VELVET REVOLVER *****

Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until 2008. In 2004, the band achieved commercial success with their debut album, Contraband. Despite positive reviews, some critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses, criticizing them for a "disconnection" between Scott Weiland and the rest of the band. With their single "Slither", they won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

The band released Libertad in 2007, driven by the release of the single "She Builds Quick Machines", and embarked on a tour with Alice in Chains. In April 2008, Weiland left Velvet Revolver and reunited with Stone Temple Pilots. Velvet Revolver has been on indefinite hiatus since April 2008, and in November of that year, the band was released by their record label RCA Records at their request to allow them "complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish" replacing Weiland.

The release of Slash's self-titled debut solo album and Duff McKagan's addition to the Jane's Addiction lineup seemed to put the future of the band in doubt. However, McKagan left Jane's Addiction a few months after joining. Velvet Revolver then wrote new songs and briefly auditioned singers before once again resuming their hiatus.

History

Formation (1996–2003)

Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum were members of hard rock band Guns N' Roses. Slash and McKagan had been members since 1985, while Sorum joined the band in 1990. Guns N' Roses toured and achieved international success following the release of the albums Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion I, and Use Your Illusion II. However, a distancing relationship with singer Axl Rose resulted in Slash, in 1996, and McKagan, in 1997, leaving the band while Sorum was fired the same year. Following their departures, the trio focused on separate projects with Slash reforming Slash's Snakepit and McKagan reforming 10 Minute Warning, as well as recording his second solo album while Sorum rejoined The Cult.

Despite being involved with other projects, the trio occasionally collaborated. Slash guested on McKagan's unreleased second solo album Beautiful Disease, while the trio recorded original music for the independent film Soundman in 1998. They also performed together with Lanny Cordola, Chuck Wright, and Teddy Andreadis for a one-hour plus concert at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah to promote the film in 1999. Rumors quickly arose of a Guns N' Roses reunion, however, McKagan stated that they "[were] just [t]here to play. It's not that big of a deal, but [they] play good together."

By 2001, Slash's Snakepit had disbanded for the second time. Slash began working with The Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman and an unnamed bassist on a new project: writing the music for what would become "Fall to Pieces". McKagan reformed Loaded, previously his band for the tour in support of Beautiful Disease, with Geoff Reading. McKagan also added both Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse to the lineup. Following a tour of Japan in 2002, former Zilch, Wasted Youth, Electric Love Hogs, and Dave Navarro guitarist Dave Kushner joined Loaded in place of Mike Squires.

When musician Randy Castillo died from cancer in 2002, Slash, McKagan, and Sorum performed at a benefit concert to raise money and commemorate Castillo with Josh Todd and Keith Nelson of Buckcherry as well as B-Real and Sen Dog of Cypress Hill. Recognizing that their musical relationship was still intact, the trio began rehearsing with Todd and Nelson, working on material that would become "Dirty Little Thing", but eventually decided against forming a group with them. During a Loaded show at Hollywood's Viper Room, McKagan introduced Kushner to Slash, who were previously friends in junior high and high school. Kushner was invited to jam with the group and was soon invited to join with Slash, stating that "Dave brought a cool vibe to what [they] were doing. There was no deliberation; that was it, it was a perfect fit." Their former Guns N' Roses band mate Izzy Stradlin also joined them for two weeks, eventually suggesting that "Duff and [Stradlin] will sing and [they] will just do a club tour in a van." Slash states in his autobiography that it was hard to tell if Stradlin was serious or kidding. After auditioning Kelly Shaefer of Atheist and Neurotica, Stradlin left the group.

While Shaefer's audition was unsuccessful, the quartet continued auditioning for a lead singer, with VH1 filming the recruitment process while being referred to as the temporary name "The Project". The resulting documentary was aired as VH1 Inside Out: The Rise of Velvet Revolver. A number of lead singers auditioned for the band, including Todd Kerns, formerly of Age of Electric, Sebastian Bach, formerly of Skid Row, Shawn Albro of U.P.O., and Travis Meeks of Days of the New. Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four, declined an invitation from Sorum to audition. Ian Astbury of The Cult and Mike Patton of Faith No More also declined audition offers. The band were also interested in auditioning Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, who had become friends with McKagan after attending the same gym. Weiland once played on the same bill as Kushner, and was in rehab at the same time as Sorum. Weiland was sent two discs of material, and felt that the first disc "sounded like Bad Company gone wrong." When he was sent the second disc, Weiland was more positive, comparing it to Core-era Stone Temple Pilots, though he turned them down because Stone Temple Pilots were still together.

When Stone Temple Pilots disbanded in 2003, the band sent Weiland new music, which he took into his studio and added vocals. This music eventually becoming the song "Set Me Free". Despite delivering the music to the band himself, Weiland was still unsure whether or not he wanted to join them, despite performing at an industry showcase at Mates. They recorded two songs with producer Nick Raskulinecz, a recorded version of "Set Me Free" and a cover of Pink Floyd's "Money", for the soundtracks to the movies The Hulk and The Italian Job, respectively. Weiland joined the band soon after. "Set Me Free" managed to peak at number 17 on the Mainstream Rock Chart without any radio promotion or a record label. It was prior to a screening of The Hulk at Universal Studios that the band chose a name. After seeing a movie by Revolution Studios, Slash liked the beginning of the word, eventually thinking of Revolver because of its multiple meanings; the name of a gun, subtext of a revolving door which suited the band as well as the name of a Beatles album. When he suggested Revolver to the band, Weiland suggested back Black Velvet Revolver, liking the idea of "something intimate like velvet juxtaposed with something deadly like a gun." They eventually arrived at Velvet Revolver, announcing it at a press conference and performance showcase at the El Rey Theatre while also performing the songs "Set Me Free" and "Slither" as well as covers of Nirvana's "Negative Creep", Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant", and Guns N' Roses' "It's So Easy".

