Stone Temple Pilots is a Grammy Award-winning American rock band consisting of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Robert (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums, percussion).
Stone Temple Pilots can trace its beginnings to a Black Flag concert in Long Beach in 1986, where Scott Weiland met Robert DeLeo. They both dated the same woman, and bonded through the situation. When the girl left town, Weiland and DeLeo moved into her vacated apartment. Immediately, Weiland and DeLeo formed a band with two of Scott’s friends from Edison High School, Corey Hicock (guitar) and David Allen (drums). After Allen’s departure, drummer Eric Kretz joined the band. Soon after, Robert DeLeo’s brother, Dean DeLeo, decided to play guitar in the band replacing Hicock, completing the quartet. They then named their band Mighty Joe Young. The band recorded a demo tape that was completed around 1990.
The group then began to work on their debut album with Brendan O’Brien. During the recording, they received a call from their lawyer who informed them that there was a blues man who had already claimed the name Mighty Joe Young. They changed the band’s name to Shirley Temple’s Pussy and performed under this name for a short time, but then changed the name again due to record label pressure They liked the initials STP and eventually settled on the name Stone Temple Pilots in 1992, towards the end of the Core sessions.
Big Empty
While a lot of people associate this song with breakups, according to Scott Weiland, he wrote this song about the band being on tour for so long and being ready to just quit and go home.
“Drivin’ faster in my car
falling farther from just what we are”
-He tells of how he feels his band has begun to lose sight of it’s original purpose, and become more pop-rock, something the band has been accused of numerous times.
“smoke a cigarette and lie some more
these conversations kill
falling faster in my car “
-emphasizes the previous line, finds himself to be selling out to the industry.
“Time to take her home
her dizzy head is conscience laden
time to take a ride
it leaves today no conversation”
-the band is becoming disillusioned, exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. Him “taking a ride” could be a possible reference to drugs, Weiland was known to be a heavy user.
“To much walkin’, shoes worn thin
too much trippin’ and my soul’s worn thin
time to catch a ride
it leaves today, her name is what it means
to much walkin’, shoe’s worn thin”
-Their too much walkin, shoes worn thin shows their heavy roaming, touring, etc. and how they are exhausted and feel they have been pushed to their limits. “Her name is what it means” refers to the name of the band.
Drivin’ faster in my car
Falling farther from just what we are
Smoke a cigarette and lie some more
These conversations kill
Falling faster in my carTime to take her home, her dizzy head is conscience laden
Time to take a ride that leaves today no conversation
Time to take her home her lazy head is conscience laden
Time to wait too long to wait too long
These conversations killToo much walkin’, shoes worn thin
Too much trippin’ and my soul’s worn thin
Time to catch a ride it leaves today, her name is what it means
To much walkin’, shoe’s worn thinTime to take her home, her dizzy head is conscience laden
Time to take a ride that leaves today no conversation
Time to take her home her lazy head is conscience laden
(Time to take her home her lazy head)
Time to wait too long to wait too long
(Time to wait too long to wait too long)Conversations kill
Time to take her home, her dizzy head is conscience laden
Time to take a ride that leaves today no conversation
Time to take her home her lazy head is conscience laden
(Time to take her home her lazy head)
Time to wait too long to wait too long
(Time to wait too long to wait too long)Conversations kill
- Audio from the 1994 album, Purple:
Break