WEEKLY MUSIC NEWS

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SCOTT WEILAND Busted For Driving Under The Influence - Oct. 29, 2003

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and misdemeanor hit-and-run following a traffic collision that occurred in Hollywood Monday morning, BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal.

The singer, who turned 36 on Oct. 27, was driving alone near the corner of Melrose and Orange avenues at approximately 6:30 a.m. when he lost control of his BMW and struck several parked cars. He allegedly attempted to leave the scene of the accident and was quickly apprehended by police.

Weiland was released from jail Monday afternoon after posting $15,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles Municipal Court on November 17.

Prior to his latest arrest, Weiland had completed most of the drug testing and counseling required after he pleaded no contest in August to two felony drug-possession charges. Judge Colette Serio told the singer in a Pasadena, California, court last week that he may remain free while he tries to kick his habit, but that could change should he not test clean. He was due back in court for another progress report in January.

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Pearl Jam welcomed a host of famous musical friends on stage last night (Oct. 28) in Santa Barbara, Calif., at a benefit for the Louis Warschaw Prostate Cancer Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The group was joined by its former drummer Jack Irons, singer/songwriter Jack Johnson, veteran guitarist Lyle Workman, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, and Soundgarden/Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell for a rare reunion of the pre-Pearl Jam combo Temple Of The Dog.





"We didn't invite any of the sh***y friends," Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder joked during the first portion of the show, which featured acoustic renditions of the Ramones' "I Believe in Miracles" alongside the group's own "Immortality," the unreleased "Fatal" and the new song "Man of the Hour."

After Workman's appearance on Johnny Cash's "25 Minutes To Go," Pearl Jam ditched the unplugged format. Irons took over the drum kit for "In My Tree" and "Hail, Hail," two older songs clearly influenced by his style. Johnson dueted with Vedder on the whimsical "Soon Forget" and then remained on stage for "Better Man."

But the biggest surprise came in the form of Cornell, who was first granted a two-song solo acoustic set of "Can *article wasn't complete*


-- Jonathan Cohen, L.A.

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NINE INCH NAILS' DANNY LOHNER Offers Update On TAPEWORM Project - Oct. 30, 2003

NINE INCH NAILS man Danny Lohner has spoken to Metal Hammer magazine about his TAPEWORM project, the semi-mythical supergroup that has, in five or so years since its inception, featured contributions from NIN mastermind Trent Reznor, A PERFECT CIRCLE/TOOL frontman Maynard Keenan and PANTERA's Phil Anselmo.

According to Lohner, the band has undergone a complete metamorphosis after he discarded all the old material and replaced it with a more focused sound as well as the four key members. The group is now made up of Lohner, Reznor, Keenan and ex-12 ROUNDS drummer Atticus Ross. The group was originally set to mix an album last Christmas. However legal disputes over Reznor and Keenan being signed to different labels have once again put the project on hold. At least, until after Lohner has completed his current NIN duties.

"I've gotta get back with Trent and figure out when we can actually do it," Lohner explained. "We have very little work to do to finish it"

Although he reckoned "musically it's hard to describe," Lohner said TAPEWORM is "fairly well rounded with lots of different instrumentation — the things you've come to expect from the NIN camp but not strictly a guitar tock thing. With Maynard and Trent working together on the vocals there's been a lot of attention given to having hooky, anthemic choruses."

With regards to the eagerly awaited new NINE INCH NAILS album, Lohner said it is likely to be completed by the end of the year, followed by a world tour shortly after. Whetting fans' appetites, he said. "The new material is much more stripped down and raw than 'The Fragile'. It's like the antithesis of the last record, it's much more immediate, direct and aggressive."