Jeff Gutt has 'zero trepidation' about first tour as STP front-man

May 9 (UPI) -- Jeff Gutt said he feels prepared and confident about touring for the first time this summer as the lead singer of the rock band Stone Temple Pilots.

"Zero trepidation. For me, it's been a lifetime of almost getting there," the 41-year-old Michigan native told reporters in New York recently. "So, now, it's using all those things I've learned through all those processes."

Stone Temple Pilots -- which was founded in 1989 -- fired its original front-man Scott Weiland in 2013 due to his erratic behavior and drug use. Weiland died of an overdose on a tour bus in 2015 at the age of 48.

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington sat in with STP from Weiland's departure until 2015. He hanged himself in his home in July. He was 41.

The Grammy winners hired Gutt in November, but this will be the first time he tours with the band. Bush and The Cult will rotate headlining duties with STP at each Revolution 3 concert from July through September.

Gutt, who has played in rock bands since high school, said he doesn't know yet if his experience of competing in Season 3 of The X Factor in 2013 will help him gain acceptance with STP's longtime fans.

"Those people wait in line for one day and they get their shot. I got my teeth kicked in for a good 25 years," Gutt said, emphasizing how he did not achieve success overnight. "That's kind of why I did it. It was kind of like, 'If anyone can go do this, I can go do it.'"

Even though he came in second, competing on the singing competition series helped raise his profile by allowing him to perform in front of the largest audience possible.

"When that red (camera) light goes on, there's a good 30 million people watching you live. If you can do that, you can pretty much do anything," said the singer.

STP is best known for its songs "Plush," "Creep," "Interstate Love Song," "Sex Type Thing," "Vasoline" and "Sour Girl." "Meadow" is its first single with Gutt on lead vocals.