Bloomington, Minnesota – A statement published on Scott Weiland’s Facebook page confirmed the singer have passed away in his sleep while on a tour stop in Minnesota. Weiland, a Grammy Award winner, was the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, and Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts. His wife confirmed the shocking news to Los Angeles Times after TMZ first communicate it.
The rockstar was found dead on his tour bus in Minnesota. He was on tour with his band Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts. He was going to perform at the Medina Entertainment Center, but the show was cancelled in the evening. According to Jon Bream of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the show was cancelled because of slow ticket sales. His body was found at around 9 p.m. local time.
Stone Temple Pilots transcended as one the most famous grunge bands of the 90s. “Plush,” the hit that made million of people rock, won a Grammy Award, and they sold 40 million records worldwide, as well. After the band split, Weiland formed Velvet Revolver, a group with Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan. Their creation Contraband, that sold four million copies around the world, also made him win a Grammy Award.
As stated by the Recording Academy of America, the organization that produces the Grammys, Weiland was a grunge icon with an extraordinary talent and captivating performances that will forever live on and inspire legions of rock fans worldwide.
Things got harder for the Stone Temple Pilots after they released their third album Tiny Music in 1996. In a statement, they said they were going to take a break because Weiland had become unable to rehearse or appear for shows due to his dependency on drugs. In 1998, he was accused of possessing heroin and was arrested in 2003 and 2007 as he was found drunk while driving.
In 2011, the singer born in Santa Cruz, published a memoir called, “Not Dead & Not For Sale.” He said he was written off as the guy who’s hopeless addictions had – and would always – ruin everything for everyone. The topic continued as he wrote he liked the feeling of entering an alternate energy field and the psychological and chemical rearrangement brought on by the alcohol.
Hopefully, what always inspired him was music. Bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Echo and the Bunnymen and Queen were part of his baggage. When found dead, he and his band were promoting “Blaster,” their final album which was released this year.
“I’m a tenacious drug addict. Not Dead. I give it up and I don’t give it up. I put it down and I pick it up. But I’m also a tenacious recoverer. I never quit trying to quit. That counts for something,” he wrote.
Thousands of fans and musicians around the world have reported their concerns and prayers through social networks. The hashtag #Scott Weiland also became a trending topic worldwide.
“In the end, I’m happy… Stomping through the rainy mud of my childhood. Happy to remember the crazy chaos of a life dedicated to music and nearly destroyed by drugs. Happy to stop and put pencil to paper and, as best I can, mark my journey to this point,” wrote the legend in Not Dead & Not For Sale.
Source: TMZ