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Wesley Reid Scantlin^[1] (born June 9, 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri) is a songwriter, lead singer and guitarist for the post-grunge band Puddle Of Mudd. Scantlin graduated from high school in 1990 from Park Hill High School in Kansas City. He also has a son, Jordan, born in 1997 from a previous relationship ^[2] , and is cousin to Melana Scantlin.^[1]

[edit] Career

Wes Scantlin has been guitarist and lead vocalist for rock 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. Then released the album Famous in 2007. Most recently Puddle of Mudd released Vol. 4: Songs in the Key of Love and Hate in 2009. The first single off this album is 'Spaceship'.

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.

Scantlin has also had run ins with the law over the years. In 2002 he and his then fiance actress Michelle Rubin were both arrested for allegations of domestic violence after witnesses reported seeing the couple, on their way to a video shoot, fighting on the side of Highway 126 in Piru, California. Several witnesses reported seeing Wes forcing Rubin into a Jeep Cherokee driven by an unknown third person. Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers stopped the Jeep shortly thereafter and arrested the couple. Scantlin and Rubin were both booked at the Ventura County jail and were released after posting $20,000 bail each.The reason for the argument remains unknown. ^[3]

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".^[4]

Puddle of Mudd's third major label album was originally intended for release in spring 2007. On Saturday, April 14 2007, Puddle of Mudd made their first appearance in over two years at Western Carolina University in North Carolina touring with Hinder. Four days later Scantlin confirmed in a post on the band's Myspace page 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".

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 later toured with Neurosonic and Tyler Read and participated in the first annual Rock on the Range concert festival held at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The final release date of Famous, however, was pushed back numerous times, resulting in it not being officially released until October 9, 2007. Later that year, Scantlin got himself into more trouble when he was banned from Graceland for swimming in an off limits pool while touring the facilities. ^{[5] [6] [7][8] [9] [10] [11]}

He was influenced by groups such as AC/DC, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. He is friends with Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin.^[4]

[edit] References