Robert DeLeo: Appreciate Bands Still Around, Despite Members' Deaths

Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo says there's no reason to decry a band for continuing without its classic lineup.

DeLeo offered Queen + Adam Lambert as an example of a band that, like STP, continued following the death of an iconic member.

"This is how I look at it: people should really cherish the people who are still around because we're not going to be around forever," he told Chris Jericho's Talk Is Jericho podcast. "There's a lot of stuff about this and that and, man, isn't there enough negativity in the world? People should enjoy the people that are here still and appreciate that. Because, man, I want to hear Queen songs being played live. That's the milk in the bottle of music that I grew up on."

Stone Temple Pilot is back with new lead singer Jeff Gutt filling the place of two iconic frontmen who left us too soon, Scott Weiland and Chester Bennington (the late-Linkin Park frontman who toured with STP between 2013 - 2015).

DeLeo and Gutt joined Jericho for a conversation surrounding the new album, Stone Temple Pilots, out March 16.

The bassist acknowledged that Gutt is in a tough position in STP. Not only does he have to faithfully sing songs from STP's back catalogue, he also joined the band at a strange time, just about two years after Weiland's death and only four months after Bennington's suicide. 

"I wouldn't want to be in the position that Jeff's in or anybody like that," DeLeo said. "Because you have to be kind of two-sided with things. You've gotta respect the catalogue and a 30-year [legacy] of material and a band being together. But you know, I think what we really wanted to focus on too was moving forward and making a new record and new music. That's a lot to ask of anyone, to be able to do that."

But he says STP fans should want the band to still be around and to enjoy it while three-quarters of the original lineup are still able to perform. 

Jericho added in agreement, "The world is better with AC/DC in it than with AC/DC not in it."

"That's how I look at Queen," DeLeo responded. "Good for [Brian May] and good for [Roger Taylor]. They should be doing it still; they earned it."

So with all that pressure, Jericho asked Gutt what his goals are on his first Stone Temple Pilots tour. 

"Don't f**k up. Don't f**k up. Don't f**k up is number one," he laughed. "I have it tattooed across the inside of my eyelids. 

STP is one tour now. Get all the dates here


Photo: Getty Images


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