'If time allows, there will definitely be new music,' Robert DeLeo adds of STP's future.
By Chris Harris
Stone Temple Pilots' Robert DeLeo and Scott Weiland
Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
There are a number of reasons why Stone Temple Pilots decided to reunite after nearly five years apart — some are obvious, and others, not so much.
Of course, the financial windfall of reviving the grunge stalwarts for an extensive U.S. tour was too good to pass up, and bassist Robert DeLeo readily admits as much. And then there are the fans, the ones who had been with STP since the very beginning as well as those who discovered the band only after it first split back in 2003 and who, woefully, have yet to catch the Pilots live.
On a more personal level, though, Stone Temple Pilots' resurrection was purely selfish, and very much an anticipatory (not to mention optimistic) move on the band's part: If, after the months and months of rumors and denials, there ever is a full-on Led Zeppelin reunion tour, STP wanted to be ready to offer their services as an opening act.
"Believe me, that was one of the reasons," laughed DeLeo. "We thought, 'We should get together now, in case Zeppelin does tour.' I'm serious, man. That would be one hell of a bill: STP and Led Zeppelin. I mean, we could play a doghouse, out in the middle of the ocean, and if I got to play with Zeppelin, that would be a highlight of my life."
Yes, DeLeo — and the rest of the band — had several reservations about raising STP from the dead — a feat DeLeo jokingly referred to as "Mission Impossible." For the band's members, the idea of regrouping was terrifying at first, but with time, the boys settled their differences and tried to think positive.
"For me, it was about putting down some of the things that I was used to getting bitten by," explained the bassist — who, with guitar-playing brother Dean DeLeo, has been collaborating with Peter Frampton on material for his next LP. "After you get bitten, it's hard to go back. I wanted to go into this with an open frame of mind and a positive attitude and just have fun with it. We should have fun with it, which God knows we didn't always have with our career when we were younger. If that's all I can say, and that's what I can get out of this reunion, great.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say there's a lot of unfinished business that we didn't get around to the first go," he continued. "Enough time has gone by, and it feels really good to be back. I don't really want to put too much thought into how it feels — I'm just kind of going with it and keeping a good positive attitude about it. I just needed to get over the things that we all needed to get over, and that's been working so far. If everyone shows up and does this thing, I think it's going to be really amazing."
DeLeo claims that during recent rehearsals, STP were "sounding as good as ever," and he credits sobriety as part of the reason the band's in tip-top shape.
"My brother's going on four years of sobriety," he said. "We have a lot more clarity in the band now, and I think with clarity comes appreciation. I saw that the other night, when we played [a secret gig in Los Angeles]. I saw it in my eyes, and in the eyes of the rest of the band. There's a lot more rock in this band now."
As for an STP record, DeLeo is not 100 percent sure that's going to happen. The goal for STP over the next few weeks, he said, is to reacquaint themselves with their songbook and prepare for their return to the road. Once the band is back in that mindset, the bassist said new STP material is very possible.
"I've always got stuff written, and there's always a long list of songs that are always there — it's a matter of timing," DeLeo said. "If time allows, there will definitely be new music. I think it would be silly not to release new music. I'd like to believe we still have a writing relationship, but the first step is getting reacquainted with what we know."
While STP were on hiatus, frontman Scott Weiland teamed up with Velvet Revolver, and the DeLeo brothers joined forces with Filter's Richard Patrick for Army of Anyone — who are now on hiatus after releasing a poorly received self-titled LP. Does DeLeo foresee an AOA reunion somewhere down the line?
"You never know," he said. "It's just like STP — I didn't know if I was going to return. Whether we get back together and do anything, I think we made a great record, bottom line. That's all that matters to me. If we make another one, I want to make sure it's great, and that applies to STP and anything I do. But I was pretty heartbroken over [the feeble response to AOA's album]."
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30 Seconds to Mars, Katy Perry, Ke$ha also take home trophies.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Lady Gaga appears via video link during the 2010 MTV EMAs on Sunday
Photo: Getty Images
The 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards Sunday (November 7) brought tons of star power and memorable performances to Madrid. In turn, many of pop music's biggest stars took home some hardware from Spain for their chart-topping hits. Catch the EMA show Sunday (November 7) at 9 p.m. ET on MTV2 and Friday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV, and check out a list of the winners below:
Best Song
Lady Gaga "Bad Romance"
Best Live Act
Linkin Park
Best Pop
Lady Gaga
Best New Act
Ke$ha
Best Female
Lady Gaga
Best Male
Justin Bieber
Best Hip Hop
Eminem
Best Rock
30 Seconds to Mars
Best Alternative
Paramore
Best Video
Katy Perry "California Gurls"
Best Push Act
Justin Bieber
Best World Stage Performance
Tokio Hotel
Best European Act
Marco Mengoni
The 2010 EMAs will air on MTV2 on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, and an edited, performance-heavy version will be broadcast Friday, November 12, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.
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Album, featuring a new track called 'Pray,' will be released on November 26, the biggest shopping day of the year.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
November 26 certainly won't be a Black Friday for Justin Bieber fans. His acoustic album, My Worlds Acoustic, drops that day, which also happens to be the biggest shopping day of the year. The album will be sold exclusively through Walmart.
A press release for the album notes that in addition to acoustic versions of Bieber's hits, there's a new song on the album called "Pray." It's being described as an "optimistic, uplifting song, and represents the spirit behind My Worlds Acoustic." The press release also says that "Justin intends the album as a gift to his fans; the arrangements reflect Justin's early days with merely an acoustic guitar or a lone piano.
"The album adds additional acoustic instrumentation such as a string quartet, congas, and a cajon drum," the press release continues. "The percussion represents inspiration from Justin's worldly travels, most recently to Africa. Justin plays guitar on the album alongside his musical director and fellow guitarist Dan Kanter."
When MTV News spoke to Bieber about the album earlier this month, he explained why he wanted to release an acoustic album. "I really think that I did an acoustic album because there's a lot of haters out there that say, 'Justin Bieber can't sing. His voice is all Auto-Tuned,' " he said. "And there's a lot with production, it kind of drowns out your voice, and it takes away from the singer, over the synths and everything."
My Worlds Acoustic will allow Bieber's true talent to shine through. "I think kind of stripping it down and having it kind of really mellow and being able to hear my voice is why I wanted to do it."
Are you excited for Justin Bieber's acoustic album? Let us know in the comments!
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