Just when you thought the '90s rock scene was threatening to re-emerge with a vengeance, take a deep breath and relax, for your fears are unwarranted. This week, things took a turn for the worse for fans of stalwarts such as Stone Temple Pilots, Sugar Ray and even our beloved No Doubt. We'll address each issue one-by-one.
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For the better part of thepast two decades, Stone Temple Pilots have
had more drama than albums. For starters, depending on the week, it was
impossible to know whether 1) Scott Weiland was still in the
band, 2) if he was in the band, were they still making music, 2a) if he
was still in the band, was he in or out of rehab and 3) if he wasn't in
the band, were the DeLeo brothers touring without him?
Well, for better
or worse, those confusing elements were answered this week when Weiland,
who claimed in December he was open to rejoining Velvet Revolver, was
allegedly fired again, despite the singer's claims to the contrary. The
whole thing is pretty confusing for a band who haven't been relevant in more than a decade, right? No matter how you cut it, this would have been big
news when it first happened . . . in 1997.
If fans thought the news of Stone Temple Pilots' demise was bad, they couldn't help but snicker at hearing news from the opposite end of the '90s spectrum. While STP at least had some staying power and multiple hits, Mark McGrath and Sugar Ray did not. Yes, they had a couple of hits, but McGrath is better as the co-host of Extra (thankfully) nowadays. When he announced his intentions to turn last year's painfully nostalgic Summerfest into a cruise adventure in October, it was met with laughs, gasps and outright disbelief. Naming the bands would be a fruitless exercise in naming bands whose best days passed years ago, but the Mark McGrath & Friends Cruise was canceled this week, albeit not for the reason one would think.
Citing the recent Carnival ship incident on the high seas, McGrath took to Twitter to explain the cancellation to fans (apparently there's a market for this stuff, and it's not in an ironic way) who already booked rooms. In one man's eyes, he did everyone a favor, though it's easy to understand why some saps would be upset.
After hearing all of that negativity, it's time for some good news. Though they've canceled their upcoming tour dates, which will make some fans upset, No Doubt will be going back into the studio to record a follow-up to last year's Push and Shove. In the Tim Burton version of Batman, Jack Nicholson's Joker says, “You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs,” and that holds true for the fans who won't be able to see the band live, at least for now. There's no doubt the band will hit those cities on another tour, but for now, it's to the greater fan base's advantage they aren't taking 12 years to release another album. So, for now, sorry disappointed fans; when Gwen tells you she's inspired to write and record new music with the fellas, you overwhelmingly say, “YES!” instead of getting bummed out.
That's this week's installment for '90s news.
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Daniel Kohn is a writer based in Southern California. With bylines in an assortment of outlets, Kohn primarily specializes in music with other interests ranging from sports to food. As a transplant, Kohn loves the beautiful weather and is glad he no longer has to deal with brutal winters. If you see him, say hi and of course, he’s always willing to down a beer or two…if you’re paying.