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Regrouped Stone Temple Pilots at The Signal on May 22

Photo by Michelle Shiers / Rock band Stone Temple Pilots held a global search for a new vocalist, choosing 30 singers to audition from more than 15,000 online submissions from hopeful singers. New singer Jeff Gutt didn't submit an online tape, but was referred to the band through word of mouth.
Photo by Michelle Shiers / Rock band Stone Temple Pilots held a global search for a new vocalist, choosing 30 singers to audition from more than 15,000 online submissions from hopeful singers. New singer Jeff Gutt didn't submit an online tape, but was referred to the band through word of mouth. Photo by Michelle Shiers / Rock band Stone Temple Pilots held a global search for a new vocalist, choosing 30 singers to audition from more than 15,000 online submissions from hopeful singers. New singer Jeff Gutt didn't submit an online tape, but was referred to the band through word of mouth.

By Dave Gil de Rubio 4 min read

If you go

› What: Stone Temple Pilots› Where: The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St.› When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 22› Admission: $35 in advance, $40 day of show› For more information: 423-498-4700

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the demise of Stone Temple Pilots has been greatly exaggerated. However, you can’t really blame anyone for thinking that, given the tragedies that have befallen the band’s two former singers. Founding member Scott Weiland died of an overdose in 2015, while successor Chester Bennington left the band amicably to return to Linkin Park, only to commit suicide last year.

After an exhaustive 18-month search for a new vocalist, STP went with Jeff Gutt, former frontman for Dry Cell and a contestant on the reality television competition “The X Factor.” Gutt’s connection with STP was more happenstance, despite the fact the trio had been searching the globe for a new singer, according to guitarist and founding member Dean DeLeo.

“We did that whole worldwide submission thing,” DeLeo explained. “I know everybody put in a lot of time behind the computer going through submissions, not only once, but I went through them twice. I have well over 100 hours clocked behind my computer. It was a lot and the payoff was grim.

“You go through 20 [tapes] and you find one that’s maybe worth going back to and checking out,” DeLeo said. “So, it was a lot of work and Jeff didn’t even submit to that. Robert (DeLeo, bassist) was out with (his side band) the Hollywood Vampires and somebody approached him after the show about this local guy named Jeff. Robert called me the next morning and told me to check this cat out. Jeff came [to us], we played and he was great.”