Song Saturday: The Late Great Scott Weiland 1 Year later

How's it going lurkers? On the left is a touching photograph of the late Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver's frontman, Scott Weiland. In this picture, he's shown embracing his mother, Sharon Williams. It is touching yet simultaneously heartbreaking.

Here it is 1 year later. Honestly, I expected for Scott to have died 20 years ago. There was constant news coverage about Weiland being in/out of rehab, throughout the years. At the same time, it was still a tragic surprise to learn of Scott's death on social media, last year.

Throughout my childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, I listened to a variety of music genres, sub-genres, groups, and singers. Stone Temple Pilots was a major part of my youth, during the 1990's.

As a music lover, I still have MOST of Stone Temple Pilots' albums; I have their first 4 albums to be more specific. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't grieve over Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley's deaths.

When Kurt died, I was just going into middle school. When Layne Died, I was on my way to my 2nd and 3rd colleges followed by hosting my OWN radio show. Scott Weiland lived longer than Nirvana's Kurt Cobain and Alice In Chains' Layne Staley combined. He missed his milestone of turning 50 and died from a drug overdose, last December 3rd at 48 years old.

Early Wednesday morning, I took a quick peak at the official Stone Temple Pilots page on Facebook. I was curious to know if STP had finally decided on another replacement vocalist. Once I clicked on the band's page, I saw a picture of Scott Weiland wearing a black suit and a red hat.

On the band's most recent Facebook status (October 27, 2016), it says, "Happy Birthday Scott. We miss you." 

Below his picture, a fan posted, "The day I heard he passed away... part of my youth went with him. Happy Birthday Scott. RIP." I cannot help sharing this exact sentiment.

After learning, that Scott Weiland died last December 4th, a considerable amount of my youth died with him, too. I grew up listening to Stone Temple Pilots. I was in 4th and 5th grade, when the band started getting airplay. Normally, I would get a Stone Temple Pilots album for my birthday. That was if I did NOT  already buy an album of theirs between 12 to 18 years old.

In fact, I remember when the band released their 2nd album, Purple close to my 12th birthday. June 7, 1994. Wow! It's like my life just flashed before my eyes. Damn, do I feel OLD. In 1994, that was when Stone Temple Pilots reached their pinnacle as a band.

I also remember owning a Stone Temple Pilots poster, during the '90s and 2000. I managed to find an online picture of what my old poster looked like from my youth.

Vintage Stone Temple Pilots Poster Circa 1993

 

Too bad I had to throw it away. This exact poster ripped 16 years ago. I believe the main reason why I took Weiland's death harder than the others was because I was able to sympathize and empathize with him.  

Scott Weiland was a talented entertainer, who endured rape in high school, was forced to mourn a baby that a significant other ABORTED years before STP's fame, the death of his brother, and other tragedies throughout his life.

He was a talented performer with severe substance abuse problems. Even though Scott was highly flawed, I can't help feeling his pain because I am an empath.

Since the time I was 12 years old, I could actually feel his pain through the songs he wrote for Stone Temple Pilots. Now that Scott Weiland's dead, I feel his pain a lot more, whenever I listen to "Atlanta" and "Kitchenware & Candybars."

Their music videos were in heavy rotation on MTV AND VH-1. Speaking of both those music networks, they act like Stone Temple Pilots NEVER existed, which is a slap in the face to us veteran viewers and fans.

Last night, MTV Classic aired Classic Albums: Nirvana – Nevermind. The network really should've aired Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, in tribute to Scott Weiland.

As grateful as some of us really should be, since all the music video networks such as MTV, MTV2, Fuse TV, and VH-1 have gone to Hell in a hand basket thanks to Viacom, MTV Classic is a piss poor representation of what MTV was during the 1980's and '90s.

Also, as much as I loved Nirvana and grieved over Kurt Cobain, during my youth, Nirvana was NOT  the ONLY Grunge band to exist. I am still reeling over the fact, that MTV and the media in general continuously toss Scott Weiland's death to the side.

Most act as if Stone Temple Pilots never existed. When the media is NOT  blacklisting Scott Weiland and STP as a whole, they will demonize Scott as if he was the only entertainer in history to EVER be a drug addict and alcoholic.

Loudwire: Filter's Richard Patrick Discusses Scott Weiland's Death (2016)

Can Richard Patrick from Filter be anymore self-righteous and condescending? I just love how he has so much to say about Scott.

