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Not Dead & Not for Sale

The Earthling Papers; A Memoir
by Scott Weiland
with David Ritz. Not Dead & Not for Sale: The Earthling Papers; A Memoir. Scribner. May 2011. c.288p. illus. ISBN 9780743297165. $24. MUSIC
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Weiland, front man of the Stone Temple Pilots (STP) and Velvet Revolver, writing with Ritz (coauthor, with Etta James, Rage To Survive), pulls back the cloth to find a layer of gauze underneath. Known among fans for his drug problems throughout STP's 1990s success, he here necessarily focuses on his addiction, but his past is viewed through a fog. Weiland relates his "Tale of Two Fathers" childhood and the "California-Ohio hip-square split" that informed his love for the Clash and Elton John. The band's formation and evolution are discussed, along with stories behind the lyrics. With short chapters and a magazine-like layout, this is a fast read with some artful writing and painterly scenes, but it's a choppy trip.
VERDICT Fans will appreciate Weiland's memoir, but there is not enough music juice to win over the casual reader. Those looking for a consideration of drug culture have already found Keith Richards's Life. Readers who sought out Weiland's ex-wife's memoir, Mary Forsberg Weiland's Fall to Pieces, will appreciate his own honest and loving treatment of their capricious relationship and the further insight into his life.
Reviewed by Anna Katterjohn, Library Journal , Apr 01, 2011
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