Chester is saving STP

[Blue]

I'm just saying that Scott adds that last bit of swagger that the rest if the band needs when they write. None of the other tunes they've written without Scott have that rock n roll sexiness groove to them.

See, that is a valid point. Chester is great, and I love what he's doing with the band, but I wouldn't use the term "swagger" to define him.

In terms of stage presence, I always got the feeling that STP was three musicians and a rock star. Now it feels like four musicians. And that's a change that I personally welcome, but I think I can see why that would be hard to accept.

[StoneTempleBrett]

You can say that these are the same guys that created Core and the rest of the albums, but without Scott, it sounds nothing like STP. "Out Of Time" sounds nothing like STP. That's another reason why these "fans" you speak of are upset about them not changing their name along with the other obvious reason.

Yes it does. It has the band's DNA running through it. The progression is there from the first 5 albums via Army of Anyone. What doesn't sound like STP is the self-titled album (or large chunks of it).

So self titled doesn't have their DNA running through it? Between The Lines is STP, Fast As I Can is STP. The album didnt have their signature blend because they decided to work on it in the worst possible ways without Brendan.

At the end of the day, Jane's isn't the same to me without Eric.. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna go see Jane's with Myles Kennedy singing and recording for them. Would that be considered a new era for Jane's too?

If Jane's was Kennedy/Navarro/Avery/Perkins I'd see them.  I wouldn't see Kennedy/Navarro/Chaney/Perkins though.  Once you remove two original members things get dicey for me.

Like I've said before I love self-titled, could give a shit how they recorded it, all I care about is the end product.  Still love Take a Load Off, Maver, Fast As I Can, Between The Lines, Cinnamon, and many others from the album.

[Stop That Pigeon]

I'm just saying that Scott adds that last bit of swagger that the rest if the band needs when they write. None of the other tunes they've written without Scott have that rock n roll sexiness groove to them. Like I said, to me, it feels like Myles Kennedy is fronting Jane's Addiction and recording an EP with them. How could that even be considered Jane's without what Perry adds?? Even if Eric was still in the band, there's no fucking way in hell that anybody can tell me that it's Jane's Addiction because "the music is there". NO WAY!

I agree. We're on the same page here. It's a huge thing to sing with the Deleos. SW was the master, he owned it. Coutts never stood a chance, RP I thought could handle it but he welched.

That's why you have to give Chester credit imo. He has both the talent and the balls for the job. He's doing great.


Jane's is different - so much of their vibe comes from Perry. It's not really a fair comparison imo.

[STEAK]

-When Scott, Eric, Robert & Dean were together they made amazing music... that evolved with the band.  It was a very distinct style, and it changed/grew/evolved with each album.

-When Scott worked on solo projects, he made DIFFERENT MUSIC (evolving on his own, separate from STP)

-When Scott worked with other bands, IT WAS DIFFERENT MUSIC (Again, separate from STP)

The difference is...
-When the DeLeo's worked on TWO separate bands, they played the exact same style of music they did with STP. 


The DeLeos never really grew, or differentiated themselves from STP, while Scott did (in both his music and his "swagger").  Regardless of who you're siding with; without Scott it's been proven TWICE that there is no STP.  This is just a third attempt at the same thing, and "STP w/ Chester" is about as Stone Temple Pilots as Army of Anyone or Talk Show.



*PS: Smite me like children all you want.  Although, if you're an adult capable of a debate on the issues at hand, feel free to use your words instead.

[Ridethecliche]

I actually agree. I can't stand Linkin Park, but I admit that Chester has talent and I heard the new song Out of Time and it sounds better than all of the other songs in the Stone Temple Pilots last album. It just had that STP sound.

[Blue]

Sorry STEAK, but I call bullshit.

1: Tiny Music and Talk Show were written in tandem. Of course they sound similar instrumentally, because they were written in the same seasons.

2: Army of Anyone didn't sound at all like STP.

The DeLeo's did plenty to differentiate themselves from STP with AoA. It wasn't popular, so now they're sticking with what they know the fans want. STP.

[STEAK]

Sorry STEAK, but I call bullshit.

1: Tiny Music and Talk Show were written in tandem. Of course they sound similar instrumentally, because they were written in the same seasons.

2: Army of Anyone didn't sound at all like STP.