No disrespect to my fellow Nirvana fans, but I feel that Scott Weiland was a MUCH BETTER singer and songwriter than Kurt Cobain. STP's Scott Weiland and Alice In Chains' Layne Staley were both phenomenal frontmen for Grunge Rock bands. 

All the while, Kurt Cobain continues to be a highly overrated dead Grunge vocalist. Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland and Alice In Chains' Layne Staley had vocals, which made Nirvana's Kurt Cobain sound off-key with his incoherent babbling. 

In the beginning, Dave Mustaine from Megadeth even witnessed Scott's vocal range and kooky talent during concert performances.

Loudwire: Megadeth's Dave Mustaine Recalls Advice He Gave Scott Weiland (2015)

 

Because it is Song Saturday and the 1-year anniversary of Scott Weiland's death, I wanted to share a few videos.

Also, there are rare live performances he did with The Doors and Stone Temple Pilots. Before watching these videos, I want to share Sarah Michelle Gellar's condolences to Scott, his family, friends, fans, and bandmates.

Entertainment Tonight: Sarah Michelle Gellar Pays Tribute to Scott Weiland After His Death (2015)

1) Stone Temple Pilots "Lounge Fly" Purple (1994); Live At Toronto (1993) 

2) Stone Temple Pilots "Dancing Days" [Led Zeppelin Cover] Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (1995); Las Vegas Secret Show (1999)

3) The Doors [Featuring Scott Weiland] "Break On Through"/"Five to One" VH1 Storytellers (2000)

If you would like to learn more, here are links to other musicians sending their condolences and additional Song Saturday blogs about Scott Weiland.

Rockers React: Scott Weiland Dead at 48 (2015)

Song Saturday: Scott Weiland VS. Chester Bennington? You Decide! (2014)

Song Saturday: Scott Weiland Christmas Block (2015)

RIP, SCOTT WEILAND!!!

Song Saturday: Prince Tribute Block

 

How's it going lukers? Are you Princed out yet? It's amazing. "The Purple One" died 2-3 weeks ago and was cremated YET  the media is still talking about him. Without a doubt, we know there are at least some people already suffering from Prince fatigue.

Honestly, I would much rather hear and read more about Prince than this election any day of the week. If anything, everyone should be politically fatigued.

So, I meant to publish this Prince tribute blog ~3 weeks ago, but trying to schedule an interview with a famous Metal bassist, shopping for Mother's Day and birthday presents, celebrating birthdays, and handling cyberbullying on Adult Swim kept me completely swamped both on and offline. 

Meanwhile, more news also continues to surface by the hours about Prince. 

Since we are on the topic of Prince, we have learned that he did NOT die from the "flu." The Purple One died from a drug overdose. 

Considering that he had to take Percocet for his hip injuries and underwent surgery, chances are great that the prescription caused the overdose.

Whenever I hear Percocet being mentioned on the news, I automatically think about Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Eventually, I will update that 2-year-old Song Saturday blog, which I published about Nirvana. Cobain took Percocet for his stomach ailments.

When Kurt no longer had access to the prescription, he turned to heroin, which is much stronger than the prescription, Percocet.

Judging from what I continue to learn about the highly addictive prescription, Percocet, could possibly be the so-called "gateway drug" to heroin. 

Here in WI ~2 months ago, I heard on our local news, that hospitals are trying to allow EMT's to give heroin addicts Narcan to counteract heroin overdoses.

Shortly before Kurt Cobain's supposed suicide, the doctors gave him Narcan in March 1994 because he overdosed on heroin. Weeks later, he was found dead.

Speaking of the Grunge band, Nirvana, Krist Novoselic and David Grohl considered Prince to be 1 of their musical influences. By my OWN observations about these 2 surviving members of Nirvana, I believe Dave Grohl enjoyed listening to Prince MORE than Krist and Kurt.

In fact, the Nirvana drummer now turned frontman for The Foo Fighters covered Prince's song, "Darling Nikki." The cover is featured on a B-Side album from 2003.

As I have mentioned at least several times in previously published blogs, "Darling Nikki" from Prince's Purple Rain album led to Tipper Gore launching the Parental Advisory (nicknamed "Tipper Stickers") labels on explicit albums in 1984.

Prince was actually the main contributor to censorship in entertainment, during 1984. Tipper Gore got "triggered" because she caught HER DAUGHTER, Karenna listening to Prince's "Darling Nikki." Don't you just LOVE masturbation?

