I remember an old Saturday Night Live bit called 'The Hollywood Minute' with David Spade. He would sarcastically make fun of any celebrity which found their way under his cross-hairs. One week he took aim at Stone Temple Pilots following the enormously successful release of there debut album 'Core'. He said something along these lines.....
"I liked them better the first time, when they were called Pearl Jam."
Did STP rip off Pearl Jam's sound?
Who's the better band?
I love em both, but I think STP takes the prize for me. Furthermore, while they may have borrowed a page from Pearl Jam's book early in their career, I believe that they eventually developed a unique sound of their own, climaxed in Tiny Music, which was their third (and I believe their best) album.
What do you think?