Puddle of MuddPuddle of Mudd singer Wes Scantlin had just autographed 180 CD booklets before he picked up the phone for our chat. His arm wasn't aching from all that exercise. After all, he's been playing guitar for a long time and is currently on tour supporting 'Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love and Hate.'

Puddle of Mudd burst onto the scene in the early '00s, with the full backing and support of Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, who unearthed the band. "He's cool man. He helped us get a foot in the door, so it's cool. I don't know," Scantlin told Noisecreep about how his band interacts (or doesn't) with Durst nowadays. "I haven't spoken to that guy for a long time. I tried to say hi to him but he didn't want to say hi, so whatever! I was trying to be a nice guy. We had a falling out for a while. Everything is fine. He's doing his thing."

While Puddle of Mudd are currently on the road, they are planning to stay there and are gearing up for this summer's Carnival of Madness tour. Scantlin admitted that his passion to be a songwriter is what keeps him going.

"My mom told me a long time ago I couldn't play Eddie Van Halen," Scantlin said. "He is a bad-ass songwriter and wicked guitar player, and I couldn't play Eddie Van Halen or do what he is doing. He has the pick of destiny. I did not receive the pick of destiny. I have the power to write pretty cool stuff musically. It's very simple. I get on stage and do what I do and fire it up. Ask God. God really basically has given me my dream. 'Hey man, I will see you in heaven and hope you're not mad at me for the cruddy things I have done.' Everyone has got their crud."

Or in this case, their Puddle of Crudd. Scantlin admitted there isn't much 'crud' occurring on their current tour, except for the time one of his bandmates peed on his leg while intoxicated. "I am sitting on the back of a bus, watching the History Channel and trying to lay low, and that's it. I have a guitar sitting next to me, and I am working on the new record and it's mind boggling. I am going through a divorce. It's a drag. It is what it is, man." As for the experience of a divorce influencing what he writers, Scantlin said, "I am writing stuff right now, but I am trying to box my life up and move on."



Puddle of Mudd tour dates


5/21 -- Buffalo, NY -- Town Ballroom

5/22 -- Columbus, OH -- Columbus Crew Stadium for Rock on the Range

5/24 -- Aberdeen, SD -- Ramkota Exhibit Hall

5/25 -- Minot, ND -- Minot Municipal Auditorium

5/26 -- Sioux Falls, SD -- Ramkota Exhibit Hall

5/28 -- Davenport, IA -- Capitol Theatre

5/29 -- Noblesville, IN -- Verizon Wireless Center for X103 Presents May Day

5/31 -- Richmond, VA -- The National

6/3 -- Atlanta, GA -- The Masquerade

6/30 -- Milwaukee, WI -- Summerfest Grounds for Summerfest

7/16 -- Jacksonville, FL -- Jacksonville Arena

7/17 -- Simpsonville, SC -- Heritage Park

7/18 -- Huntsville, AL -- Von Braun Amphitheatre

7/20 -- Tampa, FL -- St. Pete Times Forum

7/21 -- Estero, FL -- Germain Arena

7/23 -- Knoxville, TN -- Civic Coliseum

7/24 -- Charlotte, NC -- Verizon Amphitheatre

7/25 -- Raleigh, NC -- Raleigh Boutique Amphitheatre

7/26 -- Virginia Beach, VA -- Virginia Beach Amphitheatre

7/28 -- Columbia, MD -- Merriweather Pavillion

7/30 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Penn's Landing

8/1 -- Boston, MA -- Comcast Amphitheatre

8/4 -- Uncasville, CT -- Mohegan Sun Arena

8/5 -- Holmdel, NJ -- PNC Amphitheatre

8/6 -- Canadaguiga, NY -- CMAC

8/7 -- Detroit, MI -- DTE Amphitheatre

8/9 -- Cleveland, OH -- Time Warner Amphitheatre

8/10 -- Pikeville, KY -- Eastern Kentucky Expo

8/11 -- Chicago, IL -- Charter One Pavillion

8/17 -- Southhaven, MS -- Snowden Grove Amphitheatre

8/18 -- Lafayette, LA -- Cajun Dome

8/20 -- Oklahoma City, OK -- Zoo Amphitheatre

8/21 -- Houston, TX -- Woodlands Amphitheatre

8/22 -- Dallas, TX -- Nokia Theater

8/24 -- Casper, WY -- Casper Event Center

8/25 -- Billings, MT -- Metropark Center

More From Noisecreep