NO. 4 TURNS 20

[Chris Pepper]

Cool pics loungefly.

No.4 was really a great time to be an STP fan.  Down is still on of my favs.  And I got a cameo in the No Way Out video.   

[foou33]

Cool pics loungefly.

No.4 was really a great time to be an STP fan.  Down is still on of my favs.  And I got a cameo in the No Way Out video.   

That must have been fun. Imagine back then, going to a concert, and watching the whole concert through a camera screen?

[MAJOR METAL]

On the whole, I feel the piece is positive.

So do I and I'm really glad someone took the time to write a 20 year review of an understated gem of the STP catalog, I really hope SLDD gets this kind of attention next year. I have a lot of memories with this album, I was 15 years old when it came out in Oct 99. In retrospect, this is such a special time in a person's life to connect with music. I have such an emotional connection to this album and SLDD. Man, I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Life is new and exciting. Everything is your first time. If your a musician, you're hearing and playing things without experience, it's just an amazing time to be introduced to such phenomenal music. Man, it's sad, but STP never have really received their due as artists from the industry, it's been the deep cut fans. We know how special they are. 

[NickLorenza]

Celebrated over the weekend. I recall I was a sophomore in college at Columbia College in Chicago. Made the purchase at the Crow's Nest (R.I.P.) on release day. Took the train ride home. Popped the CD in my Disc Man....Interestingly enough, I had similar feelings to the writer of hearing every version of the band on this record. I heard Core (Down). I heard Purple (Heaven and Hot Rods, Sex and Violence). I heard Tiny Music (Church on Tuesday). Most of all, I was just glad to have my favorite band back in the saddle.

OMG The Crow's Nest.... LOL!
Your post makes me want to take a day and head to Rolling Stone Records.  Great post, great pics.

I bought No. 4 at Rolling Stone records. Part of me can't believe that they're still open! I even bought Perdida there believe it or not.


In regards to what Major Metal said, I feel ya. I was 16 when No. 4 came out and it was a special time. Freedom of starting to drive, high school girlfriend, high school band, rock shows, the feeling of having your whole life ahead of you and knowing the best was yet to come. Oh, the possibilities... Life was just so fresh and exciting in that time and No. 4 happened to be the accompanying soundtrack to that period of time from winter 1999 through summer 2000.

[Chris Pepper]

I enjoyed the article.  Very fair.  The album itself certainly had its moments.  Down is a great rocker.  And the album did a good job of reintroducing them to the music scene after 12BB and TS efforts.  Plus, plus, plus, their live shows were crazy good.  Probably their best ever. 

I still enjoy No Way Out, Sour Girl and Atlanta.  Really great songs.  But there are some songs that didn't resonate for me, too. 

For me at the end of day, it was a great time to be an STP fan.  Solid album, great live shows and there was a lot of hope for SLDD to be their big return maybe double disc.  Similar to ST, they were looked at to have this huge second wave similar to RHCP or Green Day.  But never did quite get there.   

[MAJOR METAL]

Man, I remember being elated that my favorite band was back. I thought they were done for good when Talk Show was announced. 

Looking back now, they literally went away for less than 2 years - which is really nothing. They played a show as late May of 97 and had to have reconvened in the studio prior to the October release in 99.

In those days though, it seemed like forever. Maybe because the Talk Show and 12BB albums pointed more towards a direction of separate ways.

My god, do you make such an excellent point here, especially considering the state of STP 2002-2016.  I remember this period well and every time I would get to Seven Caged Tigers I would think, is this it for STP? Well then came the implosion in 2002 and the 9 year wait between SLDD and S/T. 

[IMJ]

Man, I remember being elated that my favorite band was back. I thought they were done for good when Talk Show was announced. 

Looking back now, they literally went away for less than 2 years - which is really nothing. They played a show as late May of 97 and had to have reconvened in the studio prior to the October release in 99.

In those days though, it seemed like forever. Maybe because the Talk Show and 12BB albums pointed more towards a direction of separate ways.

My god, do you make such an excellent point here, especially considering the state of STP 2002-2016.  I remember this period well and every time I would get to Seven Caged Tigers I would think, is this it for STP? Well then came the implosion in 2002 and the 9 year wait between SLDD and S/T.

I am absolutely with both of you guys on this. I had exactly the same feelings during the Tiny Music - No. 4 gap. Exactly.

But at least with the 2002 - 2009 gap we had Velvet Revolver which was so much more..... acceptable? Fulfilling? I definitely wanted more STP, but VR was exciting for me as soon as I heard "Set Me Free".

[Chris Pepper]

Man, I remember being elated that my favorite band was back. I thought they were done for good when Talk Show was announced. 

Looking back now, they literally went away for less than 2 years - which is really nothing. They played a show as late May of 97 and had to have reconvened in the studio prior to the October release in 99.

In those days though, it seemed like forever. Maybe because the Talk Show and 12BB albums pointed more towards a direction of separate ways.

My god, do you make such an excellent point here, especially considering the state of STP 2002-2016.  I remember this period well and every time I would get to Seven Caged Tigers I would think, is this it for STP? Well then came the implosion in 2002 and the 9 year wait between SLDD and S/T.

I am absolutely with both of you guys on this. I had exactly the same feelings during the Tiny Music - No. 4 gap. Exactly.

But at least with the 2002 - 2009 gap we had Velvet Revolver which was so much more..... acceptable? Fulfilling? I definitely wanted more STP, but VR was exciting for me as soon as I heard "Set Me Free".

Loved Set Me Free as an intro to VR

[MAJOR METAL]

Happy 21st No.4, cheers!

[DankoJones]

Such a great time to be a STP fan

[Pingfah]

I know Dean doesn't rate remasters, but if there is one STP album that is crying out for one, it's this. Listened to it again last night, and the dynamics really aren't very good, so much clipped cymbals etc.

Such a great album, really deserves better.

[CagedTiger]

"And maybe STP don’t have a masterpiece, at least not in the sense that there’s one album where every song was perfect and every aspect of the band’s identity was shining just right."


I'm sorry, WHAT?

That album would be ‘Purple’. Don’t get me wrong, the first 5 albums to me are all masterpieces in their own right but there’s always one song on the other 4 that fans seem to dislike. I’ve never heard any fan say a bad word about any of the songs on ‘Purple’. That’s always the album I would recommend to introduce non STP fans to the band too.