Former Guns N’ Roses members sought singer

In 2002, former Guns N’ Roses members – guitarist Slash , bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum – as well as former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner were looking for a singer to help form a new band. Throughout his career, Weiland had become acquainted with the four musicians; he became friends with McKagan after attending the same gym, was in rehab at the same time as Sorum and once played on the same bill as Kushner. Weiland was sent two discs of material to work with but felt that the first disc “sounded like Bad Company gone wrong”. Weiland was more positive when he was sent the second disc, comparing it to Core -era Stone Temple Pilots, though he turned them down because Stone Temple Pilots had not yet separated.