Scott/Chris/Chester connection

[DankoJones]

Interesting ..

[DankoJones]

Correct link
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7873904/chester-bennington-suicide-chris-cornell-scott-weiland-death

[Chris Pepper]

I get there's much more all of these tragic singers have in common than not.  Primarily they were rock singers dying before they became old men. 

Kurt,Layne,C Cornell,Chester all gave up on life, though.  Deciding to end it or in Layne's case become a recluse.  Scott didn't.  He went out swinging.  He never gave up on life.  Like his body couldn't keep up with his head.  I never heard Scott talking about ending it.  Or being so depressed he didn't want to go on.  I dunno, not a consolation, but one of the better aspects of Scott that I saw was he always got up off the mat after being knocked down.  These other guys, who I was a fan of at one time or another, just gave up.  Big difference in my book.  But all the same, too.  They're all gone.  Sigh.       
 

[StoneTempleBrett]

I get there's much more all of these tragic singers have in common than not.  Primarily they were rock singers dying before they became old men. 

Kurt,Layne,C Cornell,Chester all gave up on life, though.  Deciding to end it or in Layne's case become a recluse.  Scott didn't.  He went out swinging.  He never gave up on life.  Like his body couldn't keep up with his head.  I never heard Scott talking about ending it.  Or being so depressed he didn't want to go on.  I dunno, not a consolation, but one of the better aspects of Scott that I saw was he always got up off the mat after being knocked down.  These other guys, who I was a fan of at one time or another, just gave up.  Big difference in my book.  But all the same, too.  They're all gone.  Sigh.       
 

Scott talked about wanting to commit suicide in late 2002 when STP had just fallen apart and Mary had left him. He was strung out bad on heroin at the time.  He said he didn't do it because he didn't want his kids to grow up with a father who committed suicide.


I do think Scott gave up on fighting his addiction, he looked totally broken near the end.  He also alienated many of his friends and bandmates in his final years with his addiction.  Cornell and Bennington did decide to end their lives, but they were on good terms with most of their friends and bandmates at the end.

[NickLorenza]

Chris I think you're right in the sense that Scott did attempt to push forward way more than others. I also agree that as far as my recollection goes he at least never publicly talked about wanting to end it all. Nor do I feel his passing was 100% intentional. However, I disagree with you in the sense that I feel Scott did give up.  I don't think he was ever the same since 2007 or so. I didn't know him personally, but from an objective perspective I sense those last 8 years he was missing his spark for life. I felt as though we got more of a shell of a man with each year that passed.

[Sklashboombash]

Forgive me if this comes off as silly.
Not that this is in any way a competition, especially being they are all gone from this world, but I find it interesting that the general consensus had Chester as unworthy to fill Scott's shoes to front STP, yet, these days his name is synonymous with Chris Cornell, who is beloved and iconic.
I understand the Cornell/Chester friendship connection has a lot to do with it too.

No offense intended, just thinking out loud, I feel like Scott's passing was an after-thought (in the mainstream) and he deserved more.

These recent events have drudged up old feelings, I suppose. I guess I'm not over it.
I wish they were all still here.

[Pingfah]

Scott had faded from view though, and mostly only got mainstream press when he did something embarrassing. Chris & Chester were both in the middle of very healthy careers, and were in the public spotlight for the right reasons quite a bit before they died.

And Chester quite pointedly killed himself on Cornell's birthday, so it's no surprise people are drawing lines between the two.

[StoneTempleBrett]

If Scott had died anytime before his STP firing I think the coverage of his death would have comparable to Cornell's.  Like Pingfah said, his career had faded into obscurity and he'd hit rock bottom at the time he died.

[Flyingmerpa]

... Like Pingfah said, his career had faded into obscurity and he'd hit rock bottom at the time he died.

Imagine time traveling back to 2001 or even 2007 for that matter (Velvet Revolver era) and telling Scott Weiland fans this.  They would not believe it in the slightest.  So depressing.

[CoconutBackwards]

... Like Pingfah said, his career had faded into obscurity and he'd hit rock bottom at the time he died.

Imagine time traveling back to 2001 or even 2007 for that matter (Velvet Revolver era) and telling Scott Weiland fans this.  They would not believe it in the slightest.  So depressing.

I would have believed Scott Weiland was headed for rock bottom in 2007.

[Lazy Divey]

I think Scott's firing (or whatever happened) of Doug was a good sign that things were going to get worse for Scott.  While I didn't like some of the direction Doug took musically when playing live, he seemed like he was one of the ones that were really looking out for Scott.

I'd like to know what happened between the two but I'm afraid to ask Doug myself.

[NickLorenza]

Yes, you hit the nail right on the head. Which touches on another thing said above... Scott might not have disappeared from the eye of the public like Layne, but in my eyes he was just as reclusive in the sense that he pushed away and cut off any and everyone who actually knew him and really cared in favor of surrounding himself with enablers. He would have nothing to do with anyone who wanted to help.


I agree with both Pingfah's sentiment and Brett's. I feel that Scott's passing never got the attention and full respect it deserved, but I do understand that this is what happens when you hit rock bottom. Eventually when you burn too many bridges and bite too many hands that feed you it's tough to get people to care like they otherwise might.

[seattlesound]

I too get very defensive of Scott's name these days. He deserves to be remembered for his artistry and how great it was. I honestly believe that people out there who wrote Scott off are nieve insecure shits... to point a finger at someone who dealt with personal demons and criticize them... look at yourself and focus on that. The media took every shot at this guy possible and here I am right now fired up. I can't get over how they trashed his name.

This dude was the man on stage. People missed the fuck out on someone who was in my book rocks best frontman in the last few decades because they were so focused on what his personal demons were...

Sorry I try to stay calm but I get touchy over how scotts name is treated.

[Aaron]

I agree with you and disagree with you at the same time.  Scott burned some bridges, sometimes with the audiences that showed up and paid money in advance to see him.  Scott the musician is ultimately judged on his body of work, which is of course very impressive.  Scott the man made many mistakes and that will always be a debatable point with many.  If you love the man or the music, cherish that.  Don't worry about the rest of it, because its just noise. 

[seattlesound]

I agree with you and disagree with you at the same time.  Scott burned some bridges, sometimes with the audiences that showed up and paid money in advance to see him.  Scott the musician is ultimately judged on his body of work, which is of course very impressive.  Scott the man made many mistakes and that will always be a debatable point with many.  If you love the man or the music, cherish that.  Don't worry about the rest of it, because its just noise.

That's fair. A lot of musicians have their demons but if they're a good artist it still gets highlighted. I just feel the mainstream media only wants to focus on scotts demons, not any of the great art that he created. That's just the base of my frustration. The general media never wanted to say anything positive with his name in the same breath.