What Happened To Scott Weiland's Kids?
Rock 'n' roll fans are more than acquainted with Scott Weiland. As chronicled in Louder, he first rose to prominence as the lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots, one of the defining alternative rock groups of the 1990s who scored various hits like "Sex Type Thing," "Creep," "Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart," and more. Stone Temple Pilots broke up in the early 2000s, prompting Weiland to join supergroup Velvet Revolver, which featured Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, as well as Dave Kushner of Wasted Youth.
After leaving Velvet Revolver, Weiland was involved with several music projects, including the bands Art of Anarchy and the Wildabouts. However, his later career is marked by his failing health which was exacerbated by his decades-long battle with substance abuse, according to Louder. He sadly passed away on December 3, 2015, from an accidental overdose of various drugs. In addition to a legacy of amazing rock 'n' roll, Weiland's memory is kept alive through his children, Noah Mercer Weiland and Lucy Olivia Weiland.
Scott Weiland's Kids
Scott Weiland married his second wife, Mary Forsberg, on May 20, 2000, per Rolling Stone. They had two children together: Noah, who was born in 2000; and Lucy, who was born in 2002. Metal Injection recounts two stories about Weiland's early relationship with his children that may typify what it's like to be a rock star with substance abuse problems and a father: the 2001 Stone Temple Pilots song "Song for Sleeping" was written for Noah as Weiland was adjusting to new fatherhood, but by the time Lucy was born, Weiland was actually a bit late to his daughter's birth as his rehab center refused to let him out early. While the two children haven't quite reached the same level of notoriety as their rock star father, they've nonetheless made names for themselves with various creative projects.
Noah followed in his dad's footsteps by becoming the singer of a band, Suspect208, which featured other rock star children London Hudson (son of Guns N' Roses' Slash) and Tye Trujillo (son of Metallica's Robert Trujillo), as well as Niko Tsangaris, per iHeartRadio. While Noah was eventually kicked out of Suspect208 for drug-related reasons (more on that later), he has since cleaned up and is now focusing on his solo music career. Lucy has chosen a somewhat lower profile career as a model with Elite Model Management. She seems to stay out of the public spotlight, but does post occasional photos of her dad on her Instagram Page.
Noah Weiland's drug problems
Unfortunately, like his father, Noah Weiland has also had his problems with substance abuse. This has caused some tension with the other members of his band, Suspect208, which ultimately resulted in them firing him in early 2021. Suspect208 released a statement on Instagram (per iHeartRadio) that said "We were really close to him and it is the last thing we would've ever wanted to do, but it had to be done for his safety, as well as the longevity of the band."
Noah wasn't happy with the way he was treated, as he made clear in a separate interview with iHeartRadio, wherein he stated that his substance abuse didn't arise until after he was fired from the band. Regardless, his tumultuous time in Suspect208 and addiction led to comparisons to his father. "People want to see me be a statistic so bad, I feel like. There were so many posts when the band ended and all the comments were, 'Oh, just like his dad, just like his dad.'"
Noah Weiland's return
However, unlike his father, Noah Weiland is well aware of the opportunities — good and bad — that come with fame, and has decided to adopt a healthier lifestyle before it's too late, telling iHeartRadio that "I realized I couldn't be going crazy and living the life I was living while there were people trying to invest money in me and while the spotlight was coming more and more on me." Since his ignominious ouster from Suspect208, Noah has set out on a journey to pick up the pieces of his life and rebuild himself better than ever, starting by checking himself into rehab for opiate addiction.
After getting the help he needed, Noah returned to his creative outlet, that of making music, this time as a solo artist. The ups and downs of his recent life have actually served as a prime source of inspiration for his music, as he told iHeartRadio that "In the end it was hurtful but it also made me learn a lot and grow up a lot and also make a lot better music out of spite. At first, it was out of spite, and then once I started getting on a roll and putting that resentment into my music ... I feel like a lot of my greatest songs come from me making music out of spite." In April 2022, Noah released the song, "One Day," with plans to release more music in the future.
Scott's ex-wife speaks out
A few days after Scott Weiland's death in December of 2015, his ex-wife, Mary Forsberg Weiland wrote an article in Rolling Stone that reveals the complicated life she and their children Noah and Lucy had with the late rocker. She describes how she devoted so much of her time helping Scott fight his demons while keeping their children in the dark about the battle, stating, "I knew they would one day see and feel everything that I'd been trying to shield them from, and that they'd eventually be brave enough to say, 'That mess was our father. We loved him, but a deep-rooted mix of love and disappointment made up the majority of our relationship with him.'"
In her Rolling Stone plea to refrain from merely celebrating Scott's rock 'n' roll way of life, Mary shines a light on how, when the couple finally split up in 2007 (per The Washington Post) and Scott started seeing another woman, he spent even less time with his children, missing out on holidays and special occasions he started a new life away from them. She paints a heart-wrenching picture of how Noah and Lucy "never sought perfection from their dad. They just kept hoping for a little effort."
Scott's kids honor him
While Noah and Lucy Weiland certainly had a tumultuous relationship with their father, they've still made it their mission to continue celebrating and honoring his legacy in a variety of touching ways. For example, on October 27, 2017 -– what would've been the singer's 50th birthday -– the siblings created a Spotify playlist called "Songs That Remind Me Of My Dad," with a message that says "Happy Birthday, Daddy! Here are a few songs that remind us of you on this special day and every day. XOXO-Noah & Lucy." The brother and sister also published a Facebook post that elaborated on why they chose each song to be included in the playlist.
On May 15, 2018, photographer Randall Slavin posted a picture on Instagram of Scott Weiland's children wearing their dad's clothes in a touching tribute to their father's life and career, as well as a reminder of the widespread harm caused by addiction. The post's description reads, "Addiction has many victims beyond the addicted. Addiction leaves so many children to pick up the pieces and soldier on through the hurt and grief. Let us never forget the great artists we have lost and let us never forget the survivors who carry on. Thank you to Lucy and Noah Weiland for letting me in."