Stone Temple Pilots (abbreviated STP) is a popular hard rock band formed after Scott Weiland and Robert DeLeo met at a Black Flag concert in Long Beach, California and discovered that they were dating the same woman. They got to know each other, rather than fight over the woman, who eventually fled to Texas; the two moved into her old San Diego, California apartment and started playing together. Robert got his brother Dean DeLeo to join their jamming sessions and also found Eric Kretz, who was then with another band, to play drums.

In 1990, going by the name Mighty John Young, they played at Whisky in Los Angeles, California. In 1992, Don Mullen, a booking agent for Triad Artists, saw them perform and led them to Atlantic Records. On April 1, 1992, they signed a contract and began recording tracks with Brendan O’Brien. During the recording, STP’s lawyer called and told them there was a blues musician who had already claimed the name Mighty Joe Young. They changed the band’s name to Shirley Temple Pussy after seeing the STP Motor Oil Company logo, but ended up changing it because of pressure from the record label. Wanting to keep the band’s initials, they came up with Stone Temple Pilots. In September 1992, they released their first album, Core, including the hit songs “Plush”, “Creep”, “Wicked Garden”, and “Sex Type Thing”. The critics initially disregarded the group, writing them off as a derivative of grunge bands such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains, however, the debut was commercially successful. After the “Plush” video appeared on MTV, showing the band through a distorted lens, many supposed Scott Weiland and Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder were the same person. The still long-haired Vedder reported receiving messages complimenting him on his new short, red hairdo.

In 1994, STP released their second album, Purple, which debuted at No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks. The music was markedly different from Core, with a focus on studio experimentation and tight song structure. “Big Empty”, “Vasoline”, “Interstate Love Song”, “Unglued” and “Pretty Penny” were the album’s biggest hits. 1995 saw the band take a turn in the wrong direction, when Scott Weiland got involved with a side music project, Magnificent Bastards, and with heroin. In May 1995, Weiland was arrested for possession of rock cocaine and heroin. Weiland was given one year’s probation and during this time the group recorded their next album Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop. Although this CD got better reviews than their previous albums, it failed to generate as many sales. This album employed more experimentation with various styles of music while retaining the band’s hard rock roots. Still not having kicked his drug habit, Weiland was ordered by a judge to go into a drug rehabilitation program. Weiland had left the program at Impact House, without notice, but returned the next day. In October of that year, suggestive pictures of Weiland and Courtney Love surfaced and, luckily for Weiland, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt refused to publish the pictures. On November 4th of that year, Weiland was released from the rehab program and STP began touring again in Los Angeles, but again, Weiland went back in rehab, starting rumours that the band was breaking up, which turned out to be untrue.

In September 1997, while STP was on hiatus, Weiland released a solo album, 12 Bar Blues, while the remaining members of STP formed the one-time band Talk Show, with former Ten Inch Men singer Dave Coutts. Neither release did well commercially.

STP soon reunited, releasing No. 4 in 1999. “Sour Girl” was this album’s biggest hit, with a swirling, psychedelic pop melody. The song “Down” also charted. Shortly after its completion, Weiland was sentenced to a year in a Los Angeles county jail for violating probation.

During the summer of 2001, STP released Shangri-La Dee Da. “Days of the Week”, a power pop song, was this album’s biggest hit. The song “Hollywood Bitch” charted as well.

On November 11, 2003, STP released a CD/DVD entitled Thank You, a greatest hits album.

Meanwhile, since 2002, Scott Weiland has formed the hard rock/heavy metal band Velvet Revolver with former members of Guns N’ Roses, plus Dave Kushner.

Band members (and brothers) Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo recently announced the formation of a new band Army of Anyone led by Filter frontman Richard Patrick, along with Ray Luzier who played for former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth.

Eric Kretz currently owns a recording studio and produces, after a stint as the drummer in Spiralarms.

After five years hiatus, the group is set to reform in 2008, kicking off their tour at the 2008 Rock on the Range.