Scott Weiland 12 Bar Blues CD

In his quest to make a musical statement outside his role as Stone Temple Pilots frontman, Scott Weiland debuts with an album that reveals a music palette beyond the '90s grunge that became his band's trademark. Looking to David Bowie for inspiration, Weiland's approach is a chameleonic one that finds him pinballing between sludgy garage rock ("Desperation #5"), samba-flavored meanderings ("Divider") and a faux cabaret number highlighted by Sheryl Crow's sturdy accordion playing ("Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down.") Along with Crow, members of Porno For Pyros, Daniel Lanois (who also lent a production hand) and jazz pianist Brad Mehldau provide tasty icing to Weiland's schizophrenic cake of odd instrumentation, Beatlesque shadings and personalized lyrics that cryptically allude to the fallout from his highly publicized problems.

1st Solo Album

Engineers: Tracy Chisholm, Chris Goss, Chad Banford.

Personnel: Scott Weiland (guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, synthesizer, vibraphone, percussion); Victor Indrizzo (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, drums, hi-hat, percussion); Tony Castaneda (guitar, slide guitar); Peter DiStefano (guitar, guitar synthesizer); Holly Reiger, Jeff Nolan, Jim Gilman, Tim Gilman, Zander Schloss (guitar); Joel Derouin, Rob Lorentz (violin); Novi Novog (viola); Martyn Lenoble, Suzie Katayama (cello); Sheryl Crow (accordion); Brad Mehldau (piano, keyboards); Daniel Lanois (synthesizer); Michael Weiland (percussion); Tracy Chisholm (Theremin).

Audio Mixers: Daniel Lanois; Tracy Chisholm.

Recording information: Burbank, CA; Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Scott Weiland.

Unknown Contributor Role: Alison Dyer.

Personnel: Scott Weiland (vocals, guitar, piano, mellotron, synthesizer, vibraphone, bass, drums, percussion, drum programming, loops); Victor Indrizzo (vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, acoustic & electric piano, Hammond B-3 organ, mellotron, keyboards, bass, drums, high hat, percussion); Tony Castaneda (electric & slide guitar, bass); Daniel Lanois (guitar, synthesizer); Peter DiStefano (guitar, bass); Tim Gilman, Holly Reiger (guitar); Joel Derouin, Robin Lorentz (violin); Novi Novog (viola); Martyn LeNoble (cello, bass); Susie Katayama (cello); Sheryl Crow (accordion); Brad Mehldau (keyboards); Michael Weiland (percussion, loops); Blair Lamb (drum programming, loops); Tracey Chisholm (theramin)

Producers: Scott Weiland, Blair Lamb, Tracy Chisholm.

Rolling Stone (4/2/98, p.72) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...One of the best things about 12 BAR BLUES is its heady, willfully messy momentum....Vocally, Weiland has backed away from the big-rock anguish of STP....Ricocheting from art noise to mad pop, free association to outright confession..."
Spin (4/98, pp.124-125) - 7 (out of 10) - "...When he rips off 'Jane Says,' old Billy Joel, NIN, Bing Crosby, whole Beatles bridges, and Pauline Kael (this is not a complete list) it doesn't come off as some trendy post-modern reference game. More like a well-dressed guy who woke up with total amnesia and a note in his pocket reminding him that he made records..."
Entertainment Weekly (4/3/98, p.96) - "...For his solo debut, he perfects Michael Stipe's whine, Richard Butler's croak, and David Bowie's bellow....The album's sole connection to STP comes in its relentlessly catchy melodies, which even the weird production can't distort..." - Rating: B