BTW: May is Masturbation Month. HAPPY MASTURBATION MONTH!!!

Well, getting back on the topic of Prince, he made his mark in entertainment, throughout these last 3-4 decades in various music genres. 

He released 30 studio albums, wrote songs for OTHER singers in Pop, Country, Rock, R&B, etc. under numerous pseudonyms, and wrote THOUSANDS of unreleased songs, which are said to possibly last an entire century.

There are many reasons why people hail The Purple One. Prince managed to surpass not only Elvis and Jimi Hendrix, but also Michael Jackson as a music icon. This speaks volumes.

Since the time of Prince's demise, I have read news articles, watched news programs, and famous musicians on social media performing tributes. I was very surprised to see Metal and Rock bands covering his most popular songs in tributes to him, when they were not posting their condolences.

Growing up, I wasn't a huge Prince fan, but like I creepily mentioned in my Vanity blog, I knew my uncle would be devastated if Prince were to die SOON. Oh yes, he idolized The Purple One and his androgynous ways. 

My uncle may love Jimi Hendrix, but he ALWAYS worshiped Prince. In a way, Prince can be somewhat considered THE Jimi Hendrix for older Gen Xers. 

As I watched ABC's 20/20 News special about Prince 3 weeks ago, my mother walked into my bedroom imitating me, when I was a little girl. 

Watching her imitate me listening to "When Doves Cry" with my headphones on as a toddler was hilarious.

The more I think about it, it makes me realize that I haven't changed all that much as I became an adult. I still listen to music wearing my headphones. If only friends could see me, now.

Even though I am NOT  a Prince zealot like my uncle, I still enjoy listening to some of his songs. It would take me forever to mention facts about The Purple One but I will mention a few. 

Here's some interesting trivia for you!

* Prince did the entire soundtrack for Tim Burton's Batman movie in 1989. 

* If you WERE a fan of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer during the 1990's, you MAY remember the character, Jenny Calendar. The actress, Robia LaMorte was 1 of Prince's dancers in his music videos for "Get Off," "Cream," and "Strollin'."

This is the part where I let you watch some of my favorite Prince music videos from the 1980's and '90s for today's Song Saturday.

1) Prince And The Revolution "When Doves Cry" Purple Rain (1984)

2) Prince And The Revolution "Raspberry Beret" Around The World In A Day (1985)

3) Prince And The Revolution "Kiss" Parade (1986)

4) Prince [Featuring Sheila E. & Sheena Easton] "U Got The Look" Sign “☮” the Times (1987)

5) Prince "Batdance" Batman Soundtrack (1989)

6) Prince And The New Power Generation [Featuring Rosie Gaines, Eric Leeds, & Tony M.] "Get Off" Diamonds and Pearls (1991)

7) Prince And The New Power Generation [Featuring Rosie Gaines] "Cream" Diamonds and Pearls (1991)

REST IN PURPLE, PRINCE!!!

Song Saturday: Scott Weiland Christmas Block

How's it going lurkers? Throughout the week, I meant to publish some other blogs but it's that time of the year when everyone's busy shopping for mostly Christmas gifts. That's along with our house FOREVER undergoing construction and scheduling doctor's appointments.

Throughout this past week, I have been so busy that I have been too tired to function properly. As if being sick the last 2 months wasn't miserable enough, I went from having allergies to another cold.

Aside from having a hectic week, I managed to listen to 1 of Scott Weiland's cover albums yesterday. 

Last weekend, I mentioned that the late Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver lead singer released his own Christmas album. It's titled, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.

Since I have NOT  kept track of songs written and performed by Scott Weiland over this last decade, I had no idea that he released his own Christmas album in 2011, until he died more than 1 week ago.

I CANNOT help emphasizing how incredibly sad and disappointing it is to learn, that another talented musician died from substance abuse.

Out of the 3 dead Grunge vocalists (Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, Alice In Chains' Layne Staley, and Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland), Scott Weiland was definitely the most talented Grunge vocalist, who died from hardcore drugs. Scott and Layne had more singing versatility than Kurt Cobain in regards to musical talent.

Like I said before to others, I don't discredit Kurt Cobain for having talent. Honestly, I believe that Kurt Cobain was extremely talented, when he illustrated his own art. 

Have you ever seen any of Kurt Cobain's paintings? They were phenomenal!

However, Scott Weiland was a unique frontman. He had the ability to sing in more than 1 musical genre and sub-genre, which was highly underrated about the man. 

