STP’s Robert DeLeo + Live’s Ed Kowalczyk Discuss Bands’ Legacies

“It was a point I made decades ago that songs really stand the test of time.”

Stone Temple Pilots‘ Robert DeLeo recently joined Loudwire Nights, along with Live‘s Ed Kowalczyk, to celebrate the 30th anniversaries of their bands’ albums Purple and Throwing Copper.

“It’s really our way of being immortal,” DeLeo said on Thursday night (Aug. 15). “Those songs live way past us.”

Kowalczyk seemed to agree with his friend.

“It’s so cool, we made music that still matters 30 years later,” he told Loudwire Nights‘ Chuck Armstrong.

“It still matters to people in a big way. It’s this ongoing conversation that hasn’t stopped, hasn’t lost any steam.”

Stone Temple Pilots and Live are embarking on a tour celebrating the ongoing legacies of Purple and Throwing Copper. The Jubilee Tour kicks off Aug. 16 in Concord, Calif., and runs through Sept. 15 with their final show in Indianapolis.

As much as DeLeo and Kowalczyk agreed about the strength of the songs on these 30-year-old records, they also were quick to celebrate the strength of the LPs themselves, too.

“We set out to make music like our peers that were inspiring us,” Kowalczyk shared. “You’re crazy to think that maybe somebody wants to hear what I have to say, you know? You have to be crazy to do that, and you have to just step out into it.”

READ MORE: Billy Corgan Tried to Take Himself Back to the Early Days of Smashing Pumpkins on New Album

For DeLeo, he opened up about the success Stone Temple Pilots had with their debut album, Core, and how that influenced its follow-up, Purple.

“The more success you have on your first outing puts more pressure on your sophomore effort,” he admitted.

“But, I have to say, I was sitting down with Jimmy Page one time and I said, ‘What was your favorite Zeppelin record?’ He said it was the first one because it gave him the chance to do the second one. Looking at that, Core really gave us the opportunity to make Purple.”

What Else Did Stone Temple Pilots’ Robert DeLeo + Live’s Ed Kowalczyk Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• How producer Brendan O’Brien was a significant part of Stone Temple Pilots “being real” about what they were doing with Purple
• Why Kowalczyk is excited to be recording with Live again and how their current lineup is here to stay
• What’s on the horizon for DeLeo’s solo music

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Robert DeLeo and Ed Kowalczyk joined Loudwire Nights on Thursday, Aug. 15; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.