Two days before Stone Temple Pilots’ former frontman Scott Weiland died last week, he gave what ended up being his final interview, speaking about his musical legacy, the death of former Wildabouts guitarist Jeremy Brown, and his family. The video interview with Toronto outlet Live in Limbo preceded the celebrated frontman’s concert at Toronto’s Adelaide Hall.
In response to a question about legacy, Weiland summed up his 30-plus year career in Stone Temple Pilots, the supergroup Velvet Revolver, and as a solo musician. “First off, I [view] the bands I’ve been in as rock and roll. I’ve always looked at us also as bands that change from album to album, and morph into different sounds. I think to stay in one sound is a career-killer.”
In what became a poignant precursor to his own untimely demise, Weiland also spoke on the difficulty of losing his touring guitarist Jeremy Brown in March. “I mean it was just a terrible tragedy losing Jeremy. He was my main collaborator on writing [his 2015 solo record] Blaster. He was just a tour de force. But Nick [Maybury] stepped in and has really filled those shoes.”
As one of the Weiland’s earlier solo projects was a covers record, 2011’s A Compilation of Scott Weiland Cover songs, the interviewer also asked him who he’d like to collaborate with. “David Bowie,” said Weiland. “He’s my biggest influence musically, vocally, and fashion-wise.” Weiland covered two of Bowie’s songs on that covers record: The Jean Genie from Aladdin Sane, and Fame from Young Americans.
And, interestingly, Weiland said he’d “be open” to help bring back Velvet Revolver at some point.
When the interviewer asked what he’s most thankful for, in light of that night’s show happening on Thanksgiving, he said simply “my wife and my children.”
Posthumously dubbed by Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan as one of three “voices of our generation” alongside Lane Staley and Kurt Cobain, Weiland was found dead on his tour bus on Thursday night. He was 48.
