Stone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots (often abbreviated as STP) is an American rock band from San Diego, California, that originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Dean (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals), and Eric Kretz (drums). Since the band's formation in 1989, its line-up remained unchanged until the dismissal of Weiland in 2013, who was replaced by Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington. In 2015, Bennington left the band to focus solely on Linkin Park. On December 3, 2015, Weiland was found dead on his tour bus prior to a performance with his band The Wildabouts. In 2016, the band launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist.

After forming in 1989 under the name Mighty Joe Young, the band signed with Atlantic Records and changed its name to Stone Temple Pilots. The band found immediate success in 1993 upon releasing their debut album, Core (1992), and went on to become one of the most commercially successful bands of the 1990s. 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 2002, after which the band members partook in various projects (most notably Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone). The band eventually reconvened in 2008 for a reunion tour, released a new self-titled album in 2010, and have been actively touring since, even after Weiland was fired from the band. The band's only material with Bennington was the EP High Rise in 2013.

Stone Temple Pilots (album)

Stone Temple Pilots is the sixth studio album by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. The album was released worldwide from May 21 through May 27, 2010, and is the band's first album since 2001's Shangri-La Dee Da. The album is the result of the band's reunion, which occurred in April 2008 with their North American tour. After Stone Temple Pilots had begun playing together, the band decided to record again, but a lawsuit filed by Atlantic Records on June 12, 2008, made the sixth album an uncertainty. Atlantic eventually withdrew the lawsuit, and the band's attorney called the legal situation a "misunderstanding". This is the last album to feature vocalist Scott Weiland before he was fired from the band in 2013 and died in 2015.

Robert DeLeo, against Atlantic Records's wishes, insisted that he and his brother Dean DeLeo produce the record themselves, which began production in early 2009. Because recording took place during breaks in the band's touring schedule, production took nearly ten months to complete. Three studios were used simultaneously, including Robert's home studio and Eric Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios. Scott Weiland recorded vocals at his own Lavish Studios. Don Was was brought in as an additional producer to help keep the band's separate recording sessions in sync, as well as to work closely with Weiland during the recording of his vocals. The album was completed in December 2009, and mixing and mastering were finished by February 2010.

Core (Stone Temple Pilots album)

Core is the debut album by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on September 29, 1992 through Atlantic Records. The album, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #3 on the Billboard 200, was certified 8x platinum by the RIAA on December 18, 2001, making it the band's best-selling album.

Recording

The first recorded track for the album, the 96 second "Wet My Bed", emerged from an improv session between vocalist Weiland and bassist Robert, who were alone in the studio. Producer Brendan O'Brien can be heard at the end of the track, walking into the room and saying "All right, now what?" The rest of the album was recorded in a matter of five weeks, after which the band decided on the name "Core", referring to the apple of the Biblical story Adam and Eve.

Composition

Core, as a debut album, displayed the band's attempt to revive the album-oriented music approach of the 1970s. Striving to create an intense and emotional sound, vocalist Weiland has said that the main theme of the album is that humanity is confused, with songs like "Sex Type Thing" and "Naked Sunday" dealing with social injustice. "Sex Type Thing", according to Weiland, deals with abuse of power, "macho" behavior, and humanity's attitude toward women, treating them as sex objects. "Naked Sunday", according to Weiland, "is about organized religion. About people who tell others what to do and what to believe. They switch off people's minds and control the masses. It gives me a feeling of isolation, when I think about it. Organized religion does not view everyone as equals." Further explaining his lyrical style on Core, Weiland was quoted as saying: