I don't know why I was on the short list of people Scott Weiland talked to before his new tour kicks off, but I can say that I'm honored and happy that he's still around playing music. Stone Temple Pilots meant a lot to me back in the '90s. Their music got me through some very difficult times. College life was more fun knowing that bands like STP existed. Although I didn't connect to any of the members personally, I was grateful that they constantly evolved and continued to make great music.

For the majority of the past 20 years I have been a fan that's purchased STP's bootleg CDs, concert tickets and band T-shirts. I've watched Weiland change visually and musically over time with STP, Velvet Revolver, solo and now with the Wildabouts. But the change was never short of conflict.

Weiland has always seemed to find a way into the news. Battles with his bandmates, drugs and legal issues have made him more of an enigma than a musician, but he continues to stand like a prize fighter going into the last round of a title fight.

In some ways it's surprising that Weiland is only 45 years old. Then again, I can't believe it was 1993 that I first saw Stone Temple Pilots play the Riverside Theater and again at Summerfest. Ten years ago if I were told that I would be interviewing a sober Weiland a full decade later I would have laughed, but as time goes on people change even though the perception is that they stay the same person. Weiland is perceived to be someone that can not change, but as he has proven before, he keeps bouncing back from adversity.

It's fitting that the tour Weiland and The Walkabouts is on is called the "Purple At The Core" tour. The name refers back to STP's first two CDs, but the color purple could very well refer to royalty. To say Weiland isn't rock royalty would disregard what he's been a part of for the last 20 years and I am not willing to do that or put aside my collection of STP and Velvet Revolver for one-hit wonder bands that lack depth and substance.

You can see Weiland perform music from his extensive catalog on Aug. 8, at Austin's Fuel Room in Libertyville, Ill.

In today's Kramp Cast Weiland speaks candidly about being let go from Stone Temple Pilots, how the band got its start, what it was like for him to hear his music on the radio for the first time and his love for the pit bulls that he rescued several years ago. Enjoy!