STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Drummer ERIC KRETZ: New Songs Are 'Sounding Huge'

Guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS checked in with Jonathan Clarke of the Q104.3 radio station in New York City to talk about their latest EP, "High Rise", having LINKIN PARK's Chester Bennington as their new lead singer, and the release of their new album later in the year. The guys also talk about their first show playing in New York City and performing in full KISS makeup and wardrobe. You can now listen to the chat below.

Speaking about how Chester is recovering after his recent leg injury which forced the cancelation of LINKIN PARK's U.S. tour, Eric said: "His voice is in great shape, man. He still has to sit down when he's singing. We're in the studio right now putting vocals on four new songs this week. So he's sitting down doing it. But he's such a health nut that his recovery time is gonna be half of what any mortal human would allow himself to… And he's constantly working out — not on his ankle, but he's working out other parts of his body, just to stay fit. And the drive and the determination to get out there and to be completely healed is what's gonna make it go very fast for him."

Eric also spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' new album. He said: "We're very close [to finishing up four new songs], yeah. We're getting into the guitar solo territory next week. We're just finishing up the vocals on some of the stuff, and, man, it's real exciting, 'cause this stuff is sounding huge."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS will head out on the road this spring as well for its first new tour dates since late 2013. The trek kicks off on April 8 in Seattle, winding down on April 30 in Philadelphia.

One dollar per ticket on the new tour will be donated to Music For Relief, a nonprofit organization dedicated to disaster relief and environmental protection that was launched in 2004 by LINKIN PARK. Funds raised will support long term Hurricane Sandy recovery in New Jersey.

STP's first foray into the studio with Bennington, an EP called "High Rise", came out in October 2013 and yielded the No. 1 single "Out Of Time".

The band toured at the end of that year, but plans for more recording were put on hold so that Bennington could work on the new LINKIN PARK CD, "The Hunting Party", which arrived in June 2014.