Stone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots biography

Stone Temple Pilots (often abbreviated to STP) is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Robert DeLeo (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums, percussion).

After forming in 1986 under the name "Mighty Joe Young," the band found immediate success in 1993 after signing with Atlantic Records and releasing their debut album Core (1992) under the STP moniker. The band released four more studio albums: Purple (1994), Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996), No. 4 (1999) and Shangri-La Dee Da (2001) before separating in 2003, after which the band members partook in various projects, most notably Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone. STP eventually reconvened in 2008 for a reunion tour, released a new self titled album (2010), and are currently planning an extensive reissue campaign for the 20th anniversary of Core in 2012.

While initially displaying a sound typically identified as "grunge" early on in its career, further releases from the band have shown a variety of influences, including psychedelic rock, bossa nova, and classic rock. The band's evolution throughout the 1990s and early 2000s involved several tumultuous periods of commercial highs and lows, brought about in part by Weiland's well-publicized struggles with drug addiction.

Early years (1986-1992)

Two conflicting stories of how frontman Scott Weiland and bassist Robert DeLeo met have been described by the band; one was that Weiland and DeLeo met at a Black Flag concert in Long Beach, California in 1986. They began describing their girlfriends, and soon realized they were dating the same woman. However, instead of letting that fact come between them, they grew a bond and formed a band after they each subsequently broke it off with the girl. Weiland presented a different version of meeting Robert in his autobiography, stating that Weiland and his high school friend, guitarist Corey Hicock, pursued Robert after witnessing him play live.

Nevertheless, Weiland, DeLeo, and Hicock would eventually form a band with drummer David Allin, called Swing. However, after witnessing drummer Eric Kretz play in a local Long Beach club, the band opted to replace Allin, convincing Kretz to join the band. Guitarist Hicock eventually left the band; in need of a replacement and auditioning many guitarists, Robert suggested his older brother, Dean. At the time, Dean was a successful businessman who left behind his days as a musician, but still played as a hobby. The band managed to convince convince Dean play guitar for Swing, completing the current lineup. Dean DeLeo is reported to have said "I refused to be in a band called Swing", and shortly the band changed their name to Mighty Joe Young. The band recorded a demo tape that was completed around 1990. The Mighty Joe Young demo features tracks that would go on to be re-recorded for the band's first studio album, as well as some musical styles not featured on any of STP's albums, such as funk and yodeling.

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