Scott Weiland wants world peace at Christmas (+video)

Scott Weiland sings in the video for Winter Wonderland. Photo / YouTube

Scott Weiland is normally found howling over full frontal grunge riffs, but this Christmas you can find him crooning carols and wishing for world peace.

The gravelly-voiced Stone Temple Pilots front man, who has had a long and well-documented battle with hard drugs, has followed in the footsteps of Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber and Bob Dylan, and recorded a Christmas album.

The 43-year-old Interstate Love Song rocker has released The Most Wonderful Time of the Year just in time for the festive season, covering classics like Silent Night, I'll Be Home For Christmas and O Holy Night.

He swears the album is deadly serious and had been thinking about doing it for a long time.

"They're songs and renditions that I've listened to from a child all the way to my adult years," Weiland told The Sudbury Star.

"And they're very special to my heart, you know. If you last long enough in this business, you have the ability to make the kind of music you want to make. And this is something I've wanted to do for a while."

Weiland said the reception he'd had from Stone Temple Pilots fans had been positive.

"All the feedback I've gotten has been very good," he told Rolling Stone magazine.

And what is it, the Sudbury Star asked, would Weiland like for Christmas?

"What I would like is basically to have peace on Earth and for people to give each other a little more of that goodwill towards men that is sung about. I've been fortunate; I've had a lot in my life. And I wish 1000 times more of that for people everywhere.

"I just hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season filled with plenty of cheer."

Check out the video for Winter Wonderland:

- Herald online