Weiland faces drug possession charges again

Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland was arrested on suspicion of drug possession in Burbank this week, adding to a string of arrests stretching back to 1995.

The incident, which began when police stopped Weiland for allegedly driving with his lights off early Sunday morning, may be another setback in the Los Angeles rock band’s attempts to reestablish its career momentum. It also clouds a pending side project pairing the singer with three former members of Guns N’ Roses.

Weiland, 35, has been in rehabilitation programs several times. According to MTV.com, he was either in or about to enter a 30-day program last month. After Sunday’s arrest, Weiland was released on $10,000 bail and is to be arraigned June 2.

With its singer in and out of trouble, Stone Temple Pilots has struggled recently to regain the success it enjoyed in the middle and late ‘90s, when it released four Top 10 albums and established itself as one of the most popular acts in the alternative rock field. Its last album, “Shangri-La Dee Da,” came out in 2001, and although the group toured to support it, sales were a disappointing 350,000 copies.

Weiland began working on a second solo album last year, and recorded with guitarist Slash, drummer Matt Sorum and bassist Duff McKagan, former members of Guns N’ Roses who had been trying out various singers. Their recording of Pink Floyd’s “Money” will be used in the movie “The Italian Job.”

Weiland told Rolling Stone recently that he had signed on as the new band’s singer. His manager and representatives of the new group did not return calls on Tuesday seeking comment.

In a 1998 interview with The Times, Weiland said that he felt “lucky to be alive,” adding, “Life doesn’t make any sense unless you can enjoy the journey, and sometimes I take that for granted. But I try not to do that now. I try to learn from my mistakes.”