Page 87 - ION Indie Magazine NovDec 2018

Multi-award-winning American rock band Stone Temple Pilots (often
abbreviated as “STP”) has appeared in the pages of ION Indie Magazine on
numerous occasions and we welcome their return for this
November/December 2018 edition!

STP began in 1989 in San Diego, CA, and rose to fame as part of the grunge
movement of the 90s. The band originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead
vocals), brothers Dean DeLeo (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass/backing vox),
and Eric Kretz (drums). The music has run the gamut of influences and
commercial successes and lows, which can be attributed to partly to Weiland’s
much-publicized drug addictions.

The lineup remained unchanged until the firing of Weiland in 2013. At that
time, Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington took over frontman duties.
Unfortunately, both Weiland and Bennington have since passed away. In
2015, Weiland was found dead on his tour bus before a performance with his
band The Wildabouts. Bennington, who left the band in 2015 to solely focus
on Linkin Park, took his own life in 2017 at his home.

STP held open auditions for a new vocalist in February of 2016. There was

much speculation regarding the band’s final selection. Ultimately, it was the X
Factor Season 3 runner-up Jeff Gutt who received the nod. Gutt is now sizzling
the stage as the new STP frontman as the band is appearing across the U.S.
with The Revolution 3 2018 Tour. Joining STP on the tour are Bush, The Cult,
and support act Julien-K. Senior Photojournalist Daniel Johnson caught up
with STP during the Boston tour-stop.