Scott Weiland had the appearance of a man who “needed help” after his band’s performance at Rock On the Range this year, according to TeamRock editor-in-chief Alexander Milas.
Milas watched Scott Weiland And The Wildabouts’ “shambolic” performance at the festival in Ohio on May 16 and interviewed him after he came off stage. He says the experience left him feeling very sorry for the clearly deeply troubled singer.
Weiland was found dead on his tour bus in in Bloomington, Minnesota, on Thursday night. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed. He was 48.
The Rock On The Range appearance came just weeks after a video of Weiland and his band performing Stone Temple Pilots classic Vasoline went viral on account of the vocalist’s disheveled appearance and wayward singing.
Milas tells TeamRock Radio: “It was a strange experience, to put things mildly. It had come not long after a video went viral from a show in Texas where he seemed confused and didn’t quite know where he was. In Texas, they did a Wildabouts song and he began to sing something by STP and it was quite clear then that he had some troubles.
“So I was surprised that he then made that festival appearance, and shambolic is probably being generous.”
During his interview with Weiland, Milas says it was obvious the frontman was in a bad way.
He adds: “You don’t get much time with these people when you sit down to interview them so it’s difficult to get a powerful sense of the person beneath the facade who’s there to answer a couple of questions. But I was immediately struck just by how distant he was.
“To kind of paint the picture for you, he showed up late and we had a little media hut backstage. Babymetal had just turned up and he didn’t even bat an eyelash, which probably says something about his awareness level at the time. His answers were monotone and his eyes were fixed on a point in the distance. It’s just like he wasn’t there.
“He was unquestionably one of the biggest rock stars and personalities of our age but also one of it’s saddest figures. You didn’t get a sense of stardust being around him, you got a sense of a person who needed some help.”
Tributes poured in for Weiland in the hours after his passing was confirmed, with former Velvet Revolver bandmate Slash among the first to comment on his death.
Velvet Revolver as a collective have since issued a statement, as have Stone Temple Pilots – the band Weiland co-founded and made his name with.
In a statement signed off by Dean and Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz, STP say: “Dear Scott. Let us start by saying thank you for sharing your life with us. Together we crafted a legacy of music that has given so many people happiness and great memories. The memories are many, and they run deep for us.
“We know amidst the good and the bad you struggled, time and time again. It’s what made you who you were. You were gifted beyond words, Scott. Part of that gift was part of your curse.
“With deep sorrow for you and your family, we are saddened to see you go. All of our love and respect. We will miss you brother.”
Velvet Revolver say: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of our old friend and bandmate, Scott Weiland. We experienced a good chunk of life with Scott, and even in his darkest times, we all had hope and love for him. His artistry will live on, of that there is no doubt.
“Deepest condolences and sadness are for his children, Noah and Lucy. We all travelled around this world together on tour – our band, wives, and kids, and we grew to a big family that still remains to this day. It’s just so sad and brutal from any perspective. Rest in peace, Scott.”
