In a new interview with Appetite For Distortion, Stone Temple Pilots frontman – Jeff Gutt, who replaced Scott Weiland and Chester Bennington, discussed how he was not only compared to Layne Staley by Alice In Chains founding member – Jerry Cantrell but in addition, tells a story about how he almost fronted Alice in Chains, with a night at a bar almost leading to the Scott Weiland replacement becoming the Layne Staley replacement. Alternative Nation transcribed Gutt’s comments. Recently, in an interview with Interactive Guitar Magazine, Stone Temple Pilots made a dark Layne Staley claim and a Guns N’ Roses member also recently revealed the dark truth about Staley.
Brando: Is there a story about you almost joining Alice In Chains as well?
Gutt: [Laughter] Well, it’s different than what people think. I was really good friends with John Corabi who was the guy who took Vince Neil’s spot in Motley Crue.
Brando: Sure, he’s been on the show.
Gutt: He was working along with the Dry Cell guys when I was doing that. I ran into him in a club once and he was playing in a cover band. At the time he was doing a thing called Cardboard Vampire, I believe and it was Alice in Chains with John Corabi singing. They were opening up festivals as well. I ran into Corabi and he was like:
“Dude, do you think you can fill in for me for the Vampire thing?”
Gutt: If I could just get in the room and sing with these guys, I’ll get the gig. That’s how I felt with Stone Temple Pilots, ya know. Then Corabi goes:
“Well Jerry [Cantrell] is right behind you”
And I was like:
[Inaudible quote]
Gutt: That’s the first time, I met Jerry Cantrell, he took my number, paid for my drinks the whole night and was like:
“You really remind me of Layne.”
Brando: Wow.
Gutt: I don’t know if that’s a compliment but he never called me. If he would have called me, I would have done that, things might have worked out differently. I actually joke with them now because I actually just saw them in Detroit like, a week or two ago. I’m really good friends with Mike Inez and it’s fun saying hi to those guys and giving them a poke every now and then.
Brando: [Laughter] This is what you missed out on!
Gutt: [Laughter] Oh yeah, no but Will [DuVall] is great. I love him and he’s amazing. He’s a great guy too so much respect to them.
Brando: Oh for sure.
