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08-17-07

He's sick of mud

"I gave my computer away, man," says Wes Scantlin, lead singer of Puddle of Mudd. "That's how I roll, dude. I don't even have one."

At first, you can't tell if he's serious. In this world of YouTube, MySpace and iPods, the lead singer of a rock band doesn't own a computer?

"I had a G4, man," Scantlin said. "And I looked on the Internet one day; there was some weird stuff said about me that was really harsh. I was just like, 'I can't even look at that, man. I don't even want to see it.' Terrible comments and statements about myself. I was like, 'I don't need to see that, man. I'll just keep writing music, having a good time, and if people want to talk crap, that's fine, but I don't want to read about it all the time.' "

The latest buzz has fans wondering when the new Puddle of Mudd album -- "Famous" -- is due to hit stores. Once scheduled to drop in July, the album now carries an Oct. 2 release date.

Nothing alienates a fan base like delaying an album. Just ask Axl Rose. Scantlin blames the delay on last-minute "fine-tooth combing."

"It's inches away from being completed," Scantlin said. "We appreciate all the patience from everyone. Believe me, man. I've been in this band since Day One; I'm the OG [original gangster] of the band Puddle of Mudd, and if there's anybody in the whole world that can't wait till this record comes out, it's me."

But he doesn't sound worried about the album or the Internet-based haters. He is out on tour with Nickelback -- "Awesome, dude. Totally awesome. Insane, crazy, amazing, awesome." -- and is playing the types of shows he used to catch when rock bands passed through his hometown of Kansas City, Mo.

The show that got him hooked?

"Van Halen, when I was, like, 12," Scantlin said. "I was like, 'Wow, man, I want to do that. That looks freakin' awesome.' David Lee Roth used to do this samurai warrior bit. ... Eddie Van Halen was just shredding the neck. And I was just sitting there going, 'Holy crap.' That night was when I was like, 'This is what I want to do.' And fortunately I got a shot at doing it."

Scantlin promises you will see new sides to Puddle of Mudd when the album drops in October. After "Come Clean" scorched the charts in 2001, the band's second album went gold but not platinum. Scantlin would love to bottle some of the magic that worked on the earlier disc.

"It's still Puddle of Mudd, man," Scantlin said. "I'm always going to be singing. I'm always going to be trying to give everybody as many emotions as I possibly can and all the haunting melodies. I'm trying to crawl under people's skin and stay there forever."

With any luck, he will have the crowd pulling for him in Holmdel next Thursday.

"Listen, if you're going to come to a rock-and-roll concert, man, just have a good time, man," Scantlin said. "Why would you want to come and have a [bad] time? Come and have a great time. Score up some kick-ass memories. Walk away and feel inspired if you're inspired. Maybe you'll hook up with a chick, maybe you'll find your wife or maybe you'll find your best friend there; I don't know."

E-mail: kerwick@northjersey.com