edition at Target? I see the deluxe mentioned elsewhere and it states different packaging and 4 bonus songs but that is the same thing that Target mentioned on their site only they say it is "exclusive" to them. Just wondering if their exclusive edition is different from the others.

I have read that it's exclusive to both target & itunes... and the itunes exclusive is a 30 minute documentary... so I'm going to go out on a limb & assume that the bonus is a 30 minute dvd... (I had read a month ago that target would have a dvd with theirs - but still no official confirmation)

GREAT album!!!

I picked up the target exclusive today... and it is indeed a 30 minute bonus dvd included...

not at home yet so can't tell you what the dvd consist of!

I'd be interested to know what's on it when you get the chance to find out.

For some reason Amazon lists the release date of the LP as next Tuesday (6/1). Not sure if that's accurate or not...

I was in Target a little while ago, and it wasn't on the shelves.

just popped in the target exclusive dvd...

15 minute interview

7 minutes - 2 live songs from the chicago show - vaseline & between the lines

4 minute making of the video between the lines (but does NOT include the actual video!)

4 minute radio station interview

Just got back from my local Target (Irvine, CA) and it wasn't with the other New Releases on the end-cap, but in the general rock section instead. They did have both the standard and deluxe versions. Just an FYI to check both areas since not all Targets seem to be consistent.

"Huckleberry Crumble" is a REALLY catchy song.