Filter’s Richard Patrick Vows to Stay Sober for Scott Weiland
Earlier this year, Filter‘s Richard Patrick opened up about his concern for Scott Weiland‘s sobriety in an interview and his fear that fans we’re enabling his reckless behavior. Those comments didn’t exactly sit well with Weiland, who claimed that he hadn’t “had a needle in my arm in thirteen years” and urged the vocalist to back off his public comments as he’d worked hard to repair his reputation. In a new Facebook posting, Patrick is speaking about Weiland’s passing for the first time and using it as motivation for himself to stay sober.
As a refresher, Patrick stated in an interview earlier this year, “We all want Scott to be Scott, but Scott’s not even really Scott. I love him, but he’s transformed into a very different person. Bless his heart, and I hope he gets sober and everything.” He would go on to add, “[Some Stone Temple Pilots fans say], ‘He’s a badass rock and roll star. You can’t have STP without Scott Weiland.’ Okay, well, you’re gonna get what you want — he’ll be a rock star legend that died in a hotel room with a needle sticking out of his arm, and it will not be a cool thing and it will be sad and his kids will be traumatized. It’s bizarre that the biggest enabler for Scott is the audience … at least [as] of a couple of years ago. I don’t know what it’s like now.”
In response, Weiland revealed, “Overcoming my addiction to heroin was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m damn proud of the fact that the time in my life when drugs were stronger than my commitment to my health is so far behind me, and always will be. By the way, man, I recall when I DID do drugs, and you were one of the guys getting high with me. It’s behind you, please note and respect that it’s behind me too.”
In his new comments, posted on the Filter Facebook page, Richard Patrick offers:
I’m sorry Scott. You know.. I was trying to help.. You were mad at me when I went public with my comments on your addiction.. and pissed you off just to get you to hear.. I figured if I lost a friend in order to help him it was worth the risk.. I figured if the shoe were on the other foot.. maybe one day you could hit me back somehow if I went out. People think it was lame or a publicity stunt but all I wanted was for you to hear me, if not all of us.. Bless you Scott. I will learn from your mistakes. I will be sober because of you.. Your death won’t be in vain.. Whenever I feel the temptation to use I will say too myself…
For Scott, not today.
-RP
Weiland passed away Dec. 3 at the age of 48. He was discovered aboard his tour bus unresponsive and the first responders reported that he was in cardiac arrest. As has been revealed in the time since his death, a search of the singer’s tour bus uncovered a substance that tested positive for cocaine, as well as opiates, medication for his bipolar disorder, Viagra, synthetic opiates, sleeping pills and a baggy containing a green, leafy substance. A toxicology report revealing the cause of death is not expected for the next month to a month and a half.
Scott Weiland‘s issues with drugs and concert tardiness have been well documented over the years, and Filter frontman Richard Patrick has weighed in on the topic in a recent interview with Music Frenzy.
Speaking about Weiland’s issues, Patrick offered an interesting perspective that the fans have become one of the singer’s biggest enablers when it comes to his poor behavior. He told Music Frenzy (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), “We all want Scott to be Scott, but Scott’s not even really Scott. I love him, but he’s transformed into a very different person. Bless his heart, and I hope he gets sober and everything, but I was in Army of Anyone for years (with Stone Temple Pilots‘ DeLeo brothers) working on that record and producing it and I heard a lot of stuff [about what it was like being in a band with Scott]. When someone shows up an hour and a half late to a show in New Jersey and makes an audience [wait] … all these people wanna go home.”
Patrick adds, “It’s sad that three guys have to sit around and wait for someone to show up to a rehearsal. And they’ve been there for two weeks working and the singer hasn’t even shown up. And you get onstage and the guy doesn’t even know how to sing his own songs, and it’s pathetic. It’s sad for everybody.”
As for his comments about the fans enabling Weiland’s behavior, Patrick states, “[The fans are] just sticking up for Scott, and they have no idea of [what is going on] behind the scenes. And it’s actually … they’re pushing him into his death, because they’re making him believe that, ‘Whatever I did is acceptable, and I can be as high as I want and I can do as much drugs as I want.’”
The vocalist says, “[Some STP fans say], ‘He’s a badass rock and roll star. You can’t have STP without Scott Weiland.’ Okay, well, you’re gonna get what you want — he’ll be a rock star legend that died in a hotel room with a needle sticking out of his arm, and it will not be a cool thing and it will be sad and his kids will be traumatized. It’s bizarre that the biggest enabler for Scott is the audience … at least [as] of a couple of years ago. I don’t know what it’s like now.”
As stated, Patrick is basing some of his opinion on what he knew of Weiland a few years back. He went in-depth on his concerns about Weiland in a 2013 posting that can be viewed here.
Meanwhille, Alternative Nation reports that Scott Weiland’s fans have lashed out at Richard Patrick after seeing his aforementioned comments. Read some of their reactions here.
In a recent interview with Music Frenzy, Filter frontman Richard Patrick talked about Scott Weiland‘s past issues with drugs and tardiness. Now, Weiland has fired back with a response to Patrick’s comments.
In the interview, Patrick said, “[Some Stone Temple Pilots fans say], ‘He’s a badass rock and roll star. You can’t have STP without Scott Weiland.’ Okay, well, you’re gonna get what you want — he’ll be a rock star legend that died in a hotel room with a needle sticking out of his arm, and it will not be a cool thing and it will be sad and his kids will be traumatized. It’s bizarre that the biggest enabler for Scott is the audience … at least [as] of a couple of years ago. I don’t know what it’s like now.”
Patrick, who was in Army of Anyone for years with Stone Temple Pilots‘ DeLeo brothers, also talked about what he had been told about what it’s like being in a band with Weiland: “It’s sad that three guys have to sit around and wait for someone to show up to a rehearsal. And they’ve been there for two weeks working and the singer hasn’t even shown up. And you get onstage and the guy doesn’t even know how to sing his own songs, and it’s pathetic. It’s sad for everybody.”
Weiland has now responded to the comments Patrick made in the interview with a statement issued to Blabbermouth:
“Hey, Richard — thanks for your thoughts and opinions on my life. Just so you know, and others do as well, I haven’t had a needle in my arm in thirteen years. Overcoming my addiction to heroin was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m damn proud of the fact that the time in my life when drugs were stronger than my commitment to my health is so far behind me, and always will be.
By the way, man, I recall when I DID do drugs, and you were one of the guys getting high with me. It’s behind you, please note and respect that it’s behind me too. As for my issues with my former band — just remember the old adage that there are two sides to every story. I haven’t been late for a show in a very long time. I have worked hard to be present and on time for my fans.
I’m not perfect — no one is — but I have worked my ass off to repair the reputation I created by being thoughtless years ago. Why you felt the need to attack me is unclear but I am happy to set the record straight.
Best regards to you.”
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