Dean DeLeo
Encyclopedia
Dean DeLeo is an American
guitarist
for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots
.
He is also known for his role in the short-lived bands Talk Show
and Army of Anyone
, which featured his younger brother Robert DeLeo
, Filter
frontman Richard Patrick
, and session drummer Ray Luzier
. Their debut album
was released on November 14, 2006.
DeLeo's playing has received strong critical acclaim over the years. STP's second album, Purple
, released in 1994, was ranked at #73 on Guitar World
s 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All-time list.http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Boggs1027/guitar_worlds_100_greatest_guitar_albums_of_all_time/
met future vocalist Scott Weiland
at a Black Flag
concert. Robert soon after introduced Dean to Scott and an idea of forming a band was brought up. Dean was a guitarist and Robert managed to convince him to join. They eventually hooked up with drummer Eric Kretz
, and the band was formed. They took the name Mighty Joe Young, inspired by the movie of the same name. They played gigs in many bars around the Hollywood area, and eventually landed a record deal with Atlantic Records
in 1992. However, they were forced to change their name, for the name "Mighty Joe Young" had already been taken. Scott decided on the name "Stone Temple Pilots"; although he states that it has no real meaning, he just liked the initials "STP".
The band quickly rose to fame with the release of their debut album Core
, which sold over 8 million copies. The record sales propelled with the release of the singles "Sex Type Thing
" and "Plush
", and helped establish STP as a one of the many popular grunge
bands in the early 1990s. However, they were ripped by critics for jumping on the bandwagon and profiting from the grunge mania. With their second album Purple
, they challenged critics and became a genuine commercial rock act. Stone Temple Pilots went on to record five studio albums and managed to sell over 30 million copies worldwide. In 2008, after over five years apart, the band reunited
, On May 25, 2010 the band released their sixth album, Stone Temple Pilots
, the first album released after the band reunited.
's continuous problems with drug addiction. The band was forced to cancel most of the tours after the 1995 year, as Weiland popped in and out of rehab. The DeLeos and Eric Kretz
eventually formed a new band, Talk Show
, which released one album. STP soon reunited, released two more albums, and disbanded once again in 2003. Weiland became the lead singer of Velvet Revolver
, Eric Kretz
opened a studio in California, and the DeLeo brothers began to work with Richard Patrick
, lead singer of the band Filter
to compose songs for Filter's fourth album. The end result was a song that the three liked, so they contacted Ray Luzier
, a famed session drummer, and Army of Anyone
was formed. The band's debut
was released on November 14, 2006, and they broke up in May 2007.
notable guitars include:
Dean's live equipment has been described as "simple yet effective", and allows him to replicate the sounds he gets in studios. He primarily uses a modified Dunlop Cry Baby
and a BOSS
CE-1 stereo chorus pedal. For a number of years his rig was switched via a Rockman midi pedal, has since been replaced by a RJM Mastermind midi pedal. His amp set up includes a Demeter TGP-3 three-channel preamp, preamp switching via Rockman Midi Octopus, a Rocktron Intelliverb and a VHT Classic stereo tube power amp that runs 100 watts per side into two Marshall 4x12 cabinets. Part of the signal from the pedalboard is also sent to a Vox AC-30 2x12 combo amp, and DeLeo credits this amp with creating clarity in his crunchy guitar tone. In addition, since part of his rig broke down while his was in Japan, Dean's rig is now doubled, containing two of everything, as a backup in case of problems.
Dean's crunchy guitar tone was a main trademark of STP, and has a distinct tone. Not overbearing on distortion
, his sound possesses a unique "crunch", and is often seen as spacey. He pays homage to many genres and tones, most noticeably hard rock with elements of "psychedelia, jangle pop, and other forms of melodic alternative guitar."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
.
He is also known for his role in the short-lived bands Talk Show
Talk Show (band)
Talk Show was an American alternative/hard rock band consisting of Dave Coutts , Dean DeLeo , Robert DeLeo , and Eric Kretz...
and Army of Anyone
Army of Anyone
Army of Anyone was a supergroup formed by Filter frontman Richard Patrick with two of the then-former members of rock band Stone Temple Pilots. In addition to Patrick on vocals, the band featured Dean DeLeo and Robert DeLeo on guitars and bass, respectively, and Ray Luzier on drums...
, which featured his younger brother Robert DeLeo
Robert DeLeo
Robert Emile DeLeo is an American bass player, songwriter, and harmony vocalist for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots. He has also played in Talk Show and Army of Anyone...
, Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....
frontman Richard Patrick
Richard Patrick
Richard Patrick is an American rock musician. He is the frontman for the band Filter, a founding member of the supergroup Army of Anyone, and has served as a touring guitarist for Nine Inch Nails....
, and session drummer Ray Luzier
Ray Luzier
Raymond Lee "Ray" Luzier is an American drummer. He is currently the drummer of the band Korn, becoming a full-time member of the band in April 2009.-Life and career:...
. Their debut album
Army of Anyone (album)
Army of Anyone was the debut and lone album by Army of Anyone, an American rock band featuring Richard Patrick of Filter, the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots , and David Lee Roth's former drummer, Ray Luzier of KoRn. The album was released on November 14, 2006 in America, December 4, 2006...
was released on November 14, 2006.
DeLeo's playing has received strong critical acclaim over the years. STP's second album, Purple
Purple (album)
-Notes:The opening of track 3, "Lounge Fly", was used as the theme for MTV News's short MTV News Break segments for several years in the mid-1990s....
, released in 1994, was ranked at #73 on Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
s 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All-time list.http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Boggs1027/guitar_worlds_100_greatest_guitar_albums_of_all_time/
Stone Temple Pilots (19872003, 2008present)
Dean's younger brother RobertRobert DeLeo
Robert Emile DeLeo is an American bass player, songwriter, and harmony vocalist for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots. He has also played in Talk Show and Army of Anyone...
met future vocalist Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
at a Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
concert. Robert soon after introduced Dean to Scott and an idea of forming a band was brought up. Dean was a guitarist and Robert managed to convince him to join. They eventually hooked up with drummer Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz is an American musician and producer, known as the drummer for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots, one of the most successful rock bands of the 1990s and early 2000s that reunited in 2008. He has also played for Talk Show, and most recently Spiralarms...
, and the band was formed. They took the name Mighty Joe Young, inspired by the movie of the same name. They played gigs in many bars around the Hollywood area, and eventually landed a record deal with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1992. However, they were forced to change their name, for the name "Mighty Joe Young" had already been taken. Scott decided on the name "Stone Temple Pilots"; although he states that it has no real meaning, he just liked the initials "STP".
The band quickly rose to fame with the release of their debut album Core
Core (Stone Temple Pilots album)
The album was released on September 29, 1992 on Atlantic, the same day Alice in Chains released Dirt, another important album of the grunge era. Despite high sales, the album received mixed to negative reviews. Critics blasted the band as "rip-offs" of grunge bands such as Pearl Jam and Alice in...
, which sold over 8 million copies. The record sales propelled with the release of the singles "Sex Type Thing
Sex Type Thing
"Sex Type Thing" is the debut single released in 1992 by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots from their debut studio album, Core. "Sex Type Thing" also appears on the greatest hits compilation album Thank You. The song spawned a music video which received moderate rotation on MTV...
" and "Plush
Plush (song)
"Plush" is a song by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. It is one of the band's biggest hits, and was released as the second single from the band's debut studio album, Core .-Composition and inspiration:...
", and helped establish STP as a one of the many popular grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
bands in the early 1990s. However, they were ripped by critics for jumping on the bandwagon and profiting from the grunge mania. With their second album Purple
Purple (album)
-Notes:The opening of track 3, "Lounge Fly", was used as the theme for MTV News's short MTV News Break segments for several years in the mid-1990s....
, they challenged critics and became a genuine commercial rock act. Stone Temple Pilots went on to record five studio albums and managed to sell over 30 million copies worldwide. In 2008, after over five years apart, the band reunited
2008 Stone Temple Pilots Reunion Tour
The 2008 Stone Temple Pilots Reunion Tour was a 75-date reunion tour for the popular American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, who originally disbanded in 2003. The tour, which kicked off on May 17, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio at the Rock on the Range festival, ran throughout the summer and ended on...
, On May 25, 2010 the band released their sixth album, Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots (album)
Stone Temple Pilots is the sixth studio album by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots. The album was released worldwide from May 21 through May 27, 2010, and is the band's first album since Shangri-La Dee Da . The album is the result of the band's reunion, which occurred in April 2008...
, the first album released after the band reunited.
