More Details Surface in Stone Temple Pilots’ Lawsuit Against Scott Weiland
Stone Temple Pilots took legal action against their former frontman Scott Weiland on Friday (May 24) and now additional details of the suit have come to light. The group claimed that Weiland attempted to sabotage their 20th Anniversary tour as well as their plans to continue their livelihood with Linkin Park's Chester Bennington as their frontman and they've asked for a court ruling to stop Weiland's interference with their career.
The Hollywood Reporter has gained a copy of the lawsuit, which can be seen here, and in it, the suit reveals several more key details about the ownership of the band's name and the group's ability to support their case. As part of the Stone Temple Pilots partnership agreement, initially signed in 1992 and repeatedly signed in the years since, the group owns and controls the rights to the Stone Temple Pilots name, trademark, copyrights, logos and artwork.
The STP partnership agreement states that the band name is the exclusive property of the partnership, not any of the individual members. The band also agreed that former members cannot use the Stone Temple Pilots name or refer to themselves as "former members of STP."
The band, who cited Weiland's tardiness and missing several shows as part of the reason they fired him, have a clause in their agreement that states a member can be fired for "grossly negligent performance or failure of performance of material duties, repeated late or non-appearances at concerts, death or disability, and similar serious misfeasance, malfeasance and failure of performance."
The legal document also states that all members must make the band their "first priority," and by Weiland's continued absence and tardiness, cutting off communication and launching a solo tour using the band's material, he was violating the partnership agreement. The agreement also states that "fraudulent conduct and intentional misrepresentation of assets of the STP Partnership would be grounds for expulsion." The group claims that Weiland used the band's name in publicity and sold the tour based on performing Stone Temple Pilots' material.
Then, after using Stone Temple Pilots to promote himself, Weiland attempted to thwart the remaining band members from doing the same by falsely suggesting that promotion of the band's new single and performances with Bennington were infringing upon his rights. As such, the band is seeking monetary damages and declaratory and injunctive relief to keep Weiland from profiting at the band's expense.