lol I'm loving all of this. This reminds me of the STP vs. Velvet Revolver wars in early 2008, lol. I don't understand how anybody can say Scott IS THE BAND. The band is Scott, Dean, Robert, and Eric equally. All four have had their hand in writing major STP hits. Obviously removing any of the four changes things, and that's why this new STP is definitely a new era. It's a new band carrying on the STP legacy. But come on, for example listen to something like the DeLeos playing on Bi-Polar Bear. That is some of the most expressive playing I've ever heard in my life, the DeLeos/Kretz are a major part of the heart and soul of STP, along with Scott. They're just expressing their feelings musically rather than through singing.
Comparing Velvet Revolver to Army of Anyone and their success is apples and oranges. It'd be a more fair comparison if Eric had been in AoA (he has a special chemistry with the DeLeos) and if Axl Rose had been fronting them. I love Filter but Richard Patrick/Filter isn't 1/10 as famous as Guns N' Roses, nor does he have the ability to write hit after hit. Scott hooked up with members of one of the biggest bands in the last 25 years, and he never even would have had that opportunity if it hadn't been for his success in STP.
To say Chester is a shitty friend to Scott is lame as well. When a guy falls off the wagon, friendships tend to go away. Have you seen Scott hanging out with the likes of Chester, Dave Navarro etc. since 2007? Also, while I'm not a big Linkin Park fan (outside of their early hits, which I enjoyed at the time) the guy's got a solid rock voice and has done an admirable job performing the STP classics so far, (and the new song) and showed a great amount of respect for Scott in the KROQ interview. I guarentee you if Scott ever gets his shit together and reconciles with the DeLeos/Kretz, Chester will graciously step aside. He's obviously no Scott, but I'm willing to give him a shot. Like I've said before, I'm just thrilled the DeLeos and Kretz are sticking together and are in a band where they will still be heard by the masses. I'm sad that STP won't be the original four, but after Scott's solo touring butchering the STP hits, why the fuck not keep the name? This new incarnation of the band happening is better than Scott and the Wildabouts butchering the hits being the only thing carrying on the STP legacy.