10

More Than Just The Swagger

Like a bad yet engrossing episode of VH1’s Behind The Music, Scott Weiland’s personal life has been a well documented rollercoaster of unbelievable highs and often than not, dismal lows that would have left anyone else lending the grave digger a hand to dig their own resting place; one things for certain things are never dull for Mr Weiland. A member of two multi selling bands, Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, Weiland’s music has sometimes taken a backseat to his personal life, nudged out of the way by his inner demons, at least until now. A decade after his first solo offering, Weiland is back to show all that there is more to this rock star than tabloid tales and misdemeanours; after all once you get rid of the stories what we’re ultimately left with is a guy who knows just how to rock.

Still strutting with the cock sure swagger of a rocker who has seen it all, done it all and taught the youngsters just how they are going wrong, Weiland’s ‘Happy:In Galoshes’ lives up to the whole Weiland persona, nothing is done in half measure right down to the double CD offering as the classic hard rock vibes of the likes of ‘Missin Cleveland’ nestle amidst funk fuelled shimmies (‘Big Black Monster’), no stone it would seem has been left unturned in Weiland’s latest outing. Sure, each track may shine with the essence of classic rock blustering bravely throughout, but that’s not to say that Weiland is a one trick pony, ‘Happy:In Galoshes’ may boast trademark Weiland moves and sounds but there is more to be enjoyed in each track from the banjo glamness of ‘Tangle With Your Mind’ as it stomps infectiously to the Bowie-esque mind trip of ‘She Sold Her System’. Ultimately though it is the brutal truthfulness and uncompromised emotion of ‘Archangel’ that will strike a chord with all, refusing to leave until every hair on the back of your neck is standing to attention as Weiland heartbreakingly provides a tenderly poignant elegy to his late brother, bringing ‘Happy:In galoshes’ to an emotion-filled conclusion.

For Stone Temple Pilot fans and Velvet Revolver fanatics, ‘Happy:In Galoshes’ may leave them feeling far from happy; the classic Weiland vibe is certainly present in his solo work but this is far from a full rock out affair. Weiland has simply done what every artists wishes they could do, he has put out the album he wanted to make, not pandering to the demands of radio stations as he strives to get air play and as such ‘Happy:In Galoshes’ is openly refreshing and unflinchingly honest. Perhaps there is more of his personal life here than initially meets the eye.