Had a chance meeting with Scott Weiland in a roadside bar in South Austin last Spring. Little place outside the city. We were of a small gathering of locals and travelers – enjoying acoustic covers, billiards, refreshment, conversation. Enjoyed a nightcap with my brother, Brian, shook Scott’s hand and exchanged hellos and headed home to San Antonio. Like with anyone, you don’t really think of a person on their last trip around the sun.

We might be better otherwise. Mortality is our common indignity. The great equalizer. Full awareness of it might make us kinder. Evidence shows our resistance makes us worse – greed, division, superstition… denial of our common fate. However you judge Weiland’s work or his problems – or anyone’s – we all have detractors and fans – folks just strive to do some good in the world. It’s easy to be glib about dead rock stars – foreigners, outsiders. It’s easy because we get to feel on some level we might beat the odds for a moment. We’ve got the winning ticket. Weiland and I have dealt with some of the same problems. By some momentary grace, mine haven’t yet dealt with me. If there’s any good to be had from our departures, maybe it’s remembering to find connections – because we’re all ghosts passing in the night on the way out of town.

Good Travels, Scott.

~L