While listening to Scott's Christmas cover album, I became really depressed. This was especially when listening to Scott Weiland cover the late Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home For Christmas." As somebody said on YouTube, listening to him singing the song is a "sad, twisted irony."

Now that Scott Weiland is dead, he will NOT  be home for Christmas with his current wife and children. We as Scott's family, friends, bandmates, and fans wish that he would've went to drug rehab and stayed long enough to get clean for us all.

This is the 2nd Song Saturday in a row that features music from the late Scott Weiland. I just stumbled upon at least 3 music videos/live performances of him covering Christmas songs.

Scott Weiland's live performance of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" debuted on Jay Leno, nearly 10 years ago. Out of the 3 songs for today's Song Saturday block, it is my favorite cover.

1) Scott Weiland "The Christmas Song" [Nat King Cole Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2011) 

2) Scott Weiland "I'll Be Home For Christmas" [Bing Crosby Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2011)

3) Scott Weiland "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" [2006 Judy Garland LIVE Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2006)

Song Saturday: Kurt Cobain Tribute

How's it going lurkers? Today is not only Song Saturday, but also the day of 2 tragic deaths from Grunge Rock vocalists. 

On April 5, 1994, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain supposedly committed suicide and in 2002 on this same day, Alice In Chains' Layne Staley died from a Heroin/Cocaine overdose. So tragic yet bizarre all at once.

Both of these '90s Grunge vocalists from Seattle, WA happened to die 8 years apart from each other on April 5th. If memory serves me right, I believe Kurt and Layne were both friends. Cobain has been dead for 20 years whereas Staley has been dead for ONLY  12 years. It is quite fascinating, that BOTH of their deaths were estimated to have been on April 5th and 8 years apart from each other. 

Kurt Cobain's death wasn't announced, until 3 days later in 1994. Compared to Cobain's, Staley's death was not announced until April 19, 2002.

As I already said a couple of Song Saturdays ago, the mainstream media LOVES to publicize Nirvana and Kurt Cobain's death more than Layne Staley's because Kurt was "The Hype Guy," who acted as a so-called "political activist."

Even though the man was a total junkie and kook with phenomenal artistic abilities, he knew how to arouse his fans on stage. Kurt Cobain had a lot of sycophants and zealots as well as average fans.

Looking back as a woman in her early 30's and not as a preteen from the early to mid-90's, Nirvana sycophants and zealots put this particular Grunge vocalist on a gigantic pedestal. Nirvana supposedly "paved the way" for so many Grunge bands, especially for other Grunge bands like Alice In Chains, for example.

Today I won't focus too much on Layne's death because I intend to discuss his death, next week.

Returning to Kurt Cobain, I remember the exact date 20 years ago, when his suicide hit the airwaves. The news announced Kurt's suicide on a Good Friday, which was on April 8, 1994. I was only 2 months away from turning 12 years old. 

At the time, a local Hard Rock/Metal radio station of ours in Milwaukee, WI did a Nirvana tribute. That tragic news report about Kurt Cobain's suicide left me feeling completely shell-shocked. 

The radio station broadcasted Dave Grohl's voice with him discussing Kurt's suicide and about Nirvana wanting to disband. 

Even though I was only in my preteens, it was a very surreal and intense moment. MTV News anchor, Kurt Loder most definitely announced that Kurt Cobain committed suicide. 

In addition, MTV News premiered news specials specifically about Cobain's suicide and shared suicide hotlines.

MTV News: The Day Kurt Loder Announced Kurt Cobain's Suicide (1994)

20 years ago, I never really heard about musicians committing suicide, until I reached puberty. 

Had I been a little older, would Kurt Cobain's suicide had a bigger impact on me as a fan? 

I was a Nirvana fan but I wasn't an sycophant or zealot.

Shortly after his death, there were some Nirvana fans committing suicide because they viewed Kurt Cobain as their "God." This was something he never wanted. Kurt Cobain really hated the fact, that he and Nirvana became famous.

Throughout these last 2 decades, I watched some Nirvana documentaries. Over the most recent years, I read and heard, that Cobain hated the way Nirvana fans and the media misinterpreted their music. That's not including music critics over analyzing Nirvana's songs.

Honestly, it wasn't until I had my own TV with closed captioning on it, that I was able to understand what Kurt Cobain said in Nirvana's lyrics. That was 2 years after his suicide.

My mother restricted me from buying any Nirvana albums yet I could buy a Megadeth or Metallica album. Gotta love it.

