石庙向导

Stone Temple Pilots, commonly abbreviated as STP, are an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. Originally consisting of lead vocalist Scott Weiland, drummer Eric Kretz, and brothers Dean (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass), the band's lineup remained unchanged from its formation until the firing of Weiland in February 2013. Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington joined the band in May 2013 but left amicably in November 2015. Weiland died that December, while Bennington died two years later. In 2016, the band launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist; Jeff Gutt was ultimately announced as their new lead singer on November 14, 2017.

After forming under the name Swing (later Mighty Joe Young), the band signed with Atlantic Records and changed its name to Stone Temple Pilots. Their debut album, Core, released in 1992, was a major commercial hit and proved instrumental in the popularization of grunge in the early 1990s. STP released four more studio albums – Purple (1994), Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996), No. 4 (1999), and Shangri-La Dee Da (2001) – before separating acrimoniously in 2003. The band members then partook in various projects, most notably Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone, before reconvening in 2008 for a reunion tour. They then released their self-titled sixth album in 2010. In 2013, the band released the EP High Rise, which was their only release ever recorded with Bennington as lead vocalist. STP has since released two albums with Gutt on vocals: a second self-titled album in 2018, and Perdida in 2020.

While initially rising to fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, further releases from the band have explored a variety of styles, including psychedelic rock, bossa nova, and country. Stone Temple Pilots are regarded as one of the most successful rock bands of the 1990s, having sold more than 18 million albums in the United States and 40 million worldwide that decade.

History

1985–1992: Formation and early years as Mighty Joe Young

In 1985, Scott Weiland and his friends in their band Soi-Disant — guitarist Corey Hickok and drummer David Allin — first encountered Robert DeLeo playing live at various gigs, deciding to track him down after witnessing his shows. Weiland, DeLeo, Hickok and Allin would eventually form a band called Swing. Allin left after a few years. The remaining members saw drummer Eric Kretz play in a Long Beach club and convinced him to join them. Guitarist Hickok eventually left the band in 1989; in need of a replacement and auditioning many guitarists, Robert suggested his older brother, Dean. At the time, Dean was a successful businessman who had left behind his previous musical career but still played guitar as a hobby. The band managed to convince Dean to play for Swing, completing the original lineup. Shortly afterwards, the band changed its name to Mighty Joe Young. They recorded a demo tape around 1990. The Mighty Joe Young demo features tracks that would go on to be re-recorded for the band's first studio album, as well as some musical styles that would not be featured on any of the band's studio albums, such as funk and yodeling.

Mighty Joe Young played several gigs in the San Diego area, building up a fanbase. Their first show was supporting Henry Rollins at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood. The group then began to work on their debut album with Brendan O'Brien. During the recording, they received a call from their lawyer who informed them that there was a bluesman who had already claimed the name Mighty Joe Young. Inspired by the STP Motor Oil stickers that the band members were fans of in their youth, various ideas on the initials "STP" were shared by the band before they settled on the name "Stone Temple Pilots".

1992–1995: Core and Purple

Stone Temple Pilots developed a fan base in San Diego clubs and in 1992 signed with Atlantic Records. Their first album, Core, was released on September 29, 1992, and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Albums Chart. Core was a big success, producing hits "Sex Type Thing", "Plush", "Creep", and "Wicked Garden". While the album was a major commercial success, some in the music press criticized the band as "grunge imitators". The same year, Scott Weiland and Dean DeLeo played an acoustic version of "Plush" on the MTV show Headbangers Ball. This is considered one of Weiland's greatest vocal performances. Despite negative reviews from some critics, Stone Temple Pilots continued to gain fans and toured, opening for bands such as Rage Against the Machine and Megadeth. 1993 brought continued success on the road, with the band headlining a two-and-a-half-month American tour.