Scott Weiland was an American singer and songwriter best known as the frontman of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. With a distinctive voice that could shift from a low, controlled croon to a strained, high-register wail, he became one of the most recognizable rock singers of the 1990s and 2000s. His work combined grunge, hard rock, alternative metal, glam, psychedelic rock, and pop influences, while his theatrical stage presence gave his performances a strong visual identity.
Born Scott Richard Kline on October 27, 1967, in San Jose, California, Weiland spent part of his youth in Ohio before returning to the West Coast. In the late 1980s, he formed the band Mighty Joe Young with guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Eric Kretz. After adopting the name Stone Temple Pilots, the group signed with Atlantic Records and released its debut album, Core, in 1992.
Core established Weiland as a major new rock vocalist. The album's singles "Sex Type Thing," "Creep," and "Plush" brought the band international attention, with "Plush" becoming its defining early hit. Stone Temple Pilots won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1994 for the song. Although the band was sometimes criticized for appearing to follow the grunge trend, Weiland and his bandmates developed a broader sound on later releases.
The band's second album, Purple, was released in 1994 and debuted at number one in the United States. It included "Interstate Love Song," "Vasoline," and "Big Empty," songs that showed Weiland's increasing control as a vocalist and lyricist. Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop followed in 1996, replacing much of the band's earlier heaviness with glam rock, psychedelic textures, and melodic songwriting. Stone Temple Pilots continued with No. 4 in 1999 and Shangri-La Dee Da in 2001, but internal tensions and Weiland's long struggle with substance abuse contributed to the band's breakup in 2002.
Weiland then joined Velvet Revolver, a supergroup formed by former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, with guitarist Dave Kushner. Their debut album, Contraband, arrived in 2004 and topped the Billboard 200. The singles "Slither" and "Fall to Pieces" gave Weiland another period of commercial success, and Velvet Revolver won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Slither." The band released Libertad in 2007, but Weiland's departure was announced in 2008 after worsening tensions and continuing personal difficulties.
That same year, Weiland reunited with Stone Temple Pilots. The band toured extensively and released the self-titled album Stone Temple Pilots in 2010. Weiland also pursued a solo career, beginning with 12 Bar Blues in 1998. Its eclectic approach reflected his interest in glam, electronic music, lounge pop, and experimental rock. He followed it with Happy in Galoshes in 2008 and the holiday album The Most Wonderful Time of the Year in 2011. In 2015, he released Blaster with his band the Wildabouts and also appeared on recordings by Art of Anarchy.
Weiland died on December 3, 2015, in Bloomington, Minnesota, while touring with the Wildabouts. He was 48. His career remains defined by both major commercial achievements and instability, but his vocal character, songwriting range, and highly stylized performances secured his place as an important figure in modern American rock.