There is so much going on with Stone Temple Pilots right now -- new singer (Chester Bennington), new EP, new tour dates, etc. -- that we were very lucky to catch up with the DeLeo brothers to discuss all of that. Hear our exclusive interview with Robert and Dean DeLeo here.

The DeLeo brothers have made a lot of decisions regarding the future of their band Stone Temple Pilots, a future that will not include longtime frontman Scott Weiland. We were able to chat with the guys earlier about why they decided to call it quits with Weiland, as well as what they have in store for the future. We also learned that you can't believe everything you read on the internet (see first question). You can get all of those answers in the transcription of the interview below or by clicking the audio player.

I read somewhere that Chester Bennington previously tried out for Velvet Revolver, another band that Scott Weiland was involved with, is that coincidence or is that kind of how you guys came together?

[Robert] I think that's a farce. That never happened.

Well how did you guys end up getting together?

[Robert] We simply called him.

Did you know that he would be "the guy" or was he just someone you always wanted to work with?

[Robert] We knew that this was "the guy." On a lot of different levels, man. We knew Chester could bring justice to the table.

I know you probably don't want to talk about Scott much, but I was curious as to what the final straw was that made you guys decide to bring it to an end with him?

[Robert] Well, I think it's a well publicized series of events...

[Dean] Twenty years worth [laughs]

[Robert] ...that kind of led us ...   I think you get to a point in your life where your BS meter starts running down to a certain kind of tolerance. It wasn't just a musical decision or a business decision it was a quality of live decision and that really what it's about. That's where we wanted to be. Chester is a person that's really surrounded by good fortune and that's something you want to be around. It's no longer three guys in a room, trying to make a record or trying to get a tour together --  it's four guys in a room.

[Dean] We want to be able to fulfill our commitment through the band too. Robert, Eric and I, we want to be able to come to town and give you everything we've got and it was getting to a point where we were unable to do that.

Scott Weiland came here to Flint on the first night of his solo tour, just two days after you parted ways with him, and I think you guys made the right move because Chester is going to come out and deliver every night and, as much as I love Scott, I can't say that he did that when he was here.

[Robert] We're gonna be able to do material that we weren't able to do and I think from seeing what you saw with Scott -- I think you know what I mean. We're gonna be able to perform stuff that we've been dying to perform for a long time.

[Dean] I don't know if the fans want to hear this kind of stuff, they probably want to hear more about music, but our band means a lot to us. It never wavered or diminished in any way. Robert and Eric and I are really filled with gratitude. There's a lot that comes along with being in a successful band and it's all luxurious. Really. It really is. With that said, it means so much to us and it's such a big part of our life... I'm gonna say it doesn't define us, but it's a big part of our life. It comes into our homes! It really lives and resides in our homes -- in our bedrooms, around our children and when a toxic orbit or environment steps into my house... would you wanna do that?

No.

[Dean] It's like what Robert said, man. It's more about quality of life. You know, I'm gonna say something that's not slighting Chester in any way, but I would've loved for [the Scott Weiland] lineup to have gone on forever [or] until we were taken out by our elbows and heels, but it just... we did not dictate where we're at now. By any means.

You've got the new EP coming out but I haven't seen too many details on it yet, is there anything you can tell us like when we'll see it or how many songs will be on it?

[Robert] Five songs. When we recorded 'Out of Time,' we were trying to finish up another song of Dean's and we just need vocals on that one. So there's two, kind of, "in the can" as they say and we've got three more that we're recording right now. So it will be a five song EP.

Any idea on when we might see that or is it a "just see how it goes" situation?

[Robert] Sometime this fall. We're gonna rush right home from here and, literally, get back into it. So we're right in the throes of it now as we speak.

Chester stays pretty busy with Linkin Park, have you guys talked about how you're going to manage that timetable or are you going to play it by ear?

[Robert] Absolutely. For Linkin Park people, he's made it very clear that Linkin Park is his main concern and we're okay with that because the guy really is an efficient human being and he has a lot of cares and concerns for everything in his life. We really feel that we can probably get more done in a shorter amount of time with the situation we're in. That's really what we're aiming at and I think the last month has proven that.

You're heading out on the road too and you mentioned you're going to be playing some stuff you haven't been able to for a while, what's the setlist going to be like?

[Dean] It's gonna be a really rounded, solid set. I see us be doing songs we haven't done in a while and I'm excited to get out and play these songs that we haven't done... it's gonna be everything. Everything.

What are a couple that you've really been itching to dig into live?

[Dean] I always like 'Piece of Pie.' You kind of have to lower the key of things for a singer as we all move on in age. Obviously, you can't hit the songs that they did 20 years ago. There's only so many keys that you can lower the instruments to before you're playing saltwater taffy. So it's just about performing those songs the way they were recorded. That's really what we're looking forward to doing.

Do you have a timeline for a full album planned out for the future or are you just going to let it take its own course?

[Dean] We have a lot going on now, man. We have our first show in Bethlehem, PA on September fourth but between now and then we want to finish the EP, Chester has to do two weeks in Asia with Linkin Park, I have to do a week on the road with Peter Frampton in late August and we have to jump into rehearsals to gear up for the substantial setlist for this September run. So, really, time is of the essence and we want to fulfill our commitments. I think what I just threw at you is, kind of, enough for a future right now.

[Robert] I would like to go Salmon fishing in Alaska.

Stone Temple Pilots will hit the road for their North American tour beginning September 4th, click here for complete dates.

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