Contraband and mainstream success (2003–2005)

Prior to the recording of their debut album, Weiland took material that the band had previously written to his studio, Lavish, in Toluca Lake. With engineer Doug Grean, Weiland rearranged the music to fit his vocals, eventually coming out with the songs "Big Machine" and "Dirty Little Thing". The band worked on new material for songs such as "You Got No Right", "Slither", "Sucker Train Blues", and "Do It for the Kids", among others. It was during this time that Weiland was arrested at the parking lot of his studio for drug possession. Upon release from jail, he wrote lyrics to material he was given previously, writing the song "Fall to Pieces". Velvet Revolver soon began recording their debut album. Initially, they recorded "Slither" with producer Bob Ezrin at Henson Studios, but were dissatisfied with the result. After recording "Headspace" with Josh Abraham, the band liked the track enough to do the rest of the album with him.

Velvet Revolver soon gained major label attention with Warner Bros. and Chrysalis. RCA and Elektra were also interested in signing the band. They eventually signed with RCA Records. They recorded their album at NRG Recording Studios, while Slash recorded his guitar parts at a smaller studio on the southern corner between Highland Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. During recording, Weiland could only work for three hours a day due to a court order mentioning that he was to stay in a halfway house. The marketing campaign for Velvet Revolver in the run-up to the release of the first album was profiled as part of the Frontline program The Way the Music Died, which included interviews with the band members and producers.

The resulting album, titled Contraband, was released on June 8, 2004, and, helped by the success of the single "Slither", debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 250,000 copies in the first week. Contraband went on to sell four million copies worldwide, 2.9 million of which were sold in the United States, and was certified 2x platinum by the RIAA. Both "Slither" and "Fall to Pieces" managed to peak at number one on the Mainstream Rock Chart as well as number 56 and 67 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. "Slither" also peaked at number one on the Modern Rock Chart and number 35 on the UK Singles Chart. The album's third single, "Dirty Little Thing", peaked at number eight on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Critically, the album was generally well-received. Despite being praised for its hedonism and maturity, critics noted a disconnection between "singer and band". Velvet Revolver won the Kerrang! Award for Best International Newcomer in 2004, and the following year they won the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy Award for "Slither". They also received a nomination for Rock Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards while "Fall to Pieces" was nominated for a Song of the Year/Rock Radio Radio Music Award. They recorded a new song entitled "Come On, Come In" for the movie Fantastic Four in 2005, which peaked at number 14 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. "Fall to Pieces" then re-entered the charts, peaking at number twenty-five on the Adult Top 40 the same year.

Velvet Revolver toured extensively for nineteen months in support of Contraband. They toured both the United States and Europe twice, while also performing in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. They performed at Live 8 and various festivals including Download Festival and Ozzfest. It was during the tour that the band members, with the exception of Kushner, began to relapse on alcohol and drugs. Though they managed to get clean in time for the recording of their new album, Slash felt that "[the band] lost [Weiland]" and "thought the overall spirit of everything was declining at that point."

Libertad and hiatus (2005–2008)

Weiland announced in 2005 that Velvet Revolver's next album would be titled Libertad and would be a concept album. When they started writing material, they decided against the concept idea. Initially, the band started working with producer Rick Rubin on the album. However, due to his methods, such as having a crew to do the work and engineering while only popping in occasionally, and due to the fact that he was also working with other bands at the same time, they decided against continuing with Rubin. At the suggestion of Weiland, Velvet Revolver began working with Brendan O'Brien. Slash stated that O' Brien "brought more than just discipline to the equation, he brought a musicality that stems from the fact that he plays guitar. bass and drums. At any given moment he could play along [the band] and it really helped the process." He also said that the "sessions were consistent, everyone was there, everyone contributed, and everyone appreciated what each player was doing" and that the "mutual participation surpassed the first Guns sessions." While writing for the album, Weiland believed that his band mates were going to reunite with Guns N' Roses when the band's manager was talking to Axl Rose about switching management companies, and were not going to record their second album. He was later convinced by the band that this was not the case.

Following the completion of the album, Velvet Revolver performed for and inducted Van Halen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Weiland and Slash speaking on the band's behalf, on March 12, 2007. The band played a medley of "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" and "Runaround". Shows in South American with Aerosmith followed in April. They released the EP Melody and the Tyranny on June 1 to serve as a precursor to the release of their new album, which featured two songs from Libertad, a cover of Talking Heads song "Psycho Killer" and a video documentary about the making of Libertad as well as a live video of the band performing "Do It for the Kids".

Libertad was released on July 3, 2007, peaking at number five on the Billboard 200. The album's first single "She Builds Quick Machines" peaked at 74 on the Hot Canadian Digital Singles. The second and third singles, "The Last Fight" and "Get Out the Door", both peaked at number 16 and 34 on the Mainstream Rock Chart, respectively. Critical reception to the album was mixed. Though some critics praised the album and felt that Libertad gave the band an identity of their own, outside of the Guns N' Roses and Stone Temple Pilots comparisons, others described the album as "bland" and noted that the band have still to gel with them "play[ing] to their strengths instead of finding a collective sound."

In support of Libertad, Velvet Revolver toured North America and Canada with Alice in Chains from August 2007 to October. They also performed at the Virgin Festival, Gods of Metal, and Download in 2007. A November tour of Japan was canceled after they were denied visas, and in 2008, a tour of Australia was postponed, due to health issues, and later canceled following Weiland's decision to voluntarily enter a rehab facility. On November 21, 2007, Weiland was arrested after crashing his car while driving on an L.A. highway. He was charged with driving under the influence of drugs with a prior conviction and later released on $40,000 bail. Velvet Revolver then toured both the US and the UK, as well as some European shows, on the Rock n' Roll as It Should Be tour from January 24 to April 1, 2008. They also played at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival on March 8 the same year. It was during the tour that Weiland "got back into his old ways", which started to take their toll on the rest of the band with the cancellation of the Australian tour seen as the "final blow".

On the UK tour, the band members never spoke with Weiland, with the exception of a few arguments around the stage. Tensions came to a head during Velvet Revolver's Glasgow show on March 20, 2008, where Weiland announced to the crowd that it was the band's last tour, unaware that the band were already planning on firing him. After Sorum posted a message about the show on his website, Weiland issued a statement through Blabbermouth.net in response, saying he "made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of [Velvet Revolver], but mainly, the likes of [Sorum]" and that "[the band] were a gang. But ego and jealousy can get the better of anyone." Slash later stated that it would not be Velvet Revolver's last tour. Weiland's departure was announced on April 1. Weiland also departed the cover band Camp Freddy, which also featured Sorum, and has since reunited with Stone Temple Pilots.