The DeLeo's did plenty to differentiate themselves from STP with AoA. It wasn't popular, so now they're sticking with what they know the fans want. STP.

That's totally fair.

1. Sure, they may have been written around the same time... or maybe some unused material from STP?  But, what about Scott's solo albums?  Neither of his solo albums were even close to STP's sound or style.

2. I'd really have to go back and dig through the AoA songs, but just listening to a few again... obviously Patrick's voice, style, and lyrics don't sound anything like Scott. BUT, a lot of these songs could have been leftovers, or unfleshed STP songs.  'Leave It' could easily be on SLDD, 'Goodbye' would have fit anywhere between No.4 and SLDD, and 'A Better Place'.... come on!

A lot of AoA's music just didn't have that natural feel to it.  To me, some songs even felt like a DJ mashing up Filter & STP audio tracks.  I'm glad they joined with Chester b/c if they're going to play with any current singer, he'd be up around the top of the list.  As a "fan", I've followed these guys into every side project they've done so far, and I'd gladly follow them into the next one as well.   But acting like nothing has happened, and this is still STP is insulting.

Regardless of wanting to continue like everything is the same, too much has changed (New singer, *songwriter(?), and overall new band dynamic... "new band").   For them to assume this is what "fans want", it only perpetuates the notion that they were responsible for the "Greatest Hits Tour"... just catering to the greatest common denominator (for money).

[StoneTempleBrett]

The Army of Anyone album has some really good songs (Goodbye and Stop Look and Listen) but overall there wasn't a ton of chemistry despite all of the talent in the band, I think a lot of that has to do with the time the project happened.  I think if it'd happened around the late 90's-2002 it would have been better.  Patrick was at his absolute peak creatively and vocally around Title of Record/The Amalgamut (two of the most underrated albums of the last 15 years), but by the time Army of Anyone came around he'd been sober for a few years and that same rage he had wasn't there any more.  Patrick's released some solid Filter material particularly on his most recent record, but his prime was 1999-2002.  I don't think his voice meshed with the DeLeos more Beatlesque material like Weiland and even Dave Coutts' voices did, maybe if the DeLeos had focused on their harder side it would've done better.  But man if they'd done Army of Anyone in like 2000 I think it'd have been fucking awesome.  Another AoA related thing is that while Ray Luzier is a very talented drummer, the DeLeos have a special chemistry with Eric Kretz musically and while Kretz hasn't written as much in recent years he's written and co-written some amazing songs in the past.

"Out of Time" sounds like what I'd imagine Army of Anyone in 2000-2001 to sound like, since Chester kind of sounds like an in his prime Richard Patrick on it vocally.

[STEAK]

That's just one of the things that bugs me... of all the side projects that didn't work, this one with Chester seems the most promising.   I just think it's a shame for STP fans, when we could have had an amazing side project AND retained STP's legacy (with hope for another reunion down the road).

[Strat]

Brett's post brings up a point that has bugged me for some time. Can anyone tell me why Kretz wasn't part of AoA? Luzier is a great drummer and did a fine job on AoA, but without Kretz the chemistry was different. I keep wondering how Eric would've played certain parts. For example, the drumming at the end of 'Goodbye' sounds good but doesn't seem to suit the song IMO. Any thoughts?

[Blue]

See, for a lot of us STP's legacy was already tarnished. The reunion we'd spent 5 years waiting for was merely a shadow of what the band was. Beyond Scott's performance issues, the band just lacked the chemistry of the old days.

I'll be honest, I NEVER expected the reunion to last beyond 2012. I was actually surprised it made it to that point. The band just didn't enjoy playing together anymore. Just look at Scott, when he's sober at an STP show he's lucid enough to give a good performance, but when he's sober at a solo show he's on FIRE. Just compare STP in '09 to the "Wildabouts" in '09... Scott's a completely different man on his own.

The way I see it, STP was bringing Scott down and Scott was bringing STP down. It was an arrangement that was never meant to last. The entire band was just punching a clock.

Add to that the large stretches of bad shows in '08, & '10-'12... I don't want that to be my last memory of the band. If CheSTP is my last image of STP, I'll be able to live with that. Because now the band is fighting for survival instead of coasting toward oblivion for money.

Scott seems happier solo, the boys seem happier with Chester. If Scott could just get his ego out of the way, and sober up, this would be a pretty damn good arrangement.

