Dear Dean, Robert and Eric,
First off guys, I just want to say how unbelievably talented you all are. Your music has been in the background of my life since Core when I was a teen. I saw you perform in Sydney in 2011 which was the best concert I've ever attended and your music gets played so much in my home that even my 10 year old knows all the lyrics and my Lullaby to my 1 year old is Sour Girl.
As someone that has lived years around others with addiction, I get it. I get how frustrating yet painful it is to see someone you care about continue on that hamster wheel of drugs and alcohol. I understand how hard it must have been to see such an immensely talented, larger than life friend ruin his life, often ruin your livelihood by showing up late. Not showing up at all. And to rub salt in the wounds you probably feel like the fans seemed oblivious to his behaviour. Everyone loved Scott Weiland and raved about his talents but it was you guys that were the foundations that kept it together for so long. When you dumped him both times I was upset, thinking there would never be another STP album, but I got it.
But guys, please stop running Scott down. The fans do know he was a junkie, we know he OD'ed. We know drugs affected every facet of his life, and in turn yours. The fact so many of us loved Scott doesn't mean we ignored his issues or had blinkers on. I loved Scott and STP because you made fucking unbelievable music and had an inescapable chemistry together. You all and Mary both say and insinuate that with our support of him, we condoned his life. We didn't. We just loved his talent.
You are so angry and bitter at him, every interview pre and post death you denigrate him and his (your) fans. Like you feel the need to keep pointing out he was a junkie and ruined the band. We know that.
As a gigantic STP fan, I celebrate your decision to move forward in music without him, as you did with Chester. But please change your name. You guys said in an interview that you are 3/4 of Stone Temple Pilots and thus have the right to keep using the name. But I question why you are doing this? The fans overwhelmingly have said they would like to see you with a new name out of respect to Scott. It isn't STP without him. No lead singer is ever going to measure up musically. Yes he may turn up to gigs, not be a junkie, may be able to sing. But he or she will never be Scott. I know you say you don't want them to be, but the fans will forever compare that person with Scott under the STP name.... and they will lose every time. And so will your album sales and concerts.
It seems this is like a final Fuck You to Scott. To let him and the fans know what a mess-up he was and that he is dispensable.
Start a new band, with a new leader singer, a new name and a new outlook. Don't go into this venture with chips on your shoulders, constantly trying to stamp your authority. Because you will lose with the fans. Is it not us you are making music for?
And most of all, let the anger towards Scott go. He's gone, don't spend the rest of your careers trying to sully his name in an effort to show us fans that he didn't deserve our adulation.
Because loving the music and him doesn't mean we loved his antics or glorified his behaviour.
When you understand that, you won't feel the need to continue down this path.
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