Velvet Revolver soon began recording new material before going on hiatus, while a number of singers were rumoured to be working with the band. Amongst them were Lenny Kravitz, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, Steve Isaacs formerly of Skycycle and The Panic Channel, Royston Langdon of Spacehog, Donovan Leitch of Camp Freddy, and Scars on Broadway guitarist Franky Perez, as well as previous auditonee Sebastian Bach. Slipknot and Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor unsuccessfully auditioned for the band, while Velvet Revolver invited both Myles Kennedy and Shooter Jennings to join. However, with Kennedy still in Alter Bridge and Jennings recording a new album, both turned the offer down. The band also approached their record label in June 2008, asking to be released from their recording contract to allow them "complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish" replacing Weiland. Sony BMG/RCA dropped the band from the label in November of the same year.

Hiatus activities (2008–2010)

McKagan reunited with previous band Loaded in 2008, releasing an EP entitled Wasted Heart the same year McKagan also released the band's second album, entitled Sick, in 2009. They completed the recording of their third album with producer Terry Date in 2010, and began collaborating with filmmaker and documentarian Jamie Burton Chamberlin on a film based on the album the same year. McKagan joined Jane's Addiction in March 2010, replacing founding bassist Eric Avery. However, his tenure with the band lasted only five months, with his departure from the band announced on September 6 of the same year.

Kushner began composing music for film and television. He co-wrote the theme song entitled "This Life" for FX series Sons of Anarchy, receiving an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music in 2009 and an ASCAP Award in 2010. In 2010, he and John O'Brien composed the music for the ABC drama series Detroit 1-8-7. He also contributed music to the films Four Christmases and Couples Retreat. Kushner also collaborated with Scars on Broadway guitarist Franky Perez, who had previously worked with Velvet Revolver, releasing songs under the pseudonym of DKFXP. One of the songs, "Beyond the Wire", was later used in the film Hisss, with the new title of "Beyond the Snake". The song featured vocals and lyrics by Shruti Haasan. In 2010, Kushner and Dave Navarro collaborated on a cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" to be used in a Hyundai commercial.

Sorum continued work on cover band Camp Freddy's debut album before guesting on Sammy Hagar's solo album Cosmic Universal Fashion. He also produced two songs, entitled "Are You Blind" and "Coming For You", for Los Angeles-based band, Drive A, in 2008. In 2010, Sorum formed the cover band Carnival of Dogs with Franky Perez, L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, and former Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Idol bassist Phil Soussan before going on to tour with Motörhead, temporarily filling in for drummer Mikkey Dee. He also began working with Cherie Currie, formerly of The Runaways, on her new solo album.

Slash worked on his solo album, writing and demoing songs before sending them to numerous singers and musicians. Recorded with producer Eric Valentine, Slash, released on March 31, 2010, featured a number of guests such as Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne, Myles Kennedy, and Fergie, among others. His band for the tour in support of the album consisted of Myles Kennedy, guitarist Bobby Schneck, and drummer Brent Fitz. It also included early Velvet Revolver audtionee Todd Kerns on bass. He also guested on Rihanna's album Rated R on the song "Rockstar 101", as well as Kennedy's debut solo album while also confirming that his next solo album would feature Kennedy as the sole vocalist.

Possible return and continued hiatus (2010–2011)

After running into one another on a flight to Las Vegas in February 2010, Slash stated he had "no issues" with Weiland and that he was excited to hear the new Stone Temple Pilots album, and also stated in May that, unlike the "Guns N' Roses situation", he and Weiland are still friends. Weiland also later stated that his time with the band was a "great experience until near the end" and that he "[does not] hold any resentment towards any of the guys in the band." Velvet Revolver soon began writing new songs and auditioning new singers, with Slash stating that "the new material is a lot heavier than what Velvet Revolver has put out, so [he is] dying to put out the quintessential Velvet Revolver record." Rumors quickly arose that Myles Kennedy was to be the new Velvet Revolver vocalist due to his collaborations with Slash. However, Slash confirmed that no effort was made to have Kennedy join the band. Kennedy also stated that while joining "Velvet Revolver [would] be enticing, [he made plans] and [his] plate is pretty full."

Slash, McKagan, and Sorum all contributed to the song "Kissed It" for the Macy Gray album The Sellout, which was released on June 22. Despite not featuring Kushner, the trio were credited as Velvet Revolver on the album. The band released their first concert DVD on November 16, entitled Live In Houston, which was filmed in 2005 while the band was touring in support of Contraband. The same month, Slash revealed that a "big name" singer is due to audition soon for Velvet Revolver, with more auditions also being held in December. Sorum revealed in December that the band were close to finding a new singer. They agreed on one person, describing him as "younger and stronger." Despite being positive, they plan to continue rehearsing with the singer in January before making a decision. In January 2011, it was revealed that the band had nine demos recorded, and was due to make a decision on their singer; Matt Sorum also revealed that the band was likely to release its next album before the end of 2011, so long as they find time to record together. In a video interview with Vintage Rock at NAMM 2011, Sorum stated that the rest of the band do not necessarily share his opinion of the "mystery singer." Previous auditionee Corey Taylor has been rumored to be the singer Velvet Revolver were working with. In an interview with Billboard, Taylor neither confirmed nor denied the rumor. In an online chat for ESPN, McKagan also stated that he "can neither confirm nor deny" that Taylor was the new singer though he later revealed in an interview with MusicRadar, that Velvet Revolver recorded songs with him. Slash later confirmed that Velvet Revolver was looking at Taylor as a possible replacement for Weiland. However, due to his solo tour, no decision was made. Slash has since stated that the band have not found a suitable singer, with the band continuing their hiatus for the next few years while members focus on other projects.

Musical style

Velvet Revolver's first album Contraband was described by Johnny Loftus of Allmusic as an "updated version of Guns N' Roses swagger behind Scott Weiland's glammy, elastic vocals." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly stated that "[a]nyone expecting Use Your Illusion III, though, will be in for a slight buzzkill" and that "[t]he songs suggest the pop grunge of Weiland's old band more than the careening overdrive of GN'R." A number of reviewers made some comparisons to the members previous bands with PopMatters reviewer David Powell stating that "Contraband is a pretty good record of unpretentious rock and roll that suffers from inevitable comparison with the best efforts of its parent bands." 

