Stone Temple Pilots | Green Room Tales | House of Blues

you guys have been together for almost nine ten years now and you've been through some a lot of rough times but what did you attribute that kind of longevity to hmm I think we all loved music I mean ultimately that's what it is that's what it is for myself and I'm sure the same for everyone else I mean you know they're like there's ups and downs in life in general and there are times it like this business gets really frustrating the music business but it's that it's the love of you know writing songs and performing songs live that sort of carries you through those those times when when you know other things seem to be kind of frustrating what parts are the only friends I have the only friends you don't want money from you two friends my brother what parts of the business are frustrating what are the most frustrating parts I mean it all it all it all changes I mean there's like I I think you know this frustrate it's like first of all this is like you know we're artists is what we do we love music and it's an incredible gift credible blessing to be able to do this and make a living doing it but it is also a business you know I mean it's also a way that we do make a living and and it also affects a lot of other people's you know ability to make a living you know from the record company to management and everything so it being a business I think in every business whether you're making records or you're making years for cars or ball bearings or jet fighters you know if there's a business can be frustrating and at times it's it can even seem to overshadow you know the the beauty of of like you know the musical part seems to at times almost beat a smaller component of component of the equation and it's just like you know it's it's sort of those times like we know that you have to fall back on your love the music that like carry through and you know has there ever been a time when you felt the band might not make it never never a doubt I think we knew from day one then when I had my concerns about our friend actually here you know I think from from the moment that all forever started playing music together it sounds kind of egotistical to say this but we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were going to be one of the best bands in the world and that we would be one of the biggest bands in the world and I think it's something we all knew as young kids growing up and it's just sort of when we you know convened as a group it was like we were with for you know a group of four people who shared that same belief and that same goal and and that passion and it's like carrying us through you know and just as like we don't have any question or any doubt as to whether we can you know get back to the level that we were you know used to playing at I mean it'll take work you know the kind of work that we put in and in the earlier days of our career you know reconnecting with fans and that because ultimately it's been our fans and our music that it's like carried us through and not and allowed us to not be a band that just sort of like dissipated and disappeared I mean we were very fortunate to have a catalog and a library of songs and albums that that have like stood the test of time and I think it's our the songs we write and the way that we perform a live that is attributed to that I mean bring up an interesting point about reconnecting with the fans because when you when you released the last album number four a wonderful album by the way it was at a time where you guys couldn't do the touring that was that's usually necessary to support an album you know there any regrets and releasing the album when when you couldn't follow up and and get on the road and I think at the time we Scott was ready to go to jail is anybody ever really ready not ready you I knew was unhappy knew was gonna happen we all knew it was gonna happen but you know we had talks about it and we just all agree that let's put it out because we thought it was going to be in four out a year and luckily uh he got out much earlier and holding on to the album until you guys were ready was not an option it was an option but it's not when we wanted we just said this music was kind of reflecting how we felt last year so it was just in our hearts to put it out immediately and not to sit on it for nine months to year and get sick of it yeah and I think also um luckily you know the situation just sort of worked out you know really for the best for all of us I'm of course we would have liked to have seen the record stay at you know number one or in the top five for for you know months but I mean that's really unrealistic I mean you know it's like you know a car runs on cylinders unless like all the cylinders to the to this you know engine are firing it really you know it really can't work the way it's supposed to you know but I think it's like our fans who are so hungry to see us play live and to start doing shows again that have created the environment word there's that enthusiasm for its setting up this ability that we are doing where we really relaunching the record you know kind of like doing what we would have done had the situation been different I mean it's just should we ask these questions it's just so in the scheme of things you know does do sales really regulate the integrity of the music you know it's uh that's a good question it's it's it's a record that we extremely we're living we were breathing it's very close to our hearts and souls and it's just a contribution man and do you like you did you have the option to do this and was just like man this is just a body of work that we didn't and have at it you know it's quite simple yeah I mean well let me ask you specifically about the record now it's it's a number four seems to be a bit of a harder more more hard more hard rock kind of album compared to the last album before it was that a conscious effort to make the sound a little