About 2 years ago, I saw Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts at Irving Plaza. It was his first tour after leaving (or being fired from) STP. And it was wild. Scott was resurgent, a man on a mission. A phoenix rising like he had done a few times before in his storied career. That night, he kicked Irving Plaza in the teeth. He hit the stage (on time) and the place erupted. They played STP. They played originals. They peppered the set with covers of Bowie, Jane's Addiction, and a raucous encore of The Doors, 'Roadhouse Blues,' which was probably the 2nd best encore I've ever seen in person (the 1st being 'Free Bird' when I saw Skynyrd). The whole experience left me with no other choice but to believe I had just seen the world's greatest living rock and roll front man in action.
I saw him a year later and it wasn't the same. Something changed. He wasn't as into it this time around. But I still believed he had it. After what I had seen previously, I remained devout. When Chester Bennington recently left STP, I thought, here's a chance for a reunion down the road. Scott and the boys touring the world again with a chance to ride gracefully and triumphantly into their eventual nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But that's not to be.
I don't know who the best living front man in rock and roll is anymore. Chances are they're no Scott Weiland. Weiland was, and still is, rock and roll, problems and drama included. That's part of the package. Rock and roll isn't pretty. Rock and roll has issues. Scott wasn't perfect, but when he hit the stage that night in Irving Plaza, dressed in a suit, cigarette dangling from his mouth, megaphone in his hand, he didn't need to be. He was the best at what he did and I swear on that night, he knew it.
Posts