He went on to state that while Velvet Revolver's "heritage is evident on most of the songs", Contraband "improves with repeat listening, which is encouraging." With Velvet Revolver's second album Libertad seen the band's style change with the presence of producer Brendan O'Brien, noted by Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Erlewine also stated that "too often, there are concessions between Weiland and the others during the course of a song." Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly stated that Libertad is "feels both comfortingly familiar and vaguely exotic." Songs such as "Let it Roll" and "She Mine" seen some comparisons to The Doors, The Rolling Stones and The Stooges, noted by San Francisco Chronicle reviewer Jaan Uhelszki. The New York Post commented that "Slash's guitar riffs throughout this new record are as aggressive as a caged cat" and " singer Scott Weiland's vocals are crisp and controlled yet passionate."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS *****

Stone Temple Pilots, often abbreviated to STP, is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Robert DeLeo (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums, percussion). The band's early hard rock, grunge-reminiscent style of music found them immediate success in 1992 with the release of their debut album Core. Further releases from the band have shown a variety of influences, and as such the band is considered to transcend the genre barrier.

Core, certified 8× platinum by the RIAA, drove the band to popularity. STP went on to become one of the most commercially successful rock bands of the 1990s, selling nearly 40 million records worldwide, including 17.5 million units in the United States, before their dissolution in 2003. The band has had 16 top ten singles on the Billboard rock charts, eight of which peaked at #1, and one #1 album for Purple in 1994. That same year, the band won a Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for the song "Plush" from the album Core. Stone Temple Pilots were also ranked #40 on VH1'sThe 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

After Weiland's five-year stint as the frontman of Velvet Revolver and the DeLeo brothers' involvement with the Army of Anyone project, Stone Temple Pilots reunited in 2008 with a successful 75-date tour and the band's sixth studio album Stone Temple Pilots was released in 2010.

History

Formation and "Mighty Joe Young" demo (1986–1992)

Stone Temple Pilots can trace its beginnings to a Black Flag concert in Long Beach, California in 1986, where Scott Weiland met Robert DeLeo. They began discussing their girlfriends, and, after realizing they were dating the same woman, developed a bond. They each subsequently broke it off with the girl, who left town, whereupon Weiland and DeLeo moved into her vacated apartment. Immediately, Weiland and DeLeo formed a band with two of Scott's friends from Edison High School, Corey Hicock (guitar) and David Allin (drums). After Allin's departure, drummer Eric Kretz joined the band. Soon after, Robert DeLeo's brother, Dean DeLeo, decided to play guitar in the band replacing Hicock, completing the quartet. They then named their band Mighty Joe Young. The band recorded a demo tape that was completed around 1990.The "Mighty Joe Young" demo features tracks that would go on to be re-recorded for the band's first studio album, as well as some musical styles not featured on any of STP's albums, such as funk and yodeling.

The group then began to work on their debut album with Brendan O'Brien. During the recording, they received a call from their lawyer who informed them that there was a bluesman who had already claimed the name Mighty Joe Young. They liked the initials STP and eventually settled on the name "Stone Temple Pilots". Scott Weiland later said on The Howard Stern Show that the band's name was inspired by a carving in an ancient temple that depicts a man in a small flying ship, a reference to ancient aliens.

Early years and mainstream success (1992–1994)

Stone Temple Pilots built a fan base in San Diego clubs in order to steer clear of the Los Angeles corporate music scene and build up their technique and following in the clubs. In 1992, Stone Temple Pilots signed with Atlantic Records. Their first album,Core, was released on September 29, 1992, and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Albums Chart. Core was a big success, producing hits "Sex Type Thing," "Plush," "Creep", and "Wicked Garden." Despite hostile reviews from critics, Stone Temple Pilots continued to gain fans. They toured for four weeks, opening for Rage Against the Machine, and then played a 40-date tour supporting the heavy metal band Megadeth. 1993 brought continued success on the road, with the band headlining a two-and-a-half-month American tour. Around this time, Stone Temple Pilots also performed at benefits for pro-choice organizations.

Despite commercial success, the music press criticized the band as grunge imitators. Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote in a 1993 concert review, "The San Diego band has climbed onto the Seattle grunge bandwagon. Its slow songs, with heaving riffs and half-speed vocals, are second-rate Pearl Jam; for variety, there are some midtempo groans that imitate Nirvana." Weiland told Entertainment Weekly in 2008, "It was really painful in the beginning because I just assumed that the critics would understand where we were coming from, that these weren't just dumb rock songs."

In 1993, the band filmed an episode of MTV Unplugged, where they debuted the song "Big Empty." In a January 1994 Rolling Stone poll, the band was simultaneously voted Best New Band by Rolling Stone's readers and Worst New Band by the magazine's music critics. The following month the group won Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist and Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist at the American Music Awards. In March 1994, the group won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for the song "Plush."

In the spring of 1994, Stone Temple Pilots returned to the studio to work on their second album, Purple. Completed in less than a month, Purple debuted at number one in the United States upon its release on June 7, 1994. The radio-friendly "Interstate Love Song" quickly became a big hit, spending a record-setting fifteen weeks atop the album rock tracks chart. Other hits from the album included "Vasoline" and "Big Empty" (the latter also being featured on the soundtrack to the film The Crow). By October, just four months after its release, Purple had sold three million copies.

Legal troubles and Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1995–1996)

Although the band's success continued into 1995, it would not be a good year for the band. Two weeks of recording session work had to be scrapped in February, and in May, Weiland was arrested for possession of heroin and cocaine in Pasadena, California, when police found the illegal drugs in his wallet. Facing up to three years in prison, Weiland pled not guilty, and a trial date was set the next year.

Following Weiland's arrest, the Pilots separated. Weiland formed a temporary side unit called The Magnificent Bastards, which contributed a song to the movie soundtrack of Tank Girl and a cover song to a John Lennon tribute album. By October 1995, however, the band regrouped with Weiland to begin recording its third album, renting out a mansion in Santa Barbara, California for the band to live together during the recording process.

