On June 7th, 1994, Stone Temple Pilots released Purple, the highly anticipated follow-up to the band's smash debut, Core. A few weeks later, on June 23rd, with the album sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, they appeared as the musical guests on Letterman to perform the album's propulsive second single, "Vasoline." The serrated edges of their grunge sound had been ever-so-finely polished since their first LP, but the L.A. quartet were still a force to be reckoned with — as they proved that night.
As seen in video on YouTube, STP opened with the song's echoey intro before launching into its rumbling, open-highway-ready riff. The late, great Scott Weiland, in a striking green beanie, stands center stage, transfixing viewers both at home and in the studio with his charismatic presence and smooth croon. But it's around the 1:50 mark that he truly steals the show, breaking out some of his signature serpentine dance moves during Dean DeLeo's guitar leads. Watch above.
