SCOTT WEILAND: STILL A DRUNKEN MESS

When Axl and I went to see the reunited Stone Temple Pilots in New Jersey a couple of months ago, it was nothing short of very disappointing. A wasted Weiland stumbled around the stage all night, mumbled incoherent between-song banter, flubbed lyrics, and generally looked like a mess. The performance was completely lackluster, and Weiland was nothing like the charismatic rock n’ roll frontman he was as recently as last summer with Velvet Revolver. Apparently two months’ time hasn’t changed very much for Weiland, as fan-filmed footage (below) shot in Phoenix last week showcases another embarrassing, drunken mishap.

After launching into opening number “Big Empty,” Weiland staggers backward and falls onto Eric Kretz’s drum kit (look around the 1:20 mark). An audience that was screaming in excitement only a minute before quickly shuts up in disbelief. You can feel the stench of mutual embarrassment in the air, a feeling Axl and I became all too familiar with when we saw the band in New Jersey earlier on the tour.

This entire STP reunion tour has been a disaster, nothing like the triumphant return it was built up to be. The longer this drags on, the more Axl’s “50 Things We Are Not Likely To See” prediction makes him look like a prophet (See #5). It’s sad and depressing to watch it unfold.

-VN