Wes Scantlin, the often-controversial frontman of Puddle of Mudd, has been candid in recent interviews about both his rocky past and his hopes for a more stable future. During a July 15 appearance on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM (via Blabbermouth), Scantlin reflected on the ever-changing lineup of Puddle of Mudd and the personal and legal challenges that have shaped his career.
The band, now featuring Michael Anthony Grajewski on bass, Miles Schon on guitar, and Jon Smith on drums, continues under Scantlin's leadership, with him being the only remaining original member: "Right now everything's solid, and I pray to God that no one leaves me again," Scantlin said. "It's hard to make — the transitions are a pain in the butt."
The frequent turnover in Puddle of Mudd's lineup has often been a reflection of deeper instability in Scantlin's life and career. Signed by Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst more than two decades ago, Scantlin described how the original band had already dissolved by the time major label interest arrived.
"The band was already dissolved at that point," he noted, adding that Durst encouraged him to rebuild from scratch. Since then, Scantlin has cycled through numerous bandmates, citing personal situations and the challenges of life in a rock band as reasons for the ongoing changes.
Much of Scantlin's tumultuous history, however, stems from his well-documented legal and personal troubles, many of which made frequent headlines throughout the 2010s. Between 2012 and 2017, he faced a slew of legal issues including arrests for DUI, domestic violence, vandalism, trespassing, and even a bizarre 2016 incident where he was arrested for attempting to board a flight with a BB gun.
His erratic onstage behavior led to canceled tours, dropped festival appearances, and fan backlash. These incidents fueled tabloid coverage and painted a chaotic public image that often overshadowed the band's music.
Reflecting on this troubled period, Scantlin now appears focused on stability and redemption. "My main goal [is] just [to] stay out of trouble," he said. "And I really seriously don't really do that much wrong things. I really just don't."
Despite that claim, he also described feeling like a target: "I'm like a big fish in the little pond. I call myself a Christmas dinner trophy for the Poppo. I wonder how many times they've explained that they arrested me at their Christmas dinner, at Christmas day."
Scantlin also pushed back against how the media has portrayed his run-ins with the law. "I've made some mistakes, but at certain points I could breathe in the wrong direction and get cuffed and slammed in a dungeon," he said.
Rather than focusing on past arrests, he framed his motto for avoiding conflict in more metaphorical terms: "Turn around and run for your life as fast as you possibly can," he said, clarifying that it's not about evading law enforcement, but rather toxic personal situations. "If they hit the 'psycho wall,' as I call it — turn around and run… Somebody's gotta go down, and they usually pick me, 'cause I'm the trophy."
