Since the early 90’s Puddle Of Mudd, has been one of the most favorite American Bands around. With the recent disappearance of lead guitarist Wes Scantlin, the world has been wondering what is next? Fever was able to chat with him and get the facts on the current return and tour updates.
Their last original album, Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love and Hate, came out more than a decade ago.
A lot has changed for Puddle of Mudd since their first album Abrasive dropped in 1997. Band members have come and gone, their music has gone through several evolution’s. And like many alternative rock bands of the ’90s, Puddle of Mudd had its share of turmoil, turnover, and drama. The sometimes contentious front man and last founding member, Wes Scantlin, is quick to own his history of trouble and erratic behavior including multiple arrests, legal troubles, and a joyride on an airport carousel.
Scantlin attributes the hiatus to a “10-year war” with a lot of “bitter people” trying to bring him down. But in late 2017 the singer took the initiative to get help and went through rehab before rejoining his band to start touring in January of 2018. It wouldn’t be long after that Puddle of Mudd offered fans the first new and original music in over a decade with Welcome to Galvania dropping in September of 2019.
Fans will find the album was worth the wait, with Scantlin comparing his writing process to waiting for a good wave: “Sometimes you have to wait a while, but just keep writing and waiting. It’ll come. I mean every hit song ever had the same three notes, but you still gotta wait to catch the good one.”
If you’re wondering what in the world ‘galvania’ means, it’s right there on the cover:
gal·van·ia
/ɡalˈvania/
adjective
A change in the electrical resistance of the skin. “Galvania…is like when you hear an amazing song and all of a sudden you have these goosebumps on your arms. It’s electric and it’s amazing!” Scantlin says.
The album is currently charting at #17 for US Alternative Rock and #29 on US Rock.
Catch up more with Fever and Wes below.
SHYANNA: With the current crisis with everything that is going on, how is that affecting your tour and just getting back on the scene?
WES: Yeah. I think some of the tour dates are getting postponed, and I guess we’re just trying to follow the guidelines and the protocols and procedures of the medical and scientific people in the world. So, I think that certainly just kind of sits tight and does exactly what all the medical physicians and everybody says to do, and just follow along.
It’s really not much of a difference, but I believe that until there’s some kind of a great solution here to just sit tight. Ain’t nothing wrong with hanging out with family anyway, if you asked me.
SHYANNA: Well, that was actually one of the other questions I have. When you guys have free time, do you spend it together as a band or do you take time apart?
WES: Well, we’re always touring and stuff, and it’s wonderful to be able to spend time with your family. And I think it’s a blessing in disguise that there’s an opportunity for everybody to kind of take a second to reflect, and spend time with their loved ones and family members, and still trying to keep a relative …
A little bit of the distance from outsiders for a second until there’s a solution that will be, I’m sure, addressed to pretty much the world.
SHYANNA: Absolutely agree. I know you just recently came back on to the music scene. What’s some new feelings about your recently released new music that you haven’t shared with anybody else yet that you would like to share with Fever first?
WES: Well, it’s just … I’ve said it my whole life. Sometimes you can get dragged into a situation that you thought was a clear one, but it ended up being a false reality, and you’ve got to regroup and pull yourself out of the spider web, as they might say.
And fortunately, be able to kind of release yourself from it, and get to a safe distance, and get to a safe point in your life, and just play … Change your playgrounds, your playmates. Always keep God first place. Keep family first. And it’s better to be safe than sorry and count your blessings. And just pray. Pray for awesome. Pray for awesomeness.
SHYANNA: I want to go back to some of your classic videos like She Hates Me and Control. How was that experience during those music videos? How’s your mindset now with upcoming music videos you’re going to release?
WES: Well, the coolest video was doing Drift and Die. It was pretty fun with Fred Durst. He got us up on top of the tallest building in Los Angeles and had helicopters flying around and stuff. And that was pretty cool to be up there and just rocking out and having a good time to a cool jam that was written a long time ago.
And it was special times. There’s a lot of funny stuff that happened in between all this stuff, but obviously that is glorifying. It’s [inaudible 00:04:26].
SHYANNA: That is totally something to remember. Do you have any plans for upcoming new videos?
WES: Yeah. We’re just getting ready to start doing this new video. It was just this little bit of a kind of a, I guess you could say … I don’t know. Just with this crisis situation, everybody’s a little confused right now, and it’s caused confusion in the entertainment world as well. And it’s caused confusion in everything, every aspect of the world.
I think everybody’s just trying to do the smartest thing as possible to reconcile this entire situation, and we can all get back to live in our lives and stuff, and get back to touring and having great tours and great shows, and just playing music.
And I think music really in this time, really … Music can heal, and it can satisfy the psyche, and it can reach the galvanic skin response, and help you mentally inside, because you might feel a little bit contained. But believe me, it’s not like being in a cell in the Twin Towers in downtown Los Angeles for four or five months. So, this is not as bad.
SHYANNA: All right. So, if you could use one word right now to describe your life, how would you describe it?
WES: You know what? My life is doing so great. I’m in a great spot with God. I’m in a great spot in my life, my family, and all my fans, my music, my passion and my inspiration for music. It vanished for a little bit, a little bit of a writer’s block, but I’ve been massively inspired by all the audiences and all the fans and all the hope and love and all the support.
And I’ve really been inspired by the world lately and the community that I feel that everybody’s trying to gather together and just do the right thing, and live the right way real quick so we can all continue to have wonderful and happy and great loving lives with our families. You know?
SHYANNA: Yes. Absolutely agree. Was there anything else you would like to share with music, about yourself?
WES: Well, I just keep continuing to be a songwriter. I always tell my mother I love her so much. It was her birthday yesterday. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Mrs. Patricia Scantlan on St. Patrick’s Day. She was born on St. Patrick’s Day. And St. Patricia Scantlan Day.
She told me a long time ago too, “You can’t play like Eddie Van Halen, Wesley. You can’t play solos like him. You just have to start writing your own music. Just write your own song. Look, the song writer gets all the money.” So I was like, “Okay, mom. All right. I’ll take your advice on that.” So, her plan worked out really, really nice.
Well, born being born on St. Patrick’s Day and thinking about the money, her favorite color is green, I guess. Huh?
SHYANNA: Is it yours as well?
WES: Hm. My favorite color is green. It is.
SHYANNA: Yeah? That’s super cool. Wow. Iconic. **Laughs
WES: Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everybody. Hey. Sorry there wasn’t any parades. Hey. Well, we’ve got to hunker down and be safe. That’s all.
WES: Puddle of Mudd signing off.
Looking to keep up with Puddle Of Mudd June 6th at The Whisky-a-Go-Go they will be live streaming @ 7PM EST.
Band page: http://puddleofmudd.com/
