Ex-STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Singer SCOTT WEILAND Found Dead

According to multiple media reports, former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER singer Scott Weiland was found dead on his tour bus in Minnesota. He was 48 years old.

A source connected to Scott‘s band THE WILDABOUTS told TMZ Scott was was discovered unresponsive on their bus Thursday night around 9 p.m. — shortly before the group was to go on stage at the Medina Ballroom.

Weiland‘s wife, Jamie Weiland, confirmed his death to the Los Angeles Times, saying, “I can’t deal with this right now… it’s true.” Weiland‘s manager, Tom Vitorino, also confirmed that the singer died Thursday.

JANE’S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro was the first fellow musician to respond to Weiland‘s death. He tweeted: “Just learned our friend Scott Weiland has died. So gutted, I am thinking of his family tonight.”

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx tweeted: “Sad to hear about Scott‘s passing.I hope it wasn’t drugs.The saddest part of the story is his kids and family being left behind. RIP”

VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Dave Kushner tweeted: “RIP Scott Weiland”

BLACK VEIL BRIDES vocalist Andy Biersack tweeted: “So sad to hear about Scott Weiland. Massive fan of his voice & presence. I once sang ‘Slither’ onstage during my 1st battle of the bands. RIP”

Taylor Momsen of THE PRETTY RECKLESS tweeted: “Rock and Roll lost a soul tonight”

SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers tweeted: “When on top of his game… Scott was the best since Mercury… Period”

Weiland had a history of drug abuse. He was arrested in 1995 for attempting to buy crack cocaine before being arrested again two years later for heroin possession. In 1999, the singer was ordered to spend a year in a county-jail recovery center due to a probation violation. He also entered rehab following a DUI arrest in November 2007.

STP fired Weiland in February 2013 after reuniting with him in 2010 for a series of tours and one self-titled album. The band had previously been on hiatus since 2002, primarily due to the singer’s struggles with drugs and alcohol. STONE TEMPLE PILOTS then recruited a new frontman, Chester Bennington of LINKIN PARK, and released one critically acclaimed EP, “High Rise”.

Speaking to a Canadian reporter last year, Weiland denied that his “demons” were still a factor as he continued to tour with THE WILDABOUTS. “Past demons are past demons; that’s stuff that I dealt with 14 years ago,” he said. “I mean, I guess Keith Richards [of THE ROLLING STONES] gets asked about [his past drug use], so why shouldn’t I? But it’s not something that I think about, ever. Those days of my dope abuse, and use, are long since by me.”

Weiland was harshly criticized following several performances on his recent tour, with one review calling his performance “sluggish” and another stating flat-out that the vocalist “appears to have crashed and burned. Badly.”

A fan-filmed April 28 video of “Vasoline” in Corpus Christi went viral, showing Weiland launching into a painfully out of tune and apathetic vocal performance that was called “unacceptable” and “heartbreaking” by fans on YouTube.

A rep for Weiland issued a statement explaining that Weiland was tired and had had a couple of drinks before the show, in addition to his earpiece audio issues.

THE WILDABOUTS guitarist Jeremy Brown died in March. The cause of his death was released in May by the Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The report stated that Brown‘s death was an accident, and the result of intoxication from multiple drugs.

Weiland and his band THE WILDABOUTS were on the road promoting his new album, “Blaster”, which came out on March 31.

Sad to hear about Scott’s passing.I hope it wasn’t drugs.The saddest part of the story is his kids and family being left behind. RIP

— ❌ Nikki Sixx ❌ (@NikkiSixx) December 4, 2015