bit tougher literally Rober occurred I think we were just I think we had a lot of time to really accumulate a bunch of different songs and I think during that time we had a chance to maybe think about what STP epitomized to all of us personally and as a group and I think the songs that make made the record were were the result of that and this there could have been you know a of 30 other songs because I mean collectively we had probably 40 songs that we were working on working out and getting through and going through and I think what is on that record it kind of kind of says this is this is what we kind of felt at the time should be the fourth STP record right now speaking of the specific songs how much does a songs commercial potential play when you're writing the music for it for for a new album you guys consider that at all so if anything I think we joke about it more or less because you really can't formulate anything like that so sometimes we joke around about how crafty something might be or how successful a nice and they're very very fond of pop there's definitely a cannot deny the pop it was definitely a conscious effort I think to write the best song as possible right yeah and you know I think that is something that fortunately comes pretty natural for the four of us yeah I I also think that um you know on all of our records there are like songs that you know we know beyond a shadow of a doubt beyond like album oriented radio stations which are really a dying breed mm-hmm there are like certain songs that will never get played on the radio but they are what give the color and and and the substance to to the album's that we make and then we know like they're like magic moments when we write other songs and we know we that it's gonna it's gonna be something and and there's nothing wrong with that either because you know still today you know that is the radio is the number one way that fans get to connect with with you know the artist in and so it's great when our songs get played on the radio a lot and you know I don't feel that we've ever been the kind of band that is like felt bad about having hits you know I mean the Beatles who are the kings of hits you know they were like the kings of pop radio they've had more hits than anybody and they were the probably the greatest band you know in the history of the world sometimes it feels unfortunate that there's such a narrow array of music and songs being played on the radio when there's so many great bands so much great music you know why do you think that is why do you think that the radio avoid you know what just get in your car and drive across America and you'll say you know Pete we're we're such creatures of habit and and you know the Scott was saying earlier about the music business now it's just it's now more than ever since we've really been involved in it it's just so the integrity is surely gone and and the great bands that are out there that need to get on the road and have support behind them in that sort of atmosphere where they need to spend months on the road and maybe not make it on their first single maybe things start to pick up on the second and third single maybe even things pick up for them on the second record those days don't exist man it's all about and I let me chance it's all about now you know how much beans we're gonna be able to count at the end of this gig and yeah yeah really shame man until there's another like independent label explosion there won't be many new bands you know unfortunately there won't be many new bands having the opportunity to you know having a fair shake of things because it is I mean look at like what gets played on MTV for the most part and what gets played on radio and it's all hit driven and and I don't even necessarily think it's what the kids are are really as is into as as much as it might be that's what people are programming people to feel that they should be into well-said programmed and you know I think that um when we first came out mmm there was a whole different social and political and economic environment that that doesn't exist now I mean in the 90s like things have really been pretty good in general I mean of course not every aspect of society is but if things are pretty good people have a lot more money there is you know as far as like the whole socio-economic scheme of things is better and because of that I think it makes it easier for the record industry and you know the entertainment industry in general to sort of put out feel-good sort of song so don't really because they feel that everyone is just kind of okay you know and once the environment changes and though they'll be bands that are kind of echoing the discontent of young people like there was when we came out yeah then then you know the environment will probably change again and rock and roll will have a little bit more importance and and bands that are a little bit you know more obscure will you'll be hearing them on the radio again but I don't know I think a few things have to change you know before that happens in that same vein I read a quote from you Scott recently from a magazine article where you you were quoted during a dragon fly show it's a prize show at the dragonfly Club where you said we decided to do a rock and roll show because there aren't any bands left at play a rock and roll you still believe that's true obviously yeah for the most part I think that's true me of course there are some rock and roll bands and there's still some great rock and roll bands that are legends that are still playing you know and still you know still very you know I mean I mean amazing you know I mean I mean I think Aerosmith's probably one of the bands that I would rather see play live you know over anybody um but I think what people are calling rock and roll now and rock music is not really the essence of what if what turned us on to rock music you know it slept some whole other thing and and and I don't know I mean the