[ShaneC]

See, for a lot of us STP's legacy was already tarnished. The reunion we'd spent 5 years waiting for was merely a shadow of what the band was. Beyond Scott's performance issues, the band just lacked the chemistry of the old days.

I'll be honest, I NEVER expected the reunion to last beyond 2012. I was actually surprised it made it to that point. The band just didn't enjoy playing together anymore. Just look at Scott, when he's sober at an STP show he's lucid enough to give a good performance, but when he's sober at a solo show he's on FIRE. Just compare STP in '09 to the "Wildabouts" in '09... Scott's a completely different man on his own.

The way I see it, STP was bringing Scott down and Scott was bringing STP down. It was an arrangement that was never meant to last. The entire band was just punching a clock.

Add to that the large stretches of bad shows in '08, & '10-'12... I don't want that to be my last memory of the band. If CheSTP is my last image of STP, I'll be able to live with that. Because now the band is fighting for survival instead of coasting toward oblivion for money.

Scott seems happier solo, the boys seem happier with Chester. If Scott could just get his ego out of the way, and sober up, this would be a pretty damn good arrangement.

I agree with all of that.

I've said this before, but I'm really hoping Scott puts out an album that knocks us on our asses. Great enough that we are happy he's on his own. He has a challenge ahead, just like New STP does, and maybe that is just what they all needed.

[STEAK]

See, for a lot of us STP's legacy was already tarnished. The reunion we'd spent 5 years waiting for was merely a shadow of what the band was. Beyond Scott's performance issues, the band just lacked the chemistry of the old days.

I'll be honest, I NEVER expected the reunion to last beyond 2012. I was actually surprised it made it to that point. The band just didn't enjoy playing together anymore. Just look at Scott, when he's sober at an STP show he's lucid enough to give a good performance, but when he's sober at a solo show he's on FIRE. Just compare STP in '09 to the "Wildabouts" in '09... Scott's a completely different man on his own.

The way I see it, STP was bringing Scott down and Scott was bringing STP down. It was an arrangement that was never meant to last. The entire band was just punching a clock.

Add to that the large stretches of bad shows in '08, & '10-'12... I don't want that to be my last memory of the band. If CheSTP is my last image of STP, I'll be able to live with that. Because now the band is fighting for survival instead of coasting toward oblivion for money.

Scott seems happier solo, the boys seem happier with Chester. If Scott could just get his ego out of the way, and sober up, this would be a pretty damn good arrangement.

I can agree with most of that.  No good is going to come from them forcing it like they've been doing. Although, that's the issue, the touring was what was killing them.  They should have gone with their respective side projects like they did in the past, and left "Stone Temple Pilots" alone.  Which is my main sticking point.


 For me, growing up as an STP fan, they weren't touring  all year, EVERY YEAR.  They'd release an album every two years, and I'd see em live, maybe once a year.  Even when they weren't touring, or they had their issues, it was all about their legacy, their body of work, THAT was STP.  I always regarded them as an amazing live band, but if I had the choice to get a new album every two years, or see them live every 6 months, I'd always go with the album.  As amazing as they WERE live, their albums were better, and WAY more important.  The landscape of music obviously changed, and they make their money touring (grinding) now, but that in and of itself is the problem. 

[Chris Pepper]

Stone Temple Pilots is an evolutionary band. The entire point is that each venture sounds new.

People bitched that Days of the Week didn't sound like STP, but it did. People bitched that Between the Lines didn't sound like STP, but it did. People are bitching that Out of Time doesn't sound like STP, but it does.

The only difference is that now they have Chester as a scapegoat.

Out of Time sounds like STP.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[John]

People bitched that Days of the Week didn't sound like STP, but it did. People bitched that Between the Lines didn't sound like STP, but it did. People are bitching that Out of Time doesn't sound like STP, but it does.

The only difference is that now they have Chester as a scapegoat.

This is a great point. 

I can't believe how many threads there are arguing the same shit around in a circle.  Relax guys.  The argument is moot.  This is what they chose to do - for better or worse.  It's what's happening.  So, wait for the album and/or tour or don't.  Endlessly arguing that it's happening in a way that you don't like doesn't change the reality that it is. 

Go bake some cupcakes or something.