Kurt Cobain was NOT  the most articulate vocalist. Before his suicide and after Nirvana became famous, I saw parodies about the Grunge Rock band. 

Weird Al, for example, did a parody of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." He joked about Kurt not knowing what he was saying in his lyrics.

Yesterday, I went onto good ol' Wikipedia to learn more about Cobain's background. Supposedly, mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide ran in his family line.

This was besides Kurt having a rough time coping with his parents divorcing, being bullied by his peers over it, and witnessing his mom's boyfriend inflicting domestic abuse upon her.

To make matters worse, Kurt Cobain became withdrawn, defiant, transported from house to house, having foster parents converting him into being a devout Christian, and renouncing Christianity to follow Buddhist and Jainist philosophies.

Kurt also felt persecuted for his Liberalistic views, since he received death threats, began resenting so-called Nirvana "fans," who refused to acknowledge their political views, etc, etc.

Cobain started abusing drugs, when he was 13 years old and had stopped for a while. 

Then, he really started abusing drugs as an adult. This was epecially when Nirvana reached its pinnacle. What I find the most interesting is the Butthole Surfers connection.

I'm not necessarily bringing this particular band up to purposely blame them for Kurt Cobain's addiction. 

However, this is the 2nd time, I have read about a vocalist from a famous Alternative/Grunge Rock band having connections with this specific band.

About a few months ago, I read about Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland touring with Butthole Surfers. Years ago, they introduced Scott to Heroin. When I read more about Kurt Cobain, he and Courtney Love met at an L7 and Butthole Surfers tour.

The early stages of Kurt and Courtney's relationship consisted of drug abuse. I cannot help noticing a common connection among Kurt, Courtney, Scott, Butthole Surfers, and Heroin Addiction.

Granted, Kurt Cobain was already exposed to Heroin in 1986 by a local drug dealer in Tacoma, WA. 

Supposedly, Kurt used Heroin to self-medicate his stomach pain and by the end of 1990, he developed a hardcore addiction to it.

Overall, Kurt Cobain's Heroin Addiction seriously destroyed him, his performances, relationships, AND Nirvana when we look back at some of Nirvana's interviews, concert performances, and music videos from the '90s. 

Whenever I watched Kurt's interviews 2 decades ago, he usually seemed somewhat sober, while smoking his cigarettes. 

Then, there were times when he physically looked, sounded, and acted really high. 

Learning more about Kurt Cobain's background yesterday, really makes me believe, that he committed suicide.

Most had speculated that Courtney Love either killed Kurt Cobain, or set him up to be killed, 20 years ago. Her band, Hole became famous shortly after his death. 

Love is known for dating other famous musicians and actors, having a violent temper towards men (not that Kurt didn't himself), constantly being in and out of drug rehab, etc.

That reminds me, when I originally heard the news about Kurt Cobain's death on the radio, DJ's claimed an electrician found him with a suicide note, his clothes placed in the bathroom, and was lying naked with a gun to his head.

New York Daily News released pictures of Kurt and Courtney's previous apartment, drug paraphernalia, and his corpse 2 weeks ago. 

New York Daily News: New photos of Kurt Cobain's Los Angeles apartment surface (2014)

Kurt Cobain's Corpse (April 1994)

  

 

 

The preceding picture of Kurt Cobain's corpse doesn't match the news reports I heard on the radio about his death multiple times, 20 years ago.

Yesterday, I just stumbled upon his notorious suicide letter on Wikipedia. I remember MTV airing Courtney Love partially reading it to Nirvana fans, during his funeral.

Kurt Cobain's Suicide Letter (April 1994) 

Last month, the Seattle Police Department re-opened Kurt Cobain's case. According to the police, they received at least 1 weekly request, mostly via Twitter to re-open his suicide case.

After re-investigating Cobain's report, the Seattle Police Department reclosed it. There wasn't much to their discovery. It's rather convenient, that they chose to reopen this investigation.

This Thursday, April 10th, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Breed" and "Drain You" are 2 of my favorite Nirvana songs. 

Several years ago, Otep did a cover of Nirvana's song "Breed." 

After all that I have said for today's Song Saturday, here are 2 of my favorite Nirvana songs, which can be heard on their Nevermind album.

1) Nirvana "Breed" Live At Reading (1992)

2) Nirvana "Drain You" Live On Nulle Part Ailleurs In Paris, France (1994)

RIP KURT COBAIN!!!