Song of the Day: Stone Temple Pilots - Vasoline

     If you've been following music news at all in the last week or two, you've now doubt seen that the on-again-off-again relationship between Scott Weiland and the rest of Stone Temple Pilots is once again off, quite possibly for good this time. You've also no doubt seen that, for now at least, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington is STP's new singer.



     I don't know how to feel about this. On the one hand, I've always liked Chester's style and work, despite never being a huge Linkin Park fan, and if the guys in STP want to work with him instead of some drug-addled imitation of Scott Weiland, that's cool beans for them. They certainly have every right to continue with their careers if they can.

     On the other hand, I kinda agree a little with what Scott said in response to Chester taking over his duties in the band, namely that this new animal isn't really Stone Temple Pilots. It's the same debate that came up following the passing of Jeff Hanneman: is Slayer still Slayer without one of its integral pieces? Similarly, as much as we might dislike his ego or his personality, is STP still STP without Scott Weiland?

     Ultimately, I don't know if it matters all that much, since neither Stone Temple Pilots nor Linkin Park are especially relevant or meaningful in the landscape of modern music. I mean, really, show of hands: who's super stoked for the next Linkin Park album? Who's holding their breath waiting for new STP material? I couldn't tell you.

     But we can go back to time when these bands did matter, by recognizing the fact that "Vasoline" from STP's 1994 sophomore disc Purple remains a great song to this day. As such, it would also make a great song of the day (see what I did there?). If anyone tries to tell you different, you have my permission to slap them with a glove and demand satisfaction.