Well, for one, because he's a pathetic piece of trash who makes donations to a "charity" that's actually just his late brother's family. Also, because he seems to have been caught lip-syncing last month. Oh, and because I once saw him, presumably high as a kite, cradle his crotch in an American flag, wearing it like a diaper, for an off-key encore. That little stunt was two months after 9/11, mind you, long before patriotism got cheesy again.
Lastly, because of Tiny Music: Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop, which I think Pitchfork's reviewer let off a little too lightly by giving it a generous 0.8 and describing the record as containing only "lousy, repetitive riffs, wimpy lyrics, and a drug-addled sonofabitch that should have OD'ed a long time ago."
They mean "a long time ago" in 1996, mind you.
ANYWAY, the other day I gently mocked a Weiland-themed fashion show at Dillard's in Scottsdale on Friday. Scott will be signing autographs before models -- presumably those of the Heroin Chic variety -- show off his new clothing line, The Scott Weiland Collection by English Laundry.
This prompted an angry e-mail from Chris Detert, the CEO/President of American Rebel, which advertises itself as "The World's Greatest PR Company."
In the e-mail (Subject line: "Shame on Phoenix New Times") Detert describes Weiland as his "client and good friend" and calls my blog post "defamatory." Full text below.
Sigh. Conversations kill.
By the way, you can get tickets to see Scott at Arizona Fall Frenzy here.
Dear [Martin's Bosses],
I wanted to take a moment to write you and let you know how disappointed I was to read the obnoxious story written by your music editor, Martin Cizmar.
My agency pitched a story to your publication about Scott Weiland's fan event and fashion show at Dillard's in Scottsdale and Mr. Cizmar decided to make a mockery of our news, and much more importantly, my client and good friend, Scott Weiland.
I did a search on your site and this is actually the 2nd time that Mr. Cizmar wrote a defamatory piece about Scott Weiland. The first story was taking shots at Scott for having an auction to benefit the family of his brother who had recently passed away tragically and unexpectedly.
While Scott has had his problems in the past, I don't exactly see why Mr. Cizmar finds it so funny to say such cruel things about a great artist who has worked really hard recently and created an amazing new record with Stone Temple Pilots, a new personal memoir, and a great clothing line.
If your site was some fly-by-night blog I would understand how you guys could post such garbage, but you are a respectable publication and I honestly think that you should raise the bar of your journalistic integrity.
Sincerely,
Chris Detert