Stone Temple Pilots released their third album, Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop, on March 5, 1996. Fans again showed their support of the band when the album debuted at number four on the U.S. charts. Critical reception, however, was mostly mixed. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "None of it ... has a distinct personality." Rolling Stone was more favorable, regarding the release as the group's best effort to date. They expressed surprise, however, at "the clattering, upbeat character of the music" given Weiland's much-publicized run-ins with drugs and the law. Stone Temple Pilots were also featured on the cover of issue #753 in February 1997.

However, Weiland's drug addiction again became a serious obstacle to the band's success. The band was unsuccessful in being able to fully tour in support of Tiny Music.... A short tour in the fall of 1996 ensued in the U.S. but final dates at the end of December in Hawaii had to be cancelled. The band issued a statement saying that: "[Weiland] has become unable to rehearse or appear for these shows due to his dependency on drugs. He is currently under a doctor's care in a medical facility."

Weiland's entry into a drug rehabilitation program was not voluntary. In April 1996, he was ordered by a Pasadena judge to spend up to six months under 24/7 medical supervision. After Weiland completed five months in a drug treatment program, the charges of cocaine and heroin possession were dropped in October 1996. Weiland's 1996 stay in a rehabilitation center proved unsuccessful and in January 1997 he checked himself into another drug treatment center. This resulted in another canceled tour.

As a result of Weiland's personal issues, Stone Temple Pilots went on hiatus. The DeLeo brothers and Kretz formed Talk Show with a new singer, Dave Coutts, releasing one album in 1997. In 1998, Scott Weiland released his first solo album, 12 Bar Blues. After the commercial failure of both Talk Show and Weiland's solo album, Stone Temple Pilots reunited.

Later projects and separation (1997–2002)

The band released No. 4 in 1999. STP scored one of its biggest hits since the success of Core and Purple with the single "Sour Girl". Inspired by Weiland's failing relationship with his then wife, the single peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. The popular music video for "Sour Girl" featured actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. Shortly after No. 4's completion, Weiland was sentenced to a year in a Los Angeles county jail for violating probation, making a tour in support for the album impossible. Despite this setback, the album went on to become certified Platinum by the RIAA.

During the summer of 2001, the band released their fifth album, Shangri-La Dee Da, which produced two modest rock radio hits: "Days of the Week" and "Hollywood Bitch". The band began work on a sixth studio album in 2002 that reportedly would go back to their Core-era sound and planned on finishing it in January 2003, but when Dean DeLeo and Scott Weiland nearly got into a fistfight during the last show of Stone Temple Pilots' fall 2002 tour the band decided to separate.

Post-breakup and subsequent projects (2003–2007)

On November 11, 2003, Atlantic Records released a greatest hits album, Thank You, with a bonus DVD. The compilation included a previously unreleased single called "All in the Suit That You Wear". The bonus DVD included an acoustic performance of "Plush" filmed in 1992 on MTV's Headbanger's Ball.

That same year, Weiland joined the successful supergroup Velvet Revolver, composed of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Matt Sorum, and Duff McKagan, as well as former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner. The band released two albums with Weiland, Contraband (2004) and Libertad (2007).

The DeLeo brothers formed Army of Anyone with vocalist Richard Patrick, from the industrial rock band Filter, and drummer Ray Luzier. The band released its only album on November 14, 2006. Army of Anyone went on "indefinite hiatus" in May 2007 after Richard Patrick announced he was working on a new Filter album. Eric Kretz kept a low profile during this time, operating his own studio, Bomb Shelter Studios, and drumming for the band Spiralarms.

Reunion tour and self-titled album (2008–present)

According to Dean DeLeo, steps toward a Stone Temple Pilots reformation started with a simple phone call from Weiland's wife, Mary Forsberg. She invited the DeLeo brothers to play at a private beach party, which led to the reconciliation of Weiland and the DeLeo brothers. In 2007, Dean DeLeo and Weiland discussed a concert promoter's offer to headline several summer festivals. Despite clearing the brief tour with his Velvet Revolver bandmates, Weiland would be ostracized and, as a result, in the middle of a Velvet Revolver show on March 20, 2008, Weiland announced that it would be his last tour with the group.

The following month, Stone Temple Pilots announced they were reuniting for a 65-date North American tour. During one of these shows, Weiland hinted at a possible future album, stating that he had "lots of new songs in his head". Prior to the tour's start, Weiland was ordered by a court to serve an eight-day jail sentence on charges from the previous year for driving while intoxicated.

In June 2008, Atlantic Records filed a lawsuit against Weiland and Kretz for trying to end their contract to the label early. (The DeLeo brothers had been released from their contract in late 2003 for pursuing separate careers.) Although the band recorded six albums for the label, Atlantic wanted Stone Temple Pilots to record a seventh album, in addition to two more albums if the label decided to release the records. The band released a statement hoping for "negotiations to continue in a positive spirit rather than under a dark cloud of hostility."

Stone Temple Pilots toured throughout the summer and fall, headlining the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore on August 10, 2008, as well as the 10th annual Voodoo Experience in New Orleans on the weekend before Halloween. This marked one of their biggest and most successful performances since reforming. The band's six-month reunion tour wrapped on October 31, 2008 in Pelham, Alabama.

Scott Weiland released his second solo album, "Happy" in Galoshes, on November 25, 2008, and toured throughout 2009; this was his first solo tour since 1998.

Recording for the band's sixth studio album began in mid-2009. By June 2009, the band had written 18 songs, twelve of which were planned to be released on the album. The band performed at South by Southwest in March, debuting four new songs live, and also appeared at England's Download Festival 2010 in June, as well as at the Hurricane Festival and the Southside Festival in Germany. The band also performed during the Final Four Concert Series in Indianapolis on April 2, 2010. The band appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman for the first time in ten years on May 19, performing "Between the Lines." STP's self-titled sixth record was released on May 25, 2010, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200.

In September 2010, STP announced it was rescheduling several U.S. tour dates so that the band could take a "short break." This announcement came a few days after Weiland said the following at a show in Houston, Texas: "I started drinking again. My brother died, me and my wife got divorced, and my whole world basically spun around. So you know what? I'm going to take care of myself because that's what I need to take care of. Instead of just having a few shows, I want to have a whole hell of a lot of shows."

