Scott Weiland died on Dec. 3 at the age of 48. He was known to most of us as a standout yet troubled singer who notably fronted Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. He was touring with his band The Wildabouts when he died.
Ex-wife Mary Forsberg Weiland had two children with Weiland, and she wrote a letter filled with impressions of him as a father that was posted Monday on rollingston.com. In 2010, Forsberg released a book, “Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Mental Illness,” about their life together.
In the letter, she writes that it is “the final step in our long goodbye to Scott,” as she details a separation between Weiland and his children in recent years.
Weiland married photographer Jamie Wachtel in June of 2013.
The introduction to Forsberg’s letter notes that she penned it with the help of her children with Weiland, Noah, 15, and Lucy, 13.
She is critical of the music industry, saying Dec. 3 “was the last day he could be propped up in front of a microphone for the financial benefit or enjoyment of others” — while taking to task the public’s complicity in his personal struggles.
Forsberg writes:
“We don’t want to downplay Scott’s amazing talent, presence or his ability to light up any stage with brilliant electricity. So many people have been gracious enough to praise his gift. The music is here to stay. But at some point, someone needs to step up and point out that yes, this will happen again — because as a society we almost encourage it. We read awful show reviews, watch videos of artists falling down, unable to recall their lyrics streaming on a teleprompter just a few feet away. And then we click ‘add to cart’ because what actually belongs in a hospital is now considered art.”
