Weiland Vs. Cornell: This Time, It's Personal
A few years ago, supergroups were all the rage.
For instance, former shirtless Soundgarden hunk Chris Cornell had joined forces with three-fourths of Rage Against The Machine in a band called Audioslave. And the guy who was saying "no no no" to rehab long before Amy Winehouse made such resistance fashionable, oft-arrested Stone Temple Pilot burnout Scott Weiland, had stepped into the abandoned Axl Rose role with ousted Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff, and Matt. 
Meanwhile, short-lived GNR member Gilby Clarke was biding time with the short-lived TV supergroup Rock Star Supernova (featuring Motley Crue's Tommy Lee and Metallica's Jason Newsted); the non-Weiland member of Stone Temple Pilots had formed Army Of Anyone with Filter's Richard Patrick; and even the White Stripes' Jack White had assembled the Raconteurs with some of his Detroit indie-rock buddies. But super-est of the supergroups were definitely, totally Audioslave and Velvet Revolver.
But then, just as simultaneously as Audioslave and Velvet Revolver exploded, they concurrently imploded.
Audioslave broke up, and Rage Against The Machine reformed to rage once more (perhaps they--and Rage's fans--were frustrated that Audioslave sounded pretty much nothing like RATM), while Chris Cornell made a re-attempt at a solo career that completely tanked despite his recording a James Bond theme and getting props from American Idol champion David Cook. Now, for his third make-or-break solo album, Scream, Chris has resorted to recruiting the fix-it man hired by everyone hoping for a career makeover, superproducer Timbaland. Yes, Timbaland.
Scott Weiland, in turn, left Velvet Revolver and as of this writing has yet to be replaced (dare we suggest a season of Rock Star: Velvet Revolver to solve that problem?). His ex-STP bandmates swiftly abandoned the aforementioned Army Of Anyone to jump on the reunion bandwagon, but the regrouped Pilots have yet to record any new material. 
So now Scott too has resumed his solo career, recording his first one-man album since 1998's Bowie-ish, critically heralded but otherwise ignored 12 Bar Blues. This second, equally Bowie-ish solo effort (out next month) is titled Happy In Galoshes. It is not produced by Timbaland.
Sadly, neither of these supergroup splits have resulted in a Soundgarden reunion or a reinstatement of the original Guns N' Roses lineup. But they have resulted in a new Weiland-versus-Cornell video battle. Which singer, Scott or Chris, has a better chance of going it alone? Watch their new solo videos here and decide for yourself.
The guy's voice isn't what it used to be but I don't think he needed to go in a completley new musical direction. I mean I don't hear any of the "true" Chris Cornell in there. He's now offically a sellout in my book. Thank goodness the Soundgarden albumns are still out there or else new fans would just consider him another shallow pop artist.
I've always had a soft spot for Scott Weiland--he seems like such a throwback kind of rock star, drug problems and all.
I thought Weiland's song was decent. It reminded me of STP's misunderstood but pretty great "Tiny Music, Songs from..."
Unfortunately, Cornell's stuff will probably do better because of the Timbaland connection.
However, both need to re-evalute their careers and get back to what they were good at because both of these songs SUCK
Weiland's core fans will definitely be more accepting of his offering than Cornell's core fan base, but the pop addicts will eat up Cornell's song. Timbaland did it, that means the woolen masses must love it.
For my dollar, they both suck and I'll stick with my STP and Soundgarden albums.
I do a college radio show in Reno and I've been wanting to do a "Remember when they didn't suck" hour. Now I'll definitely need to add Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland to the list with Metallica, Korn, Incubus, and oh so many more.
soundgarden back together and stop w/the career suicide nonsense. it is a long over due reunion and there is no time better than now. if STP and rage against the machine and the pixies and the police and blind melon and alice and chains and even van f@#kin halen can do it, then gdi so can you! put your vocals back where they belong PLEASE!
I've never liked Weiland, so I really couldn't care less.