Thanks to this site, youtube, google, there is a voluminous amount of information available that construct the history of STP. However, despite all of this, there is one year that sticks out as it remains shrouded in mystery. The year 1995 found the band in transition, which would set a course for the band that would reverberate amongst the four founding members for the rest of their time together. With the exception of Scott's very public drug bust on May 15th, 1995, and the recording of Tiny Music, there remains little information available regarding this intriguing year. After doing a good bit of research, I will try to reconstruct the 1995 below with what I was able to find through interviews on this site and through other sources and will try to fill in the blanks. I would love to hear from anyone who has recollections or information to add to this.
January 1995- How Do You Sleep/Mockingbird Girl Recording
There is nothing that specifically pinpoints this month that I was able to find, but from what I was able to glean, towards the end of January, Scott reaches out to what will become the Magnificent Bastards to record "How Do You Sleep" for the John Lennon Tribute album. In an interview, Scott mentions that he brought this opportunity up to the rest of the band (STP), but they were not interested (not surprising after the incredibly rocky end to the 1994 European Tour). During the course of recording this song, Scott brings Mockingbird Girl to the table (which, reading between the lines, I'm thinking he wrote in his downtime in the fall or late fall 1994). The recording dates are not listed anywhere but from comments made by MB members and dates of articles, it appears both were completed (maybe not mixed) before February 7th, 1995.
February 1995- STP reconvenes for prepro/some recording, scraps after 2 weeks
February appears to be the month that STP finally got together to attempt to record Purple's follow up. Various articles cite February as the date they all got back together, however, very little was accomplished due to Scott's unreliability. All other members of STP did not outright say so in subsequent interviews that year and in 1996, but much of what they did say indicate three of them were game and one wasn't interested. In an interview many years later, Rob recounts a story of Scott showing up loaded to a rehearsal during this period, with a ton of equipment and proceeded to blow up a guitar amp when he was trying to plug it in. I also think the many stories of Scott leaving the studio for a pack of smokes and never returning were probably occurring quite a bit during this period. After two weeks (in which reportedly 6 songs were being worked on, no clue which ones), Robert, Dean, and Eric had had enough and 2 weeks of progress was scrapped.
March 1995- Tank Girl Soundtrack Released on March 26th
Other than the release of Mockingbird Girl, wasn't able to glean anything from this month.
April 1995-Interviews and Mockingbird Girl Video Shoot
This seems to be the most chronicled month (aside from Tiny Music sessions). Of the few articles Scott did during 1995, the majority came at some point during late April. These were geared around the Magnificent Bastards, peppered with a few questions regarding STP's status. One interview mentions that it took place roughly two weeks before his arrest, another interview mentions it taking place 3 days before the Mockingbird Girl video shoot and 4 days before going to rehab. The timeline here is obviously reading between the lines but he got arrested on May 15th, 2 days after getting out of rehab (included in a 1998 12BB article). I'm no expert on rehabs, but in my experience and in other people I've known to go through the experiences (as opposed to detox), we're probably talking about Scott being in rehab the first two weeks of May. Also during this period, as one of Scott's fellow band members recounts, MagBas went to KROQ to promote the band's release and it ended up being a disaster due to Scott being a mess- perhaps a preamble to the May rehab.
May 1995- Rehab, Scott's Arrest & Aftermath, Talk Show's first 3 Demos recorded
Obviously the most public of the 1995 months with Scott's arrest in Pasadena. As I mentioned previously, Scott spent the first two weeks of the month in rehab (till May 13th), only to be arrested on May 15th (You can find the video of Scott's release from jail on conusvideo.com). What happens next has been reported on many times (ie jumping out of Janina's car to score and then hole up with Courtney Love @ Chateau Marmont & KROQ statement. At roughly the same time, the other members of STP were cutting the first demos with Dave Coutts, this would eventually lead to the formation of Talk Show.
June 1995- Scott arraigned, then maybe goes to rehab or doesn't
On June 5th, Scott is arraigned on drug charges. What happens next is a mystery- in some interviews, he intimates going to rehab, in another interview, Scott's attorney says he doesn't start rehab until a couple months after his hearing date.
July/August 1995- All quiet except Robert, Dean & Eric writing for Tiny Music & Talk Show
September 1995- Scott gives RIP Magazine interview, all 4 Pilots reconvene for writing/album planning
Since STP rented the mansion in the Santa Ynez Valley beginning in October, Scott wouldn't have been readily available to do interviews in LA and by what he says un the RIP interview, it sounds like it takes place within the first week or two of writing, so I put this at weeks 2-4 of September. Also, judging by the promotional shots of the MagBas, Scott's hair was never that short again any time from October through March, so I believe it predates the beginning of Tiny Music recording.
October- December 1995- Tiny Music writing & recording
This is a obviously well known period although there is a lot to look forward to on a Tiny Music 25th Anniversary Re-Release in 2021. Not many pictures exist and no outtakes so that will be something to look forward to it.
So that does it. If anyone has any different dates or more info to add, please do. I unfortunately do not have firsthand memories of STP during that period (I did not fall down the rabbit hole until 1997), so if anyone remembers anything or has conflicting information, by all means, please share!