In October, after STP resumed its tour, Eric Kretz hinted at a possible seventh album for the band, stating: "We’re maybe looking at putting out another record next year or touring some more and trying new ideas of how to present music, especially for downloading."

In 2011, STP toured Southeast Asia for the first time, playing in Philippines (Manila), Singapore, and Indonesia (Jakarta). Following this, the band played successful shows in Australia, including sell out performances in Sydney and Melbourne. 

Musical style and influences

The band's sound is considered a blending of modern alternative rock and hard rock of the 1970s. While Core and Purple resembled a strong grunge-inspired sound, later albums would include elements of psychedelic rock, glam rock, bossa nova, and country. Dean DeLeo's trademark guitar sound is considered to be "crunchy" and especially distorted. DeLeo's playing has received critical acclaim, as Stone Temple Pilots' second album, Purple, was ranked number 73 on Guitar World magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar albums of all time. Stone Temple Pilots has covered several popular classic rock artists live and in the studio, such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, The Doors, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, as well as reggae artist Bob Marley.

Though critics initially claimed Weiland's vocal style to be similar to that of Eddie Vedder and the late Layne Staley, Weiland has said his vocal style is inspired by the late Jim Morrison of the Doors, and has also cited David Bowie as a major influence.

While mainly an alternative rock band, the band has incorporated a large number of musical styles throughout their career, including hard rock, psychedelic rock, jangle pop, and funk rock. Guitarist Dean DeLeo uses heavily layered and distorted guitar playing and bassist Robert DeLeo continues to draw influences from genres such as rhythm and blues, lounge music, and ragtime. Weiland is the band's primary lyricist.

PLACEBO **

Placebo are an alternative rock band formed in London in 1994, currently consisting of Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Forrest. To date, they have released six studio albums, six EPs and twenty-nine singles. The band have gained a considerable amount of international recognition, selling over one million albums in the UK and over ten million worldwide.

Placebo are best known for hit songs such as "Pure Morning", "Every You Every Me", "Infra-Red", and covers of The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" and Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill". Their style has varied greatly. The band's first album featured a raw sound and a fairly minimalistic instrumental lineup, but subsequent albums have had a slower, more melancholic tone, and they started experimenting with synthesizers and other, less traditional, forms of sound production (particularly after Black Market Music).

History

Formation (1994-1996)

Placebo were formed by singer/guitarist Brian Molko and bassist Stefan Olsdal. Earlier, both had attended the American International School of Luxembourg, but didn't cross paths properly until 1994 in London, England. At the time, Olsdal was taking guitar lessons and was on his way home, when he met Molko at the South Kensington tube station. Molko, observing that Olsdal had a guitar strapped to his back, invited Olsdal to watch him perform at a local bar. On the strength of Molko's performance, Olsdal decided that they should start a band.The two formed Ashtray Heart, a lo-fi duo, playing mostly on toy instruments. They wrote four songs, but decided to try out as a serious band and started to scout for a drummer.

Originally, the two were unable to decide on a drummer. Molko had some experience playing with Steve Hewitt, making him the ideal choice. However, Hewitt had prior commitments to the London band Breed, and only had time to play on occasional demos with Molko and Olsdal. This led Robert Schultzberg to assume the position of drummer when the band signed its contract with Caroline Records. Schultzberg had known Olsdal from boarding school in Sigtuna, Sweden as well as from an earlier Swedish band (Elevating Addiction) which they had both been members of.

As to the name "Placebo", Olsdal remarked in an MTV interview that it was chosen because of its Latin origins; “placebo” literally translates from Latin as “I will please". Frequently in interviews, Molko has stated that the name is a satirical reflection of the 1990s cliche of naming one's band after a drug, though Olsdal claims this was not the original motivation for naming the band "Placebo". When asked about naming a band, Molko said:

It’s a complex question to answer, really. As musicians you try to find a name for your band that represents you and you never really do, because, basically, names for bands lose their meaning after a while. They become a series of sounds that you associate with people in music. The most important thing for a name is that you can imagine forty-thousand people screaming it in unison.

Debut album, lineup change and glam connection (1996-1998)

Placebo's self titled debut album was released 16 July 1996 and was a major success, peaking at five on the UK Albums Charts at the height of the Britpop era. Placebo featured ten tracks (eleven including the hidden bonus track "Hong Kong Farewell"), their most popular being Nancy Boy. In 1998, Q Magazine readers voted the Placebo album the 87th greatest of all time. The band remastered and reissued the album on 18 September 2006 for its tenth anniversary.

Tension with Schultzberg began to rise. The band initially let him go in September 1995, but he was rehired to record the first seven inch single "Bruise Pristine". After an argument in August 1996, right before doing their first TV show, Molko decided that it would be best for the band if Schultzberg left. But Schultzberg suggested playing together until they finished the promotion of their first album, Placebo, and the band accepted.

Eventually, Schultzberg did indeed leave the band in September 1996, on a United States tour. Before going on stage for their first show in New York state, Olsdal informed Schultzberg that he wasn't going on the tour in Germany that was following the US one. At the manager’s request, Schultzberg did two more shows with the band in Paris after the US tour, the last of which was a performance on “Nulle Part Aillleurs”. Molko has said that he was "tired of being the focus of Robert’s rages against the world." While Schultzberg was with the band, several early works were recorded including their first 7" single "Bruise Pristine", the "Come Home" EP, the single version of "Nancy Boy" with B-sides "Slackerbitch", "Miss Moneypenny", The Smiths song "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and their eponymous debut album. On the track "I Know", Schultzberg played didgeridoo as well as drums. His departure left many fans disappointed, because the band switched to a softer sound in the following albums. In the same year, however, they were able to convince Hewitt to return to Placebo as their full-time drummer. Molko remembers: “Even at the beginning, Robert and I couldn’t be in the same room with each other without wanting to be violent."

In early 1996, Placebo opened several concerts for David Bowie in Italy, France, and Switzerland as part of his Outside Tour after he had only heard one of their demos. Bowie also invited the trio to play at his 50th birthday at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1997. The party also included luminaries such as Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Robert Smith of the The Cure, and Lou Reed.

