Stone Temple Pilots With Chester Bennington To Perform In India

Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington (second from left)

Despite lawsuits flying around following frontman Scott Weiland being fired in February last year, American rock band Stone Temple Pilots have been rolling on, touring as relentlessly as they have since their reunion in 2008. Currently on a world tour, the band has been gigging while also handling an ongoing legal battle to prevent Weiland from performing STP songs. Weiland previously told a Florida radio station in August that the band would have to “buy me out of the company” to prevent him from suing his former bandmates.

In October last year, bassist Robert DeLeo confirmed in a radio interview with Canadian radio station 99.3 The Fox that India was among the places they would tour in 2014. This month, Stone Temple Pilots will perform in India at Live Viacom18’s music and extreme sports event, MTV Xtreme on February 16th at the Buddh International Circuit in Delhi NCR. The band visits India as part of their world tour promoting their first EP with Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, High Rise, which was released in October last year. Mumbai acts such as electro rockers Pentagram, rock band Indus Creed, groove metal band Providence, alt rock band Blakc and Delhi hard rock veterans  Parikrama will also perform at MTV Xtreme.

Best known for hits such as “Plush” and “Creep” [from their 1992 debut album Core] and “Vasoline” from their 1994 album Purple, Stone Temple Pilots now comprises brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo on bass and guitars, drummer Eric Kretz and latest recruit, nu-metal band Linkin Park’s Bennington. Founding member and vocalist Scott Weiland says that he harbors no hard feelings against Bennington for replacing him. He said in an interview with Billboard in August, “I don’t think Chester did it [replaced me] in a spiteful way.” Bennington, in turn, said in October last year to MTV that he has “made it real clear” to band members that he wants no part of the band’s past drama.

Stone Temple Pilots, who formed in 1986, first went on hiatus in 2003, following Weiland’s erratic onstage behavior and drug abuse problems. When they reunited in 2008 following Weiland’s stint in hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver, Stone Temple Pilots released their sixth self-titled studio album in 2010.

MTV Xtreme takes place on February 16th, 2014 at Buddh International Circuit, Delhi NCR. Entry: Rs 3,500 (VIP), Rs 1,500 (general) and Rs 950 (student). Tickets available here.

Watch the lyric video for “Black Heart” by Stone Temple Pilots.