Tracklist
album info:
Verified yes
Discs1
GenreRock, Alternative
Rank−
Released2010-05-25
Record labelAtlantic Records
Charts
AddedMay 20th, 2010
Last updatedAugust 27th, 2014
AboutStone Temple Pilots is the sixth studio album by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. The album was released worldwide from May 21 through May 27, 2010, and is the band's first album since 2001's Shangri-La Dee Da. The album is the result of the band's reunion, which occurred in April 2008 with their North American tour. After Stone Temple Pilots had begun playing together, the band decided to record again, but a lawsuit filed by Atlantic Records on June 12, 2008, made the sixth album an uncertainty. Atlantic eventually withdrew the lawsuit, and the band's attorney called the legal situation a "misunderstanding". This is the last album to feature vocalist Scott Weiland before he was fired from the band in 2013 and died in 2015.
Robert DeLeo, against Atlantic Records' wishes, insisted that he and his brother Dean DeLeo produce the record themselves, which began production in early 2009. Because recording took place during breaks in the band's touring schedule, production took nearly ten months to complete. Three studios were used simultaneously, including Robert's home studio and Eric Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios. Scott Weiland recorded vocals at his own Lavish Studios. Don Was was brought in as an additional producer to help keep the band's separate recording sessions in sync, as well as to work closely with Weiland during the recording of his vocals. The album was completed in December 2009, and mixing and mastering were finished by February 2010.
The album received generally favourable reviews. Most critics agreed that Stone Temple Pilots was heavily inspired by country and rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. The band confirmed these assertions and that lyricists like Bob Dylan, and guitarists like Speedy West and Brad Whitford were influences. The album was promoted during the band's performances at music festivals and headlining concerts, as well as in interviews with music websites and magazines, including Billboard and Spin, and radio and television talk shows. "Between the Lines" was the first single, released on March 22. The second and third singles, "Take a Load Off" and "Cinnamon", were released later in the year. Stone Temple Pilots sold 62,000 copies in its first week and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
Stone Temple Pilots marks the first time Robert and Dean have written together since Army of Anyone's only release in 2006; some of Dean's contributions date from this period, but "Dare If You Dare" was written while Talk Show was touring. Robert and Dean began writing new material by November 2008, but, except for clips played during the tour sound checks, Weiland would not hear anything new until after February 2009. The recording process took place over a period of ten months, due largely to the band's touring schedule, but the majority of actual studio time was spent experimenting with different instruments and miking techniques. Pre-production for the album took place at Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios and consisted mainly of Dean, Robert, and Kretz sifting through musical ideas.
"When you come off the road, everybody is playing really well, and I think it shows on these performances. Everybody is on his game."
—Dean DeLeo, ARTISTdirect.com
Robert insisted, against Atlantic Records' initial wishes, that he and Dean produce the album together. This freed the band from the constraints of any outside producer's schedule. The recording process could then be intertwined with tour dates, which, Dean said, resulted in improved performances on the record. Dean admitted they had been spoiled by working with producer Brendan O'Brien on previous releases. "I'm not so good at walking around the control room with a pen and clipboard in my hands, marking down what takes are the best. It's a lot of work. But I like being the very best I can be, and when you're producing, you are taking on everyone's performances and wanting it to be the best it can be."
The DeLeos often worked off each other when writing the songs. Robert's primary instrument for composing was the bass, and Dean complimented his achievements: "It's probably easier to tell a story through a piano or a guitar, but when [someone] can tell a story with a bass, that's pretty remarkable." Robert recognized the important roles each of the band members played in bringing his songs to life:
When I personally write a song, it's such an honour and a pleasure to give that song to these guys, because I know that song is going to be interpreted the best way possible. Everyone's going to put their imprint on that song and make that song the best STP song it can be, whether it be the playing or the arranging or the writing of everyone doing their part.... What has really been the body of our records has been that contribution of all of us as four people.
CDs were submitted to Weiland containing music in completed demo form, including scratch melodies, which Weiland had the option to use or discard. Dean did not mind when his melodies were not accepted by Weiland. "[W]hen I write a song, I know what I want it to be melodically. But Scott always... knocks my melodies out of the water." Weiland worked on the lyrics using these demo arrangements, often making suggestions for musical phrases to be doubled or moved. Weiland was credited for the lyrical melodies, but Robert pointed out, "This record was made in a way that Scott wasn't really there for the creation of these songs, musically." However, both Dean and Robert would be surprised at the direction Weiland would take the songs, which could have been composed with an entirely different vision. Robert found this to be a strength within the band. "People always have this misconception that a band all need to think alike... [There are] so many different ways of looking at songs and [how they're] put together, and that's really the beauty of a great band".
Working as an additional producer, Don Was helped keep Weiland's and the rest of the band's separate recording sessions in sync by bringing them together to perform live. When the band performed together, they would do so acoustically, so each member could hear the nuances of the songs. Weiland credited Was for helping Stone Temple Pilots re-learn how to play together again. Was also worked closely with Weiland during the recording of the vocals.
