12 Bar Blues is the debut solo album from Scott Weiland and produced by Blair Lamb. Scott was a founding member and singer for Stone Temple Pilots. 12 Bar Blues's sound and style differ greatly from STP's previous releases. The design concept of the cover is a homage to the cover design of John Coltrane'sBlue Train album. The album title comes from the simple chord progression known as "twelve-bar blues".
A 25th anniversary vinyl limited pressing (7,500) was offered by Rhino Records for a special Record Store Day release on April 22, 2023.
Development
In a 1998 interview on MTV's 120 Minutes, Weiland states that his then brother-in-law introduced him to Blair Lamb, who recorded and produced 12 Bar Blues with Weiland acting as co-producer.[1]
Released in 1998 on Atlantic Records, the album was not a commercial success, selling only 90,000 copies in the United States by June 1998.[8]
The album received positive reviews. In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic declared that "12 Bar Blues is an unpredictable, carnivalesque record confirming that Weiland was the visionary behind STP's sound. He's fascinated by sound, piling on layers of shredded guitars, drum loops, and keyboards, making sure that each song sounds drastically different from its predecessor."[9]David Fricke of Rolling Stone awarded the album 3.5 out of 5 stars and declared that "12 Bar Blues isn't really a rock album, or even a pop album. Weiland, out on his own, has simply made an honest album – honest in its confusion, ambition and indulgence. It was worth the risk." but also remarked that "Maybe it's a little early for Scott Weiland to be going the solo way."[10]Pitchfork Media stated upon its release that "12 Bar Blues is easily the most innovative album Weiland has ever produced for public consumption,"[11] while Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the LP's sheer invention and hooks will make your indulgence worthwhile."[4]
"Mockingbird Girl" was a re-recording of a song Weiland had originally recorded with The Magnificent Bastards for the 1995 Tank Girl soundtrack three years prior. "Lazy Divey," its name and chorus based on "Mairzy Doats," is only on the promo release and rerelease of the album.[12][13]
