Scott Weiland "Terminated" From Stone Temple Pilots, Threatens to Sue

USMagazine, Thursday, February 28, 2013, 2:45pm (PST)

Scott Weiland was as surprised by his "termination" from Stone Temple Pilots as everyone else. After the rock band released a statement announcing Weiland had been given the pink slip on Wednesday, Feb. 27, the lead singer fired back.

In their initial press release, the band simply stated, "Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland."

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But the "official" termination was news to Weiland, 45. "I learned of my supposed 'termination' from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press," he said in a statement later that same day (via Rolling Stone). "Not sure how I can be 'terminated' from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that's something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing all of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday."

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STP was formed in the late 1980s with guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz. Weiland left the band in 2002 and formed Velvet Revolver with Slash, Dave Kushner, Duff McCagan and Matt Sorum. He reunited with STP in 2008, and the group released their self-titled album in 2010.

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Weiland denied rumors he was fired to Rolling Stone on Tuesday, shortly before the official announcement was made. "STP has not broken up," he said. "I haven't quit. I haven't been fired."

"No one has ever fired anybody in STP," he added at the time. "We're like a family. It's also a partnership. I started the band. We've always kept things going. We've taken time off before. They've done their own projects and I fully support that. No one has been fired and I haven't quit. That's all hearsay."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Scott Weiland "Terminated" From Stone Temple Pilots, Threatens to Sue