By June 2009, the band had written eighteen songs, twelve of which were planned to be released on the album, with B-sides for Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe selected from the remaining songs. Recording began in early 2009, at times taking place in three studios simultaneously. Bass lines and overdubs were recorded at Homefry Studio, located in the basement of Robert's house. The majority of "Cinnamon" and "First Kiss on Mars", including drums, were recorded in Robert's home studio.Dean's guitars were recorded at Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios, and Weiland's vocals were recorded at his Lavish Studios. By early December, nine songs had been finished, and the entire record was completed later that month. Mixing began in January 2010 with Chris Lord-Alge, and mastering for the album was completed in February by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound. Robert described the overall feel of the album as having a " '60s vibe." Though previous albums explored new sounds, Weiland acknowledged that the new album would be a "back-to-basics rock record."
Robert DeLeo, against Atlantic Records' wishes, insisted that he and his brother Dean DeLeo produce the record themselves, which began production in early 2009. Because recording took place during breaks in the band's touring schedule, production took nearly ten months to complete. Three studios were used simultaneously, including Robert's home studio and Eric Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios. Scott Weiland recorded vocals at his own Lavish Studios. Don Was was brought in as an additional producer to help keep the band's separate recording sessions in sync, as well as to work closely with Weiland during the recording of his vocals. The album was completed in December 2009, and mixing and mastering were finished by February 2010.
The album received generally favourable reviews. Most critics agreed that Stone Temple Pilots was heavily inspired by country and rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. The band confirmed these assertions and that lyricists like Bob Dylan, and guitarists like Speedy West and Brad Whitford were influences. The album was promoted during the band's performances at music festivals and headlining concerts, as well as in interviews with music websites and magazines, including Billboard and Spin, and radio and television talk shows. "Between the Lines" was the first single, released on March 22. The second and third singles, "Take a Load Off" and "Cinnamon", were released later in the year. Stone Temple Pilots sold 62,000 copies in its first week and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
Stone Temple Pilots marks the first time Robert and Dean have written together since Army of Anyone's only release in 2006; some of Dean's contributions date from this period, but "Dare If You Dare" was written while Talk Show was touring. Robert and Dean began writing new material by November 2008, but, except for clips played during the tour sound checks, Weiland would not hear anything new until after February 2009. The recording process took place over a period of ten months, due largely to the band's touring schedule, but the majority of actual studio time was spent experimenting with different instruments and miking techniques. Pre-production for the album took place at Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios and consisted mainly of Dean, Robert, and Kretz sifting through musical ideas.
"When you come off the road, everybody is playing really well, and I think it shows on these performances. Everybody is on his game."
—Dean DeLeo, ARTISTdirect.com
Robert insisted, against Atlantic Records' initial wishes, that he and Dean produce the album together. This freed the band from the constraints of any outside producer's schedule. The recording process could then be intertwined with tour dates, which, Dean said, resulted in improved performances on the record. Dean admitted they had been spoiled by working with producer Brendan O'Brien on previous releases. "I'm not so good at walking around the control room with a pen and clipboard in my hands, marking down what takes are the best. It's a lot of work. But I like being the very best I can be, and when you're producing, you are taking on everyone's performances and wanting it to be the best it can be."
The DeLeos often worked off each other when writing the songs. Robert's primary instrument for composing was the bass, and Dean complimented his achievements: "It's probably easier to tell a story through a piano or a guitar, but when [someone] can tell a story with a bass, that's pretty remarkable." Robert recognized the important roles each of the band members played in bringing his songs to life:
When I personally write a song, it's such an honour and a pleasure to give that song to these guys, because I know that song is going to be interpreted the best way possible. Everyone's going to put their imprint on that song and make that song the best STP song it can be, whether it be the playing or the arranging or the writing of everyone doing their part.... What has really been the body of our records has been that contribution of all of us as four people.
CDs were submitted to Weiland containing music in completed demo form, including scratch melodies, which Weiland had the option to use or discard. Dean did not mind when his melodies were not accepted by Weiland. "[W]hen I write a song, I know what I want it to be melodically. But Scott always... knocks my melodies out of the water." Weiland worked on the lyrics using these demo arrangements, often making suggestions for musical phrases to be doubled or moved. Weiland was credited for the lyrical melodies, but Robert pointed out, "This record was made in a way that Scott wasn't really there for the creation of these songs, musically." However, both Dean and Robert would be surprised at the direction Weiland would take the songs, which could have been composed with an entirely different vision. Robert found this to be a strength within the band. "People always have this misconception that a band all need to think alike... [There are] so many different ways of looking at songs and [how they're] put together, and that's really the beauty of a great band".
Working as an additional producer, Don Was helped keep Weiland's and the rest of the band's separate recording sessions in sync by bringing them together to perform live. When the band performed together, they would do so acoustically, so each member could hear the nuances of the songs. Weiland credited Was for helping Stone Temple Pilots re-learn how to play together again. Was also worked closely with Weiland during the recording of the vocals.
By June 2009, the band had written eighteen songs, twelve of which were planned to be released on the album, with B-sides for Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe selected from the remaining songs. Recording began in early 2009, at times taking place in three studios simultaneously. Bass lines and overdubs were recorded at Homefry Studio, located in the basement of Robert's house. The majority of "Cinnamon" and "First Kiss on Mars", including drums, were recorded in Robert's home studio.Dean's guitars were recorded at Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios, and Weiland's vocals were recorded at his Lavish Studios. By early December, nine songs had been finished, and the entire record was completed later that month. Mixing began in January 2010 with Chris Lord-Alge, and mastering for the album was completed in February by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound. Robert described the overall feel of the album as having a " '60s vibe." Though previous albums explored new sounds, Weiland acknowledged that the new album would be a "back-to-basics rock record."