Talk Show and Army of Anyone (19971998, 20062007)
The band had many troubles, however, mostly stemming from Scott WeilandScott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
's continuous problems with drug addiction. The band was forced to cancel most of the tours after the 1995 year, as Weiland popped in and out of rehab. The DeLeos and Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz is an American musician and producer, known as the drummer for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots, one of the most successful rock bands of the 1990s and early 2000s that reunited in 2008. He has also played for Talk Show, and most recently Spiralarms...
eventually formed a new band, Talk Show
Talk Show (band)
Talk Show was an American alternative/hard rock band consisting of Dave Coutts , Dean DeLeo , Robert DeLeo , and Eric Kretz...
, which released one album. STP soon reunited, released two more albums, and disbanded once again in 2003. Weiland became the lead singer of Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
, Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz
Eric Kretz is an American musician and producer, known as the drummer for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots, one of the most successful rock bands of the 1990s and early 2000s that reunited in 2008. He has also played for Talk Show, and most recently Spiralarms...
opened a studio in California, and the DeLeo brothers began to work with Richard Patrick
Richard Patrick
Richard Patrick is an American rock musician. He is the frontman for the band Filter, a founding member of the supergroup Army of Anyone, and has served as a touring guitarist for Nine Inch Nails....
, lead singer of the band Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....
to compose songs for Filter's fourth album. The end result was a song that the three liked, so they contacted Ray Luzier
Ray Luzier
Raymond Lee "Ray" Luzier is an American drummer. He is currently the drummer of the band Korn, becoming a full-time member of the band in April 2009.-Life and career:...
, a famed session drummer, and Army of Anyone
Army of Anyone
Army of Anyone was a supergroup formed by Filter frontman Richard Patrick with two of the then-former members of rock band Stone Temple Pilots. In addition to Patrick on vocals, the band featured Dean DeLeo and Robert DeLeo on guitars and bass, respectively, and Ray Luzier on drums...
was formed. The band's debut
Army of Anyone (album)
Army of Anyone was the debut and lone album by Army of Anyone, an American rock band featuring Richard Patrick of Filter, the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots , and David Lee Roth's former drummer, Ray Luzier of KoRn. The album was released on November 14, 2006 in America, December 4, 2006...
was released on November 14, 2006, and they broke up in May 2007.
Equipment and Style
Dean owns numerous guitars, and he is an avid collector of vintage guitars. Some of his morenotable guitars include:
- Three 1978 Les PaulLes PaulLester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
Standards - 1960's Fender TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
- Another TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
(Sunburst) - A PRS hollowbody electric by PRS GuitarsPRS GuitarsPRS Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland. PRS Guitars was founded by guitarist and luthier Paul Reed Smith in 1985. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end electric guitars.-Materials:...
- A Gibson J-45Gibson J-45The Gibson J-45 is an acoustic guitar model manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It is part of Gibson's round-shoulder, dreadnought acoustic "jumbo" line, begun in 1934 with the Gibson Jumbo Flattop which was to compete with C.F. Martin & Company's "D" line.The J-45 is generally regarded...
- '57 Les Paul Special with P-90's in TV Yellow
- Gibson J-100 XT
Dean's live equipment has been described as "simple yet effective", and allows him to replicate the sounds he gets in studios. He primarily uses a modified Dunlop Cry Baby
Dunlop Cry Baby
The Dunlop Cry Baby is a popular wah-wah pedal, manufactured by Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. It is the best selling guitar pedal of all time. The name Cry Baby was from the original pedal from which it was copied, the Thomas Organ/Vox Cry Baby wah-wah. Thomas Organ/Vox failed to register the name as...
and a BOSS
Boss Corporation
Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
CE-1 stereo chorus pedal. For a number of years his rig was switched via a Rockman midi pedal, has since been replaced by a RJM Mastermind midi pedal. His amp set up includes a Demeter TGP-3 three-channel preamp, preamp switching via Rockman Midi Octopus, a Rocktron Intelliverb and a VHT Classic stereo tube power amp that runs 100 watts per side into two Marshall 4x12 cabinets. Part of the signal from the pedalboard is also sent to a Vox AC-30 2x12 combo amp, and DeLeo credits this amp with creating clarity in his crunchy guitar tone. In addition, since part of his rig broke down while his was in Japan, Dean's rig is now doubled, containing two of everything, as a backup in case of problems.
Dean's crunchy guitar tone was a main trademark of STP, and has a distinct tone. Not overbearing on distortion
Distortion
A distortion is the alteration of the original shape of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation. Distortion is usually unwanted, and often many methods are employed to minimize it in practice...
, his sound possesses a unique "crunch", and is often seen as spacey. He pays homage to many genres and tones, most noticeably hard rock with elements of "psychedelia, jangle pop, and other forms of melodic alternative guitar."