The band's glam connections continued. In 1998, Placebo recorded a cover of T.Rex's "20th Century Boy" for the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack. The band also had minor roles in the film. Bowie made a special appearance on-stage with Placebo during a tour stop in New York. A version of the song "Without You I'm Nothing", which originally appeared on the album with the same name, featured a duet containing both Molko and Bowie. Placebo played "20th Century Boy" live with David Bowie at the BRIT Awards show in 1999.

Without You I'm Nothing and Black Market Music (1998-2003) 

In 1998, Placebo switched to the major label Virgin Records, and issued their album Without You I'm Nothing in November. It was another large seller in England and initially appeared to be the group's breakthrough in the US market, where MTV embraced the album's lead single "Pure Morning", but subsequent singles and videos failed to match the success of its predecessor.

The first two singles from Without You I'm Nothing, "You Don't Care About Us" and "Pure Morning", were the peak of their British success, both charting in the top ten. Since Without You I'm Nothing, the band have received less positive coverage from the British music press who, on occasion, have mocked the perceived pretension of front-man Molko. However, the band has retained a huge popular and critical following in continental Europe. By way of their English-accented fluent French front-man, France has become their first target market in Europe, which has led to them gaining a huge popularity there, even in excess of their British fan base.

The band's third album, Black Market Music, released in October 2000, added hip-hop and disco elements to their tense rock sound. A re-sequenced version released in the United States featured a slightly different track listing, adding the aforementioned Bowie version of "Without You I'm Nothing" and the band's cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You". The recording spawned additional UK hits such as "Taste in Men" and "Slave to the Wage".

Placebo encountered resistance from the British music industry upon release of the single "Special K" due to its reference of a ketamine high as a simile for love. The song was released in Australia as a single before eventually being made available in the UK as an EP featuring the B-sides and remixes that would have filled out a conventional two-disc single release. At the time the band claimed this was due to dissatisfaction with the two-disc single format, a claim somewhat undermined by their subsequent single releases all being made available in two-CD formats accompanied by a 7" vinyl.

Their style altered little from Placebo to Black Market Music, based around fairly straightforward guitar playing, often influenced by the style of 1970s British and American rock, and Molko's high-pitched vocals. The first single for the album, "Taste in Men", was one of their most popular, with a trance synthesiser in the background and wailing distorted guitars. Black Market Music did not receive the same level of long term recognition and media hype as Without You I'm Nothing did, but its peak sales outperformed those of its predecessor, in both the UK and France.

Sleeping With Ghosts and Once More With Feeling (2003-2006)

In spring 2003, Placebo showcased a harder edge with the release of their fourth album, Sleeping with Ghosts. The album went to number 11 in the UK and sold 1.4 million copies worldwide. Australian tour dates with Elbow and UK shows with Har Mar Superstar followed in 2004. Sleeping with Ghosts was more adventurous than Black Market Music, because it experimented with dance tunes, electronic music and a less rocky—more polished—guitar sound, though it kept the traditional sound for several songs, including the first single "The Bitter End".

In autumn of 2004, Placebo's singles collection, Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996-2004 was released (on both CD and as a DVD featuring the band's videos). The nineteen song compilation included their biggest UK hits and the new track "Twenty Years".

That same year, they played a one-night-only gig at Wembley Arena. In which, Robert Smith of The Cure made a guest appearance on two tracks, "Without You I'm Nothing" and a cover of the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry". This performance was to be their last UK gig until 2006. After the Wembley gig, Placebo went on a short Once More With Feeling tour in South America. On 2 July 2005, the group performed "Twenty Years" and "The Bitter End" at the Live 8 concert, at the Palais de Versailles in France (see Live 8 concert, Paris). Their 2006 tour of the UK sold out in one weekend.

There was a bit of controversy while the band was on their promotional South American Tour. As revealed on the Once More With Feeling DVD Extras, whilst on tour in South America, Placebo and Limp Bizkit played on the same evening. Trouble occurred when Placebo's manager would not let Fred Durst on stage as he did not recognise him and thought he was simply a fan trying to get an autograph. After eventually getting on stage, Durst began the chant "Placebo sucks". Later, Placebo's roadie Adam Okrasinski was charged with aggravated battery when he allegedly punched a member of Durst's entourage in an altercation that took place after the show between members of both band's camps. Charges were later dropped in lieu of community service.

Meds and lineup change (2006-2009)

In September 2005, the band finished the recording phase of Meds which was released 13 March (delayed in the US until 4 April). The first single on the new album to be released in the UK was "Because I Want You". "Song To Say Goodbye" was the first international single (released simultaneously with "Because I Want You"). The album was remastered from October to January. Two songs, recorded on the album, feature duets with American singers: "Meds" with Alison Mosshart of The Kills and "Broken Promise" with Michael Stipe of R.E.M.. Frenchman Dimitri Tikovoi (Goldfrapp, the Cranes) who mixed select songs on Once More with Feeling, produced Placebo's fifth effort. The band has stated that the album is an attempt to capture the feel of a first album, though the album has not forgotten many of the techniques used in their previous ones.

Meds was leaked over the Internet on 17 January 2006. The official release date of Meds was 13 March 2006, making the leak almost two months early. It was projected by the band's record label to potentially cause a very dangerous loss of profit upon the album's release. Nevertheless in most countries the album debuted relatively well, at #4 in Australia and #7 in the UK. The second single from Meds was "Infra-Red". It was released on 19 June 2006 in the UK.

In 2006, Placebo switched labels in the US to Astralwerks and re-released several revisions of their earlier works. In October their debut album Placebo was digitally remastered and re-released with the title "10th Anniversary Collectors Edition"; the box set also includes a DVD containing music videos, concerts and TV performances. Three additional songs: "UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU", "Lazarus", and "Running Up That Hill" were added to the US Version of Meds (and the song "In The Cold Light of Morning" was taken off of the album).

Placebo joined Linkin Park and various other acts for 2007's Projekt: Revolution tour. The tour is an annual event and, in 2007, Linkin Park decided to make the tour green by donating $1 of every ticket to American Forests through their charity Music for Relief.

