DUFF MCKAGAN Says STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Did 'What They Had To Do' By Firing SCOTT WEILAND

Singer Scott Weiland's former bandmate in VELVET REVOLVER, bassist Duff McKagan (pictured above),spoke to the "Standard Ass Rock Show" on 101.5 KFLY in Eugene, Oregon about Weiland's dismissal earlier this year from the band he co-founded, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS.

Asked if he thinks Weiland is back on drugs, McKagan said (hear audio below): "I would never say anything about that, really, publicly… I know he's got kids and I wish the best for him just because I've seen the really good side of him."

He continued: "The STONE TEMPLE PILOTS guys, they had to do what they had to do. I completely [chuckle]… I understood what they had to do. I think they got a lot of backlash from STP fans, but what are you gonna do? They did the thing they needed to do, and good for them — they're healthy guys and good fellows, guys you pull for if you know them and you understand what they went through. I went through the same thing with their singer and it's really frustrating. It's utterly frustrating when things are going good and one guy's kind of dragging it down. Or dragging it sideways at least… Sideways… I'll say sideways."

VELVET REVOLVER itself dismissed Weiland in April 2008, but has yet to regroup with a new vocalist.

As for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, they've already recruited LINKIN PARK vocalist Chester Bennington as Weiland's replacement and will release a new EP this fall.

Weiland told The Pulse Of Radio that he and Bennington were good friends before this, but he doesn't see Bennington's move as a betrayal. "Yeah, I mean, I've known Chester for a long time," he said. "I got to be pretty close with him on the Family Values tour. I don't think Chester did it in a spiteful way. The brothers DeLeo [Dean, guitar and Robert, bass], they can be pretty persuasive."

Weiland recently embarked on a new run of solo tour dates beginning on August 2 in Los Angeles. As with his other shows earlier in the year, Weiland is playing material from STP's first two albums, "Core" and "Purple", as well as a smattering of covers, solo tunes and other STP tracks.

Weiland's use of STP songs in his solo shows was reportedly one of the reasons why the band sacked and then sued him. The band members claim that this, along with his erratic behavior and substance abuse issues, damaged their career.