guitars are loud and they're distorted you know but I can't really say that it's um and it's not what we're about really what was it that turned you guys on to rock and roll just lovers of music man it's the magic of AM radio yeah yeah it's incredible just hearing songs and learning the words and the melodies and yeah I think it was a different time to hunt it was when you know so guitar and oriented you know music was was in the forefront and you know guitarists really mean a lot still and and plus in our and our households your parents your dad and our brothers and sisters Robert and I older brothers and sisters that the the things that we were being subliminally fed first handed our little sponge minds you know just absorbing Hendrix and the doors and Spanky and our gang proms and Papas and go on and on Beatles Beach Boys yeah if you just look at someone like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix there's just two people but you look at the body of work just just with those two people yeah and the contribution that they made I mean that's it's it's it's pretty inspiring yeah and they weren't just known for like the color of their baseball cap you know I mean and and it's like they were iconic and still are you know figures that like influenced the the whole world of you know pop culture and and they were allowed to because they were allowed to like make records and make albums that weren't like being judged on how many singles they successful singles they had people were able to like find out what they were really about and so their personality came out and and you know and I just think that it isn't really all that prevalent today even though even though times have changed it is nice to know that that people still realize they still still realize that they look at what we have to offer is something that is you know not necessarily that but but close to that getting in the same vein of having that same kind of do you think there'll be a shift in what people are interested in again we're talking about the other night this this whole this whole hopeful this whole resurgence of this indie thing will bring back the more integral bands to the forefront here we're we're you know I I hope something happens to where the majors are knocked down a little bit with their puppeteers and Mouseketeers Scott there's um been quite a bit written about and in the press about your recent troubles that you've had with the law and with drugs and all that stuff does it make you angry or upset you in the press speculates behind the reasons that these troubles have come up in your life not really no you know what I kind of have sort of become accustomed to that and also I've sort of bought into the idea that you know what just like let them say what they want man and and just keep on talking and talking and talking and and you know they keep whether it's bad or good whatever you know it always has a positive effect on a record sales so we're always the last to find that you know whatever I mean it's just you know it comes with the territory you know and part of the gig yeah how much does your your songwriting reflect your personal struggles a lot you know not just my struggles but I guess you know life's a struggle so I mean there were songs on on on number four that you know the the words that I wrote a you know a lot of those were actually written about the breakup of my marriage you know and I mean that's a struggle you know just as addiction is a struggle you ain't right you ain't writing about fluffing out of sandwiches no you know and and that's like that's that's the reality of work or you know I mean just like the reality of where I was and it we when we wrote and recorded core was you know I was a like 22 23 year old young man who was like dissatisfied and was just barely made it out of my teens and still felt like not very worthy and kind of worthless and sort of bad but really angry that I felt that way and not knowing really why I did very poor yeah very poor you know I mean and that's when we were definitely eating a lot of fluffernutter's know that was and trick was actually peanut butter and jelly and tortillas Robert specialty yeah make that for everyone and the canned tuna patty sandwiches right fry it up in a pan like make burgers out of it go a long way we actually ate that stuff like that on our first tour because we didn't have money for bus so we drove through the country several times and a little RV I must have been awful and now it was actually amazing it's a lot of fun you know it really isn't the it's really not the amount of money that you make and and like you know what you're able to obtain a life because ultimately you kind of get to a point where you find out that like achieving those kind of destinations are not what make you happy that like the whole idea of the destination is that what makes you happy is once you find out what really makes you happy you'll find that it's the journey that you're on right well sad sad there's one song in particular on number four that seems to be particularly revealing which is pruno at least to me and there's one particular line in it which is I got another hit that held me the last time don't you know what I mean boys what is that song addressing actually with that I mean you could take that as meaning like you know a drug reference or you could take it out like and I sort of like left it to be you know determined however you know one would want to determine it but really what I was kind of relating to was like hit a slap a slap from the judge which I was given you know a few times until I left him no other options but to uh you know put me in jail what a what a wonderful thing to do with somebody with an addiction problem yeah there's another issue what is the issue the issue is some our our country has better prison systems and educational system yeah they're 90% of those of those housed are in for our drug users drug offenders and that