A source has told Alternative Nation that as of September 2016, Stone Temple Pilots had already auditioned 30 singers, with more auditions coming after September. During auditions, STP didn’t just play old songs, they played new material to see how the singers would be able to write on the spot. The band told singers though that even if they wrote with them, did not mean they were guaranteed to get the gig as the band’s new singer. STP will perform with their new singer on November 14th in Los Angeles at the Troubadour. The identity of the singer has not yet been revealed, but Pete Murray and Jeff Gutt have been rumored names in the last year.
Stone Temple Pilots posted a cryptic puzzle piece on social media and their official website, which led to fans speculating it could be part of the album cover for the band’s seventh studio album. The url of the image is from Rhino Records’ website, indicating that the band’s new album could be released through the label. Core‘s 25th anniversary reissue was also released through Rhino Records. The file name of the puzzle piece is ‘stp_meadow_single_puzzle_v1.jpg,’ meaning that it is actually part of the artwork for a new single from the band, and that the song may be called “Meadow.”
STP are rumored to have a new album ready to go with their new singer, and they’re expected to tour in 2018. STP’s last full length album was their self titled album Stone Temple Pilots in May 2010, while they released the High Rise EP with Chester Bennington in October 2013. Bennington quit STP in November 2015, and Scott Weiland died in December 2015. The band launched an online singer search in February 2016. Bennington performed a one off reunion show with STP in March 2016, and he died in July 2017.
— Stone Temple Pilots (@STPBand) November 6, 2017