As Pulse of Radio and this blog have been reporting for months one of the biggest stories in rock this year has been Stone Temple Pilots firing singer Scott Weiland and replacing him with Linkin Park‘s Chester Bennington. While STP, Bennington and even Weiland have all spoken out about the lineup change, the other members of Linkin Park are only now starting to talk. We asked frontman Mike Shinoda how Bennington has handled the situation with his bandmates: “He’s been so awesome about it. I mean, he asked us for our blessing before he did anything. You know, he sent the nicest emails back while he was out there on the road. He was so inspired to do that tour with them and to record some music with them. Chester has always loved that music and loved all those guys, so it was a really fun thing for him to do.” Linkin Park DJ Joe Hahn told Rolling Stone, “In high school we grew up listening to Stone Temple Pilots. For us these are the deities of rock. They’re up there, so if someone asks you to do that, you just do it. Chester is such a great singer and for him to have the opportunity to go and sing with other people, we’re appreciative of them for asking Chester to do it.” Hahn added, “(Chester)’s definitely a person that has a lot of stuff inside of him, and you can tell by watching him perform it’s there and it needs to come out. You can’t do that on one album — those 12 songs in two years.” Bennington just completed his first tour with STP and will make his recording debut with the group on an upcoming EP, High Rise, which is due out on Oct 8th. Meanwhile, Linkin Park recently released a collaborative track with electronic artist Steve Aoki called “A Light That Never Comes.” The tune is taken from the new video game, LP Recharge, which features characters and missions designed by the band. “A Light That Never Comes” is set to appear on Linkin Park’s upcoming new remix album, Recharged, which is out Oct 29th. The disc will feature new remixes of tracks from the band’s last record, 2012’s Living Things….My friends over at Loudwire got a hold of a new Seether tune, the 2nd to appear on the band’s greatest hits cd, Seether 2002-2013, called “Safe To Say I’ve Had Enough.” It rocks. Bassist Dale Stewart said the tune is “one of the first songs we’ve recorded in a long time, long for Seether at least. I think it’s a glimpse of things to come from us. Bands and music slowly evolve over time. Safe to say we’re having fun and enjoying making the music we love.” In addition to “Safe To Say I’ve Had Enough,” the 27-song Seether 2002 – 2013 2-disc package will include two other new tracks.One of those, “Seether,” is the first single and a cover of Veruca Salt‘s 1994 hit song from which the band got its name. Look for the set Oct 29th. “Safe To Say…” was produced by Brendan O’Brien, with whom the group will keep working when it begins recording its next all-new album early next year. To promote the new collection, Seether will embark on a semi-acoustic, “Storytellers”-type tour this fall billed as “An Intimate Night with Seether.” Meanwhile, the band is hard at work on writing their next album they hope to have out by mid 2014….Soundgarden are having their first two releases reissued by their original label, Sub Pop. On Nov 26th, look for two EPs, Screaming Life and Fopp…. Seems that I know too many rock stars lately who have been in legal issues with their contractors! I remember for YEARS Aaron Lewis of Staind was battling with contractors who allegedly messed up his home, Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge is currently in a legal battle with his, and now Van Halen‘s Eddie Van Halen is suing a contractor who botched a remodeling project at his Los Angeles home, according to TMZ. The lawsuit was filed on Monday (Sep 30th) and claims Troy Builders Group was hired five years ago for a remodeling and construction project on Van Halen’s home. But shoddy workmanship led to poor drainage, a leaky roof and chimney and badly installed gutters, which resulted in water getting into the house. The court documents state Eddie spent one million dollars to have the damage repaired, including mold damage to the house and — get this — its elevator shaft. Van Halen is suing the contractor for that amount plus interest. Hey, I know many people who have elevator shafts in their homes. When you got the dough, you can have one too! Especially when you get older, it comes in handy! ;> ….Let’s give a big birthday cheer to Mr Jim Root of Slipknot and Stone Sour who turns 42 today! Sting is 62 and famed celebrity photog (worked with her at Rolling Stone back in the day) Annie Liebowitz is 64.
