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Scott Weiland, Iconic Rock Singer and Bay Area Native, Dead at 48

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Musician Scott Weiland poses for a portrait during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

UPDATED: Dec. 4, 1:16pm

Scott Weiland, the rock singer known around the world for his work with Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died Thursday night. He was 48.

Described by Rolling Stone as having a “instantly recognizable, iconic voice,” Weiland apparently died in his sleep. He was found dead on his tour bus while his band the Wildabouts were stopped in Bloomington, Minn., according to his Facebook page.

Weiland was born Richard Scott Kline on Oct. 27, 1967 in San Jose, Calif. His parents divorced two years later. His mother then married David Weiland, who adopted Scott and gave him a new last name.

Weiland would co-found Stone Temple Pilots in 1986 in Southern California, going on to rule alternative radio in the ’90s with songs such as “Plush,” “Vaseline” and “Creep.” After breaking with the band in 2002, Weiland formed Velvet Revolver with former members of Guns ‘n’ Roses. He would play and record with Velvet Revolver until their breakup in 2008. Between the years of 2008 and 2012, Weiland would reunite with both groups, while also releasing albums under his own name, including a Christmas album titled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Blaster, his first album with the Wildabouts, was released earlier this year; he was scheduled to perform with the band Dec. 19 in Napa.

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Though there have been no verified reports on the cause of death — those details are expected to be released Friday — Weiland had a long, public battle with drug addiction, beginning with his arrest for buying crack cocaine in 1995.

Update: Rolling Stone reports that after responding to his death, police found a small quantity of cocaine in Weiland’s room on the Wildabouts tour bus. Further searches led to the discovery of more cocaine in the room of Wildabouts bassist Tommy Black, 47, who was arrested for possession of the controlled substance.

Also, Weiland’s former band the Stone Temple Pilots have released a statement on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stpband/posts/10153636913457906

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