Things I Miss: Army of Anyone

I felt that with all the recent back and forth news between Scott Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots, this was a perfect time to talk about a project I really did hope for more of, but was cut short.  While Weiland was off on touring the sophomore album of Velvet Revolver ("Libertad"), the remaining members of STP were working on their own projects since STP was on indefinite hiatus since 2003.

From those projects rose a four piece consisting of the DeLeo bothers (Dean & Robert), Richard Patrick of Filter, and Ray Luzier manning the drums.  Not a bad lineup so far right?  This is what it sounded like:



So basically the four guys got together, created an awesome album, and then went back to their respective projects.  DeLeo brothers rejoined Scott in STP, Patrick went back to Filter duties, and Ray (in a surprising move) took over drums for metal group Korn.  The self-titled album was released on November 14th, 2006 via The Firm Music.  Army of Anyone was cited as a main influence in the production of the album, but ultimately produced by legendary Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, KISS, Pink Floyd, Rob Stewart, Peter Gabriel, etc), and Ken Andrews (Beck, A Day To Remember, Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, etc) as mixing engineer.

(Album artwork courtesy of The Firm Music and Army of Anyone)

1. It Doesn't Seem to Matter 
2. Goodbye 
3. Generation 
4. A Better Place 
5. Non Stop 
6. Disappear 
7. Stop, Look and Listen 
8. Ain't Enough 
9. Father Figure 
10. Leave It 
11. This Wasn't Supposed to Happen

“Army of Anyone” meshes the musical influences of Stone Temple Pilots and Filter, but such an outcome should be easily determined. A softer approach than most of his work, Richard Patrick finds his vocal work a touch subtler than his abrasive-yet-melodic tone he features with Filter. Not to mention, he’s working in an environment that doesn’t utilize elements of industrial music (which Filter is partly classified into). The end result, when paired with the talents of the brothers DeLeo and Ray Luzier, comes across as a remarkable debut effort for the group. -Sputnik Music

So what about the possibility of a reunion or [dare I say it] a new album?  Well, it seems that some of the members are on board as well.  Apparently, they all stay in contact with each other and still discuss new tunes and touring plans.  A recent interview between Richard Patrick and Alternative Nation confirmed a lot rumors that could have been made about a reunion.

(Photo found at mail.msopr.com)

“All they need to do is get together, and make some music, and then at the very last minute I come in, and I sing over the top of it, and there you go.  Ray Luzier, Robert, and Dean are an amazing group of musicians who I hold in high regard.  I would have to say that Army of Anyone slowed my career down quite a bit because I went to rehab, and I was supposed to release a [Filter] record a couple years later.

Now Ray is building a studio, he’s been on tour with Korn for the last 6 years or so, he’s taking some of that money and making a big studio in Nashville.  The DeLeo brothers have their own studio, Robert has his in Southern California.  All they have to do is just make some killer music, and I come in at some point, I could probably just sing it at my house, and get in via the internet, and there you go.  It’s that easy, it’s up to them to get together and jam.  I would like to be there when they jam, [but] I really feel like it’s their music.  They should be the musicians, they’re all wonderful, amazing, musicians. I’ll just come in and color it up with some cool vocals, hopefully.  They all 3 definitely are talking, we’ve all had several e-mails about it back and forth to each other about doing it.  It’s like, ‘Okay, do it, I’m with you.'” - Patrick



I guess we will all just have to wait and see.  For now, I will be spinning this album over the next few days to reconnect with four amazing musicians.  Do we need to start a petition online to get these guys back in the studio.  With any hope, STP/Linkin Park/Filter's touring schedules will wind down in in end of 2015 and have some more free time for side projects.