In 2007, after the tour "Projekt: Revolution" had been scheduled, Virgin released the Extended Play '07 EP as a simple introduction for new fans to the band's past decade of music. The compilation features eight songs, namely: "Nancy Boy", "Every You Every Me", "Taste In Men", "The Bitter End", "Meds", "Pure Morning", "Infra-Red" and the cover "Running Up That Hill".

On 1 October 2007, Steven Hewitt left Placebo. Brian Molko commented "Being in a band is very much like being in a marriage, and in couples—in this case a triple—people can grow apart over the years. To say that you don't love your partner anymore is inaccurate, considering all that you've been through and achieved together. There simply comes a point when you realise that you want different things from your relationship and that you can no longer live under the same roof, so to speak." In mid-2008, the band acquired new drummer Steve Forrest. Hewitt went on to form his own band, Love Amongst Ruin, switching to guitar and singing lead vocals.

Molko gave two performances in 2008. The first was in late October, when he performed on the Serge Gainsbourg tribute show that was recorded and posted on the Internet; this was the only video of any Placebo member since Projekt Revolution ended in 2007. The second was with the rest of the band, when they gave one live performance in 2008, as part of an MTV Europe Foundation event, a campaign against human trafficking held in Angkor Wat in December 2008.

Placebo left EMI in 2008, but the label plans to release the complete Placebo recordings including all the studio albums, DVDs and B-Sides. Released on 8 June 2009 it holds ten discs.

Battle for the Sun (2009-present)

In January 2009, Placebo confirmed that they had finished working on the follow-up to 2006's Meds and planned to release it in June 2009. The full track list was announced on the band's website in March 2009. The album, Battle for the Sun, is the first to feature new drummer Steve Forrest. It was released on 8 June 2009, through the PIAS Entertainment Group. The album was recorded in Toronto, Canada, with producer David Bottrill.

The album's title track "Battle for the Sun" debuted on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 17 March 2009. Subsequently, it became available for free download on the band's official website. On the same day, they played a secret concert in London, performing some of the material from the album, including the tracks ‘Ashtray Heart’, ‘Julien’, ‘Kitty Litter’, ‘Speak in Tongues’ and ‘Devil in the Details’. In their review for the gig, Rock Sound wrote that the new album is a heavier-sounding record compared to its predecessor Meds, and recalls the atmosphere of ‘Without You I’m Nothing’. There are also string arrangements present on the new tracks.

The first single, "For What It's Worth", made its radio debut on 20 April 2009. It became available for download on iTunes and emusic from 12:00am GMT on 21 April 2009, and the video for the single premiered on Myspace at the same time. It was physically released on 1 June 2009.

In May 2009, Placebo went on to perform three concerts in the United Kingdom, at relatively intimate venues in Sheffield, Bournemouth and London, before departing to the 2009 summer festival season in Europe and Asia. Unveiling the new album with a full track-by-track rundown, Molko told the Scottish News of the World's A-Listed magazine: "It feels like a new beginning...we're reinvigorated, refreshed and ready to take on the world."

On 13 May 2009, the band's official website, "Placeboworld", was launched in a revamped version with more interactive features and an online shop. From 29 to 31 May 2009, Placebo streamed the new album on their official website. Fans signed up for the official mailing list received a unique code for logging in to 5 listenings of the album in its entirety.

In July 2009, Placebo - "Every You Every Me" was voted #83 in Triple J Hottest 100 of all time, voted by the Australian public.

On 5 November 2009, Placebo won the MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Alternative.

In December 2009, Placebo released iTunes Live: London Festival '09, a live album recorded at the iTunes Festival at The Roundhouse, Camden, on 14 July 2009. The album contains 19 live songs and a digital booklet. It is only currently available through the iTunes Store.

Following the summer festival season (and a cancellation of the American tour), Placebo went on a series of arena-sized concerts across Europe, in October–December 2009. That leg of the tour culminated in a concert in London's O2 Arena which was Placebo's largest gig ever in the United Kingdom. In February–April 2010, they toured Southeast Asia, Australia and South America.

The final leg of the tour has seen Placebo play Israel and Lebanon, before returning to Europe for a series of festivals and featured concerts. All Placebo concerts have not been hugely successful though; in Thessaloniki (September 2010), Greece, the band performed a mere 50 minutes show, sparking boos from a crowd of thousands.The last shows of the tour took place in London's Brixton Academy on 27–28 September 2010, coinciding with the release of the last album's Redux Edition.

Molko and Olsdal both stated on various occasions that they are working on material for the next studio album.

Style and songwriting

Influences

Due to their penchant for androgynous attire/makeup and raw guitar riffs, Placebo have been described by some as a glam version of Nirvana. The multi-national band were influenced by the likes of David Bowie, Sonic Youth, the Pixies, Depeche Mode, the Cure and Nirvana.

Humanity and emotions

Placebo is known for addressing various emotional issues, primarily regarding failed romantic relationships. In general, their intent is to address "the human condition". Often the roles that Molko takes on in Placebo's songs are based on the experiences, and corresponding psychological sicknesses, of both himself and others whom he is acquainted with. When addressing Placebo's second album, Without You I'm Nothing, Molko said:

Most of these are love songs where I'm trying to come to grips with relationships. They're frequently told from the point of view of ex-lovers, so at first it may seem like I'm being arrogant, but actually I'm eating humble pie. I'm cutting open a vein and letting it bleed for you.

Molko has stated that the album Battle for the Sun is more optimistic than its predecessors.

Their name draws attention to the psychological aspect of humanity because it refers to an inactive substance that contains no medication and is prescribed to reinforce a patient's expectation to get well, so any reaction at all is purely psychological (see placebo effect). In other words, there is a tacit reference to the fact that one's reaction to something can be completely determined by a psychological predisposition, which justifies Placebo's heavy emphasis on the topic.

Drugs

Molko has been open about his use of recreational drugs; in a 1997 interview with New York Doll, he admitted at one point that heroin was "probably the only drug on this planet I haven’t tried." However, he later admitted to experimenting with heroin as well. The band holds that the drug references within their music reflects the nature of current times, and the removal of such references would deteriorate the meaningfulness of their work. He has also spoken openly about his use of cocaine, particularly in sessions with former BBC television presenter Frank Bough at the latter's country home in Wiltshire.