in a lot of states people that are sentenced to the mini maximum penalty system actually get out of jail prison after those who have committed violent crimes even murder and rape person who has committed murder and rape is able to get out on parole on a 15 year sentence in five years in a lot of states and because of the minimum maximum law a lot of people who are just in for drug-related crimes serve their entire sentence and if that's just not a so some of these cats here behind the cameras smoke weed man so good to be here might be sent in you okay you know a lot of it has to do with the whole prison industrial complex and the fact that so many prisons become privatized over the last you know couple decades and so they're the the state and those private industries are making a lot of money from basically slave labor so when the crime rate drops you know who are they going to fill put in there but you know there's always drug problem there has been since the you know since man you know and I mean the Chinese been smoking opium for thousands of years and that the Romans and the Greeks you know been alcoholic for thousands of years so there's always gonna be drug problems and you know why not penalize the people that have an illness rather than you know and put them and let them work in the labor factories called Penitentiary's on a lighter a little bit of a lighter subject here I have you guys had any time to go back into the studio since getting since getting back together here and yeah we did I just went in the studio this past weekend we did a recut break on through from the doors with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger which was really was a really great experience really nice where is that gonna where are we gonna see that at that time it's gonna be on a compilation door CD doors tribute album yes a bunch of other bands have I was gonna say we'd like to say be out this summer but they've been working on it for about 30 years yeah three years been working on it 30 years but it was really you know I mean I think it amazing honor for all of us I mean really especially was for me I mean cuz you know like Jim Morrison is been such a huge influence on my on my approach to singing and you know a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm a baritone as as he was and and just the sexuality that and and the the anger that he was able to like show within his you know in his voice and on those songs like I was totally intrigued by me as much as I was also intrigued by his you know him as a character and so I I always remember thinking like back in like the late 80s you know right around that time when like the you know people got turned on to the doors again because the movie and that and thinking like I mean I could have ever imagined that you know that we would be performing with like surviving doors members doing a doors song I really have beautiful shat myself really really nice to see you know Robby's progression as a musician we're a lot of cats from his era just really stayed in their own little world and never really progressed in Robbie he's playing better than ever man he's he's great a great great player it's really nice to see you know can we expect a less you guys perform that when you guys hit the road mm no we're on maybe tonight it's nicer than you think those guys change actually when are we gonna go play last question I've said what do you think is the biggest misconception about Stone Temple Pilots right now hmm where where there was where we're pinnipeds I don't know I mean that we're broken up yeah probably yeah I hear that a lot I'm not we're never really broken up I'm just gonna take long breaks in between long naps it's a lot its hibernation time yeah lucky for us you're not broken up yeah yeah absolutely not I'm just lazy man I dig Stan I'm actually enjoying lazy I'm really enjoying the band and being around you cooks right now like I get into of my own little rut you know I mean of what my life is like and I've gotten a little bit older so I kind of like feel get comfortable when I get into this little rut if like my day is the same my fiancee really bums out on me like a couple times a week like everything you do is the same every day you wake up at 7:30 in the morning you go to the gym you eat at this one of two places and then you're gonna have the same thing you know it's so like when we're like together and we're working and there's like other you know our personalities to feed off of and and like there's the excitement of the music it sort of you know it's like a you know b12 shot in the ass dressing out of our wife of course hi Julie I love you hope you're watching anyone else wanna say hello I share it well my are Christy's she's everybody's girls are right downstairs hey Mark I'm Cathy my friends and flyyy hope you're watching yeah in case my parents are watching I love you mom and dad and and to all of our fans you guys are the best yeah they're for us and with us since the very very beginning you've been like the most amazing and loyal fans that um you know a couple of num nums goals like us could ever have and we appreciate that and we'll see you the summer we'll be putting Scott's address up on have a little party at this house wives everybody over so stay tuned they're blinking on the bottom of your computer

Channel: Live Nation Clubs and Theaters

Views: 74,944

Keywords: scott weiland interview, interview scott weiland, live from house of blues, house of blues (organization), house of blues livenation, concert house of blues, House of Blues, house of blues green room, green room tales, tales from the green room, green room interview, stone temple pilots interview, interview stone temple pilots, scott weiland drugs, scott weiland music, stone temple pilots history, scott weiland jail, STP, stone temple pilots, STP live, 90s rock

Id: sBkeZpl_YII

Length: 26min 41sec (1601 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 21 2016