Scott Weiland assures he bears no ill will against new Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Chester Bennington despite the ensuing battle between him and his former bandmates.

"I've known Chester for a long time. I got to be pretty close with him on the Family Values Tour [in 2001]. I don't think Chester did it in a spiteful way," he said in an interview with Billboard.com.

He said that brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo "be pretty persuasive".

"I guess nothing is totally shocking, but... I don't think it was smart for them to do that. I'm surprised they did what they did without checking the legality of it, how they just decided to go and use the name and go and hire another singer and start playing shows with a name that I still am an owner of," he said.

Weiland was fired by the remaining members of Stone Temple Pilots in February and sued him claiming that he was misuing the band's name for his solo career.

He would perform songs from Stone Temple Pilots' 'Core' album during his solo tour, which the other band members didn't like.

In May, they filed a lawsuit against Weiland for sabotaging the band's career because of his addiction and persistent tardiness.

Weiland, in return, countersued for at least $5 million, claiming that his former bandmates have no right to oust him and that the new lead singer should not be allowed to perform under the band's name.

"How do you expel a man from a band that he started, named, sang lead on every song, wrote the lyrics, and was the face of for 20 years, and then try to grab the name and goodwill for yourselves," he stated in his complaint.

"You don't, but three of the instrumentalists from the band Stone Temple Pilots tried."

He further expressed his disappointment in an interview with The Arizona Republic: "I think about how disrespectful they are …about how selfish they are and how much it blows me away that after two times of trying this, they still think they have any opportunity of doing it without me. And it's not me saying that I'm the greatest because you know what? I'm not. John Lennon. Paul McCartney. They are ... better than I am. But as far as this band goes? The vision? The artistic direction of the band? And trying to keep them from sounding like Rush? I'm sorry. I have to be totally honest. It was me. I'm guilty. I kept them from doing it. That's all I've got to say."

While the 'new' Stone Temple Pilots are preparing for their North American tour this August, Weiland will also be busy with his band Wildabouts and are slated to release a new album before the year ends.

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Chester Bennington Eager to Meet Linkin Park Fans at Stone Temple Pilots Tour

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