Former singer and musician Scott Weiland was found dead Thursday in his tour bus by his fellow band mates. Read the full story after the jump.
Frankie Zing: Twitter ll Instagram
Scott Weiland, 48, and former lead singer of the much successful bands Stone Temple Pilots as well as the supergroup Velvet Revolver, has ultimately succumbed to cardiac arrest due to damage he’s suffered from past substance abuse.
The late singer’s death was officially confirmed Friday morning in a Facebook post:
“Scott Weiland, best known as the lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, passed away in his sleep while on a tour stop in Bloomington, Minnesota, with his band The Wildabouts. At this time we ask that the privacy of Scott’s family be respected.”
Dave Navarro, guitarist from band Jane’s Addiction, tweeted at 9:01 p.m. on Thursday night: “Our friend Scott Weiland has died.” (But has since deleted the tweet.)
Weiland was from California and formed the band Stone Temple Pilots with his brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo. The band achieved huge commercial success in the 1990s. In 1993, their debut album Core reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and in 1994 they hit No. 1 with their album Purple. It contained their best known hits spanning songs “Big Empty,” “Vasoline” and “Interstate Love Song.”
In 2002, Weiland joined former Guns N’ Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum in a rock supergroup called Velvet Revolver. They released their album Contraband in June 2004 and in 2007 released an album titled Libertad. Ultimately, the group sold 2.4 million units.
A midst Weiland’s success, he kept having run ins with the law, mainly due to drug use and driving under the influence. In 1995, the singer was convicted of buying cocaine, was sentenced to probation, and in 2003 and 2007 Weiland was arrested for a D.U.I. Heroin was also a drug Weiland would dabble in, which led to him checking into rehab in 2007, but did not finish the program.
Loving thoughts and prayers are coming toward’s Scott and his family’s way with friends and celebrities offering their condolences as well. Former MTV VJ and radio personality Matt Pinfield stated “I am speechless … and sad at the loss of my friend, and although many of you are probably not surprised, it doesn’t make it any easier. Addiction sucks. I will miss you Scott.”
