Wanted: Drug Addict

"We'll have to find a guy on the heroin diet." Guitarist Jeff Simpson says he's kidding about finding a strung-out singer for his Stone Temple Pilots tribute band, but he wants someone who looks like Scott Weiland (who says he's now clean, sober, and healthy).

"Scott Weiland is a twig. He's, like, 6'3" and 120 pounds.... We met [one potential lookalike singer] who was off the hook, but unfortunately, he...has the problem."

After four years of playing original metal in Dr. Chunk, Simpson wants to cross into the land of rock 'n' roll make-believe.

"The only other STP tribute band I know [Crackerman] is in Ontario [Canada]," says Simpson. "We'd like to be playing in L.A. and Vegas, and we'd get there quicker in a tribute band. You can't go back and see Metallica circa 1988, but you can see a great tribute band."

Dr. Chunk played heavy rap-core, Tool-like originals. But, in late 2003, the singer left the area and was replaced by Brian Mackey. After a year, Simpson and the other two members of Dr. Chunk decided Mackey was "a great singer, but he wasn't the right genre." Simpson said Mackey's vocals were a tad "lighter" than what they wanted. "When it came down to it, we decided he wasn't Dr. Chunk."

At press time, Simpson called to say they found their pseudo-STP front man -- Barry Harwell -- and they'll be playing the Del Mar Fair on June 10, 12, 21, 24, and 29. Simpson's search continues for a new Dr. Chunk singer.