Scott Weiland To Spend Eight Days Staring At Prison Walls

04/29/08 5:00pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

April hasn't been kind to Scott Weiland. Although a high note came when he and his reunited Stone Temple Pilots bandmates announced a North American summer tour, Weiland (real name Scott Richard Kline) was booted from his gig as Velvet Revolver's singer, which led to a feud with Velvet Revolver guitarist and former Guns 'N Roses axe man Slash. Now Weiland is headed to jail for the second time.

Weiland was sentenced to 192 hours (eight days) of prison time after he pled no contest on Monday to a misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol with a prior conviction. The 40-year-old singer was arrested last November after a collision on a Los Angeles on-ramp for which he was at fault. According to an arrest report, Weiland was visibly impaired when police arrived at the scene and police "administered a series of field sobriety tests to the driver, which he was unable to satisfactorily perform." He also apparently refused to submit a urine or blood test when arrested.

In addition to his jail time, Weiland will be placed on four years probation, must complete an 18-month alcohol program and must pay almost $2,000 U.S. in fines. Weiland has until May 28 to serve his jail sentence. He'll presumably want to do it before May 17, which is when STP's North American tour begins.

This isn't Weiland's first no contest DUI plea. In October 2003, before joining Velvet Revolver, he was arrested on his birthday after a traffic collision in Hollywood. He was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, pled no contest and was ordered to complete a six-month drug program.

While on tour supporting his 1998 solo album, 12 Bar Blues, Weiland was caught buying heroin and sentenced to almost a year in prison since he had repeatedly violated probation terms and had a previous conviction on his record. Weiland hasn't just had problems with heroin. He was convicted of buying crack in 1995. His drug abuse led to the cancellation of most of the Stone Temple Pilots tour for their third album, Tiny Music… Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop.

Weiland recently told radio shock jock Howard Stern that he's working with producer and recording engineer Steve Albini (The Breeders, Nirvana) and No Doubt drummer Adrian Young on his second solo album. The Stone Temple Pilots may also record a new album after their summer tour, which will make these Canadian stops:

June 21 Calgary, AB @ Fort Calgary (Virgin Festival)
July 10 Quebec City, QC @ Quebec City International Festival
July 11 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
July 12 Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park (Edgefest)
Aug. 30 Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place