I didn't get a chance to post this on Friday, but I'd like to share a favorite story about Scott Weiland with you.  I was working at a rock station in Muskegon, Michigan back in 1992/1993, at a small radio station that was perennially over-shadowed by a Grand Rapids rock station.  There was an outdoor concert venue on Lake Michigan that occasionally booked some great shows like the Aerosmith & Stone Temple Pilots concert where I had the pleasure of meeting "Weiland" as he called himself.

Scott spent about 30 minutes chatting and laughing with me and 2 other staffers from my small station, and blew-off his scheduled interview with the Grand Rapids guys, saying he "...always tries to take care of the underdogs when he can, because HE was one of them..." and he couldn't have been more cool !!   I was aware of his reputation of being frequently moody, indifferent, impatient, and usually not sober.  But on this day, he was the perfect guest.  We talked about how gorgeous the venue was and the comparison to Red Rocks in Colorado, we talked about the struggles of being a new radio station in a small market, we talked the beauty in state of Michigan, we talked about practically everything BUT his music.  He seemed relieved to not have to answer any questions about the current tour or the new album, etc.

So on that day, Weiland disproved every bad rumor I had ever heard about him, and as you can see, I never forgot it.  When Layne Staley of Alice in Chains died, I felt that he was never given the attention or tributes that he deserved because it was too close to Kurt Cobain's suicide, and coverage of that was WAY overdone.  I'll probably feel the same about Weiland... another tremendously talented musician chased by too many internal demons and who's death was just as tragic.  At least I can be glad I have a story to tell about his good side.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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