Wes Scantlin

Wes Scantlin

Wesley Reid Scantlin (born June 9, 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri) is a songwriter and guitarist for the hit band Puddle Of Mudd.

Scantlin graduated high school in 1990 from Park Hill High School in Kansas City. He also has a son, born in 1997, and is cousin to Melana Scantlin.

Career

Scantlin has been guitarist and lead vocalist for Post-Grunge band, Puddle of Mudd, since releasing their debut album, Stuck. They released their next album Abrasive in 1997. Four years later, with the addition of three new members, Come Clean was released in 2001. In 2003, the band released Life On Display. Most recently Puddle of Mudd released Famous in 2007. People often compare his look with WWE Superstar, Edge.

Scantlin sometimes tours with Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, playing acoustic Alice in Chains songs. He was also one of the musicians that participated in Alice in Chains reunion tsunami benefit show. Scantlin was one of the many artists who worked with Carlos Santana on his album, All That I Am, specifically on the song "Just Feel Better". The song was recorded with Scantlin and Steven Tyler, however, Tyler's version appears on the album.

During a 2004 show at the Headliners night club in Toledo, Ohio, Scantlin took the stage with his band, but after only 4 songs admitted to the audience that he was too intoxicated to continue. Frustrated, his bandmates walked off the set, leaving Scantlin by himself on stage. He remained on stage for another 30 minutes, insulting the crowd and singing random songs that seemed to be made up as he went along. Objects were then thrown back and forth between Scantlin and the crowd before he walked off the stage, where he was subsequently arrested by the Toledo Police Department for disorderly conduct while intoxicated. On the way to his booking, additional charges were brought after he repeatedly spat on the windows in the back of the police cruiser he was being transported in. He was released on a $150 cash bond. He said he would never play in Toledo again due to the fact that he was arrested for "nothing".

In early January, several rock stations stated that the band's new album was set for a release sometime in Spring, 2007. Puddle of Mudd are currently on tour with Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Red. They will also be part of the first annual Rock on the Range concert festival held at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

On Saturday, April 14th 2007, Puddle of Mudd made their first appearance in over two years at Western Carolina University in North Carolina touring with Hinder.

On April 18, Scantlin confirmed in a post on the band's myspace that the new album, called Famous, would be released on July 24, 2007. Scantlin also posted a message on May 10 announcing the release of the album's first single, "Famous".

The final release date of Famous, however, was pushed back numerous times, resulting in it not being officially released until October 23, 2007.

He was influenced by groups such as AC/DC, Aerosmith, Nirvana, and Van Halen and his biggest influence Led Zeppelin. He is friends with Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin.