Creed is an American rock band, formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Scott Stapp, guitarist and vocalist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips. Creed released two studio albums, My Own Prison in 1997 and Human Clay in 1999, before Marshall left the band in 2000 to be replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla. The band's third record, Weathered, was released in 2001 with Mark Tremonti handling bass before the band disbanded in 2004 due to increasing tension between members. Tremonti, Phillips, and Marshall went on to found Alter Bridge while Stapp followed a solo career. After months of speculation, Creed reunited in 2009 for a tour and new album called Full Circle, and in early 2012 the band reconvened to tour and work on a fifth album.

Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States,^[1] and over 40 million albums worldwide,^[2] becoming the ninth best-selling artist of the 2000s.^[3] While often criticized and parodied, Creed is often recognized as one of the prominent acts of the post-grunge movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s and is one of the most commercially successful rock bands of all time. Billboard ranked Creed as the 18th best artist of the 2000s.^[4]

History[link]

Early years (1993–1996)[link]

Creed's origins lie in 1993 in Tallahassee, Florida. Founding members vocalist Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti had been classmates in high school and friends at Florida State University.^[5] Upon reuniting, Stapp and Tremonti realized that they had a mutual love for writing music and performing. After several discussions and times spent writing songs, many of which addressed themes of Christian theology and spirituality due to Stapp's religious background as the stepson of a Pentecostal dentist, the duo held auditions which led to the recruitment of bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips to complete the quartet. Originally known as Naked Toddler, the band changed its name to Creed at Marshall's suggestion, after a band Marshall had previously played for called Maddox Creed.^[5] Brian Brasher was also briefly a member in 1995 when the band was known as Naked Toddler.^[6] These five musicians had already written and collaborated four of the songs that would go on to become tracks on Creed's chart-topping debut album, My Own Prison. The band found local success and began to play shows in bars and small venues throughout Tallahassee.

[edit] My Own Prison and rise to fame (1997–1998)

With a new name, a new sound, and several new songs written, Creed began playing locally. Initially struggling to secure gigs in their hometown because at that time no one wanted to book rock bands, they resorted to playing unlikely music venues such as family restaurants like T.G.I. Friday's.^[7] Wanting "a real show at a club", they managed to convince the owner of a bar in Tallahassee to book them by claiming that they could guarantee an audience of 200 people.^[7] Owner and manager Jeff Hanson later told HitQuarters that the band had played mostly cover versions, but two original songs stood out and impressed the manager so much that he promptly signed them to his management and promotions company and set about developing their act.^[8] For their first recordings he matched the band up with John Kurzweg, a producer and friend of Hanson's who he felt was an appropriate fit. Together they recorded their debut album for $6,000, which was funded by Hanson.^[8] The album, titled My Own Prison, was initially self-released on their own label, Blue Collar Records, selling 6,000 copies throughout the state of Florida.

My Own Prison had been circulating around the music industry for a while when, in May 1997, Diana Meltzer from Wind-Up Records heard the album for the first time and decided almost immediately that she wanted to sign them to the label.^[9] She later said that she heard "an arena band".^[9] Within the same week, Meltzer, together with Wind-up president Steve Lerner, CEO Alan Meltzer, and A&R representative Joel Mark, flew to Tallahassee to see Creed perform live and decide for certain whether to offer them a contract. "Seeing the energy in the room when Scott Stapp stepped up to the mike, and hearing his powerful voice fill the room, alongside Mark Tremonti’s now legendary guitar riffs and that big Creed anthemic rock sound, was all I needed," she told HitQuarters.^[9] According to Hanson, before Wind-up signed Creed, fourteen labels had already passed on the band, and at one point he was tempted to take charge of them himself.^[8]

My Own Prison was remixed, given a more radio-friendly sound, and re-released by Wind-up Records. Four singles were released from the album: "My Own Prison", "Torn", "What's This Life For", and "One". Each of these songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, making Creed the first band to accomplish such a feat with a debut album.^[5] With little MTV exposure, media coverage, or label support, My Own Prison sold extremely well, moving over six million copies and going six times platinum. Creed continued to top year-end charts and was recognized as the Rock Artist of the Year at the 1998 Billboard Music Awards. My Own Prison was also the highest-selling heavy music record of 1998 on Nielsen SoundScan's Hard Music chart.^[10] The band's hit song "My Own Prison" was also featured as a live performance on the charity album Live in the X Lounge. The band covered Alice Cooper's song "I'm Eighteen" for The Faculty soundtrack in 1998.^[11]

Critical reception toward My Own Prison was mostly favorable. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic gave it four out of five stars and said that Creed "work well within their boundaries" despite "basically [falling] into the category of post-Seattle bands who temper their grunge with a dose of Live earnestness."^[12] The album lyrically deals with themes of questioning and struggling with faith and spirituality. Because of this, some mistake Creed for a Christian rock band. In response, bassist Brian Marshall said that Stapp's use of religious imagery "doesn't mean we're religious. He uses it as a metaphor. That's different. He uses the symbolism, but that doesn't mean we're Christian rock." Stapp said that his lyrics were spiritual but not religious, emphasizing the difference between the two: "For me, religion was about 'what not to do.' Spirituality opens you up, sets you free."^[13]

[edit] Human Clay and Marshall's departure (1998–2000)

With money made from My Own Prison, the band started to write for their second album, Human Clay. The album's first single, "Higher," spent a record-breaking 17 weeks on the top of the rock radio charts.^[5][14] In 2009, "Higher" was ranked as the 95th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.^[15] The album was released in 1999, when My Own Prison was still doing reasonably well.^[16] However, Human Clay was an instant and overwhelming success debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and selling over ten million copies over the next two years, allowing it to become one of the few rock albums to be certified diamond by the RIAA.^[5] The album was the band's first to hit #1 in the U.S., where it debuted with first week sales of 315,000, and stayed on top for two weeks.^[17] After the album's release, follow-up singles were released: "With Arms Wide Open," "What If," and "Are You Ready." The first three of those topped radio charts, giving Creed a total of seven chart-topping singles.^[5] The band would later go on to win their first, and to date only, Grammy Award for "With Arms Wide Open" for Best Rock Song in 2001.^[18]

Reviews for Human Clay were largely positive. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic said that the record "does make it clear that there is an audience for post-grunge hard rock, as long as it's delivered without pretension and as long as it meets the audience's desire for straight-ahead, hard-hitting music."^[19] Another reviewer called the record "a triumph of songwriting."^[20] The lyrical content of Human Clay is a slight departure from that of My Own Prison, touching on subjects such as lucid dreaming ("Higher") and fatherhood ("With Arms Wide Open"), as well as darker, more violent themes such as sexual abuse ("Wash Away Those Years") and hostility ("What If"), albeit in done in a "substantial, mature" manner.^[21]

During the summer of 2000, bassist Brian Marshall criticized Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder in a radio interview with KNDD in June 2000, claiming that Scott Stapp is a better songwriter, and criticized Pearl Jam's recent albums for "having songs without hooks."^[22] Stapp later distanced the rest of the band from Marshall's comments and stated, "Yes, we get tired of the PJ question, but there is no excuse for the arrogance and stupidity [of Marshall]. I ask you all not to judge Creed as a band, because the statements made were not the band's feelings, they were Brian's. I'm sorry if Brian offended anyone, and he has already apologized for his comments."^[23] Marshall left Creed "on friendly terms" soon after the controversy and formed a new band called Grand Luxx with his old Mattox Creed band mates. Marshall was temporarily replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla of Virgos Merlot.^[5] Stapp stated Marshall's leaving was his choice and was unrelated to the Pearl Jam's comments.^[24]

[edit] Weathered and break-up (2001–2004)

Creed worked on their third album for most of 2001, with Tremonti choosing to play bass on the record himself instead of Hestla to "[preserve] the band's initial core," although Hestla remained in Creed's touring lineup. Weathered was released on November 20, 2001. Six singles were released from the album: "My Sacrifice" (which earned the band a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2003), "One Last Breath, "Hide", "Don't Stop Dancing", "Weathered" and "Bullets." The album was a commercial bestseller^[25] and was certified platinum six times over and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. It remained at that spot for eight weeks, a record which Creed notably shares with The Beatles.^[26] The tour to promote Weathered was met with considerable controversy; it was delayed in April 2002 when Stapp suffered a concussion and vertebrae damage after being involved in a car accident. As a result, in addition to his growing addiction to alcohol, he became addicted to Percocet and began taking a host of other medications while on tour, including steroids and Xanax.^[5]

This, along with other events, led to a considerably controversial concert on December 29, 2002 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, which ultimately led to the band's disunion. Four disappointed concertgoers filed a lawsuit against the band, claiming that Scott Stapp "was so intoxicated and/or medicated that he was unable to sing the lyrics of a single Creed song."^[27] Creed later issued an apology on Stapp's behalf,^[28] although Stapp would later deny the claims. Ultimately, the case was dismissed.^[27] Stapp later confirmed that he was intoxicated during the concert.^[24]

After remaining inactive for over a year, it was announced in June 2004 that Creed had disbanded. Tremonti cited tensions between Stapp and the rest of the band as the reasoning. He said that the relationship with Stapp had become so strained that the creative juices were no longer flowing.^[29] Almost simultaneous with the announcement of Creed's break-up, Stapp opted for a solo career. On November 22, 2004, Wind-up Records released Creed's Greatest Hits, after which Stapp released his debut solo album The Great Divide in 2005 with Roadrunner Records recording artist Goneblind. Meanwhile, Tremonti and Phillips had reunited with Marshall to form a new band, called Alter Bridge with singer Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the current frontman of Slash's latest project. Alter Bridge, who continues to tour and record today, has released three studio albums: One Day Remains (2004), Blackbird (2007), and AB III (2010).^[30]

[edit] Reunion and Full Circle (2009–2010)

From 2004 onward, Tremonti promised that Creed would never return.^[31] However, on April 27, 2009, Creed's website announced that the band had reunited for a new tour and plans for a new album. According to Tremonti, "We're all very excited to reconnect with our fans and each other after seven long years."^[32] He later added that being in Creed again was "the last thing [he] expected." Phillips also stated: "Our career as Creed came to a very abrupt and unforeseen ending. After reflecting on some of the greatest personal and professional moments of our lives, we've come to realize that we are still very capable of continuing that career and our friendship on a grander scale than ever before."^[32] In an interview for People magazine, Stapp elaborated on the reunion, saying, "We never felt like we weren't together. We're not looking at this as a reunion. It's more of a rebirth."^[33]

In June, Creed performed with Marshall on bass for the first time in nine years on Sessions@AOL, showing the band playing four of their hits.^[34] In addition, the band performed live on Fox & Friends on June 26, 2009.^[35] Creed's reunion tour, with touring guitarist Eric Friedman, kicked off on August 6, 2009 and concluded on October 20. Full Circle, Creed's first album in eight years, came out on October 27, 2009. Stapp elaborated on the title, which is also the name of a track to appear on the album: "It really defines and articulates, melody-wise and lyrically, what’s happened with us. We've come full circle and it's a great place to be."^[36] The first single from Full Circle, "Overcome," was posted on the band's official website on August 19, the same day the radio premiere started along with its release as a digital download on August 25. The second single, "Rain," was released to radio stations on September 23 and became available on October 6 as another digital download. On September 25, 2009, Creed performed a concert in Houston, Texas that was recorded, broadcast via a live internet stream, and released on December 8, 2010, as a concert film titled Creed Live, the band's first live recording.^[37] The performance broke four world records, including the world record for the most amount of cameras used at a live music event (239). The previous holder of this record was Justin Timberlake. The performance also featured the very first usage of the "big freeze" technology, popularized by The Matrix, in a concert environment.^[38] The band's first live recording, the record-breaking concert film titled Creed Live, was released on December 8, 2009. Drummer Scott Phillips also confirmed that Full Circle will not be the band's final album. The same announcement confirmed that Creed was to go on a world tour in support of Full Circle between April and September 2010 , starting with an Australia/New Zealand tour, followed by South America, Europe, and North America.^[39] The tour was called The 20-10 Tour. Tickets for the tour were ten and twenty dollars to stand up against rising concert ticket prices. The first 2,010 tickets purchased for every concert did not include any service fees.^[40] Due to high ticket sales, Creed was put in high numbered areas.^[41] Skillet joined the tour as main support.

Next album (2012–present)[link]

Creed reconvened in early 2012 to begin work on their upcoming fifth studio album. A tour was also announced where the band would perform their first two albums, My Own Prison and Human Clay, from front to back. This tour kicked off with two shows on April 12 and 13, 2012, at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, with the band performing My Own Prison the first night and Human Clay the second.^[42][43] It has been announced that lead singer Scott Stapp and lead guitarist Mark Tremonti will hit the studio to start recording new tunes in June.^[44]

Musical style[link]

Creed's music is generally considered to be rock. According to Rolling Stone magazine, Scott Stapp's vocals have been influenced by the late Jim Morrison of The Doors.^[45] Andrew Leahey and Steve Huey of Allmusic describe Creed's music as hard rock and post-grunge.^[5]

Creed is sometimes labeled a Christian rock band due to the fact that their first three albums focus on questions of faith, Christianity, and eternity. The band was never signed to a contemporary Christian music label, nor did it perform in Christian music venues or get any widespread regular play on Christian radio. However, the band's name itself refers to the religious concept of a creed. Also, themes within their musical titles such as "My Own Prison," "Higher," "My Sacrifice," "What's This Life For," "With Arms Wide Open," and "One Last Breath" contain allusion to Christian theology, though it has not been confirmed that the songs were meant to be Christian songs. Band members have stated that while they may be Christians, the band as a whole is not.^[46] Bassist Brian Marshall, who named the band, said that singer Scott Stapp uses spiritual imagery as a metaphor.^[13]

Reception and criticism[link]

Creed was one of the most commercially successful rock bands of the late 90s and early 2000s, having sold an estimated 53 million records worldwide.^[5][32] Their first three studio albums, My Own Prison, Human Clay, and Weathered, have all gone multi-platinum in the United States, selling 6 million, 11 million, and 6 million copies respectively.^[47][48] The band also won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the song "With Arms Wide Open" in 2001.^[18] However, in spite of this enormous commercial success, Creed was poorly received by professional critics, such as Robert Christgau.^[49] Although Jonah Weiner of Slate has tried to make the case that the band was "seriously underrated,"^[50] that "most people hate Creed’s combination of overwrought power-balladry and Christian-infused testosterone."^[51] However, the band's live shows from throughout their career have been critically acclaimed.^[52][53] In 2011, Creed was listed in Hard Rock Band Bracket's best rock bands of all time,^[54] and Billboard ranked Creed as the 18th best artist of the 2000s.^[4]

Awards and accolades[link]

RIAA certifications[link]

These statistics were compiled from the RIAA certification online database.^[55]

Studio albums

• My Own Prison: 6× platinum (August 2002)
• Human Clay: 11× platinum, 1×(+) diamond (January 2004)
• Weathered: 6× platinum (January 2003)
• Full Circle: 1x gold (July 2011)

Compilation albums

• Greatest Hits: 2× platinum (November 2008)

Grammy Awards and nominations[link]

Creed has been nominated for three Grammy Awards resulting in one win.^[56]

• "With Arms Wide Open" – Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, 2001 (nomination)^[18]
• "With Arms Wide Open" – Best Rock Song, 2001 (winner)^[18]
• "My Sacrifice" – Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, 2003 (nomination)^[57]

World records[link]

On September 25, 2009, Creed performed a concert in Houston, Texas that was recorded, broadcast via a live internet stream, and released on December 8, 2010, as a concert film titled Creed Live, the band's first live recording.^[58] The performance broke four world records, including the world record for the most amount of cameras used at a live music event (239). The previous holder of this record was Justin Timberlake. The performance also featured the very first usage of the "big freeze" technology, popularized by The Matrix, in a concert environment.^[59]

Band members[link]

Current

• Scott Stapp – lead vocals (1995–2004, 2009–present)
• Mark Tremonti – lead guitar, vocals (1995–2004, 2009–present)
• Brian Marshall – bass guitar (1995–2000, 2009–present)
• Scott Phillips – drums, keyboards (1995–2004, 2009–present)

Former

• Brian Brasher – rhythm guitar (1995)

Touring

• Eric Friedman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2009–present)
• Brett Hestla – bass, backing vocals (2000–2004)

Discography[link]

• My Own Prison (1997)
• Human Clay (1999)
• Weathered (2001)
• Full Circle (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Creed

• Official website
• Creed on Myspace
• Creed on Facebook
• Creed on Twitter

Scott Stapp
Stapp on his acoustic tour in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Scott Flippen
Born	(1973-08-08) August 8, 1973 (age 38) Goldsboro, North Carolina
Origin	Orlando, Florida, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, hard rock, heavy metal, Christian rock, post-grunge
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, record producer, author
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums, bass
Years active	1994 (1994)–present
Labels	Wind-up
Associated acts	Creed
Website	scottstappofficial.com

Scott Alan Stapp (born Anthony Scott Flippen ; August 8, 1973) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and philanthropist best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production. In addition to his career as a musician, Stapp is also an author, currently at work on a memoir that will be published in October 2012.

Despite various controversies and criticisms, Stapp is recognized as one of the most successful artists of the modern rock era and has won numerous awards and accolades including a Grammy Award for Creed's song "With Arms Wide Open" and numerous RIAA certifications. In 2006, Hit Parader ranked Stapp as the 68th greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time.^[1]

Early life[link]

Stapp was born as Anthony Scott Flippen on August 8, 1973 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, to his mother Lynda, a school teacher and his biological father, about whom little is known. He was adopted by Steven Stapp, a dentist who married Scott's mother, and decided to take his stepfather's last name. However, upon realizing that his initials would spell out the word "ass," he took his middle name as his first and took the name he is now known as, Scott Alan Stapp. Stapp grew up in a very religious household because his stepfather was a Pentecostal minister; when punished, he would be forced to copy passages from the Bible. At one point, he grew so desperate to seek freedom from the strict rules of his religious stepfather that he snuck out of his home in the middle of the night and stayed at a friend's house for a month before finally returning home. In an attempt to impress his stepfather, he attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, but he was expelled for smoking marijuana. He subsequently attended Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, Tallahassee Community College, and finally Florida State University.^[2]

Career[link]

Creed: 1995-2004; 2009-present[link]

Stapp is a founding member of the American hard rock band Creed. After developing an acquaintance with his then-future band mate Mark Tremonti at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Stapp reunited with Tremonti while both attended Florida State University, and they quickly developed a friendship based on their mutual passion for music. Stapp formed Creed with Tremonti in 1995 with fellow members Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips joining as bassist and drummer, respectively. Rhythm guitarist Brian Brasher was also briefly a member in 1995 when the band was known by its original name, Naked Toddler.^[3] While often criticized and parodied, Creed is recognized by many as one of the major acts of the post-grunge movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Tremonti and Stapp have been collectively recognized as one of the most prolific songwriting teams in all of rock music.^[4]

The band released their debut album My Own Prison in 1997 to mainstream success, selling over six million copies.^[5] Four singles were released from the album: "My Own Prison," "Torn," "What's This Life For," and "One." Each of these songs reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, becoming the first band to do so with a debut album.^[5] The album was then followed in 1999 by Human Clay, which was an immediate success and certified diamond and eleven times platinum by the RIAA.^[5] Tension between Stapp and Marshall began to increase during this time, leading Marshall to ultimately leave the band to pursue other interests. He was temporarily replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla,^[6] with Tremonti handling the bass parts in the studio. After a tour, the band released another multi-platinum selling album, Weathered, in 2001.^[7] The tour to support this record was overwhelmingly successful but ended with a considerably controversial concert in Chicago that ultimately led to the band's breakup.^[8] The band announced that they had disbanded in 2004, citing tension between Stapp and the other members.^[9] Creed released their Greatest Hits in November 2004.

After months of speculation, despite early claims from Tremonti that Creed would never return,^[10] it was announced that Creed had reunited with plans for a tour and a new album.^[11] The record, Full Circle, was released in October 2009. Creed supported the album by touring throughout North and South America, Canada, Europe, and Australia during the summers of 2009 and 2010.^[12] A fifth Creed album is expected in late 2011 or early 2012 according to Tremonti.^[13]

In March 2012, Stapp reconvened with his Creed band mates to rehearse for their current "2 Nights" tour, during which the band is performing its first two albums, My Own Prison and Human Clay, back to back in their entirety.^[14]

Solo career and contributions: 2004-present[link]

After Creed announced its breakup, Stapp recorded the song "Relearn Love" with 7 Aurelius and The Tea Party for The Passion of the Christ: Songs, a collection of tracks inspired by the 2004 Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ.^[15] He then began working on his debut solo album. Titled The Great Divide, the record was released in the U.S. on November 22, 2005, peaking at No. 19 on the Billboard 200. "The Great Divide," "Justify," and "Surround Me" were released as singles. It was certified platinum on December 14, 2005. The Great Divide has since reached double platinum.^[16] His backing band for the record and live shows since has consisted of Aristides Rincon and John Curry on guitars, Mitch Burman on bass, and Mark Archer on drums. They are all members of the band Goneblind.^[17]

In April 2008, Stapp uploaded a cover of "Running to Stand Still" by U2 to his Myspace page. On August 8, 2008, he posted an acoustic version of "Broken" which was on his previous record. Then on August 10, 2008, Stapp's management announced a new solo project would be released in the second quarter of 2009;^[18] however, because of the Creed reunion, the album was put on indefinite hiatus.

Stapp announced on his Myspace page after Creed's 20-10 Tour with Skillet he will embark on a solo acoustic tour. August 18, 2010, he wrote, "I'm stripping down all the Creed hits, as well as my solo material, in a manner fans have never heard before but have long been screaming for."^[19] Creed's touring rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman joined Stapp on the acoustic tour.^[20] The short solo acoustic tour began September 28, 2010, and concluded November 20, 2010.^[21]

In the spring of 2010, Stapp recorded an anthem for the National League baseball team the Florida Marlins titled "Marlins Will Soar," a rewrite of Stapp's song "You Will Soar," using different lyrics and a slightly different melody in the verses. "Marlins Will Soar" was met with extremely negative reviews according to The Huffington Post.^[22] In April 2010, Stapp released (free to fans via scottstapp.com) a new remix of "Broken," featuring rapper Ma$e, and 2 B-side tracks, "Somber" and "Criminal," from the upcoming solo album.

Stapp appeared on Carlos Santana's solo album Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time, a cover album on which Stapp sings on the cover of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Fortunate Son". The album was released on September 21, 2010.^[23]

Stapp has confirmed that his second album, Between Lust and Love, will be a double album, with each disc devoted to the topics of lust and love. Stapp told The Salt Lake Tribune: "It's been the dichotomy of my life over the last three-and-a-half, four years. [It has] characters that describe [my] life and times … It's two sides of the coin."^[24] The album will be produced by Stapp with veteran producer Desmond Child.^[25] An official release date for the album has not yet been confirmed.

Other projects[link]

Writing[link]

Stapp has recently been at work on an uncensored memoir which he describes as a "first-hand narrative of the journey from my roots – from the day I was born to the present." According to the Chicago Tribune, it is currently titled Exposed and Released: The Confessions of Scott Stapp and it will be published in October 2012 by Tyndale House.^[26]

Philanthropy[link]

Stapp is involved in various philanthropic activities.^[27] In 2000, Stapp founded the With Arms Wide Open Foundation, a nonprofit organization "dedicated to helping underprivileged children and families around the world." He has donated over US$1 million of his own record sales to support the foundation's worldwide humanitarian efforts.^[28] In 2006, Stapp embarked on a solo tour and provided over 244,000 meals to several local food banks affiliated with America's Second Harvest throughout the United States,^[29] and in early 2010 he joined with the Wheelchair Foundation and DC3 Music Group to assist in the "Plane to Haiti" project, a humanitarian mission to help the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[30] Over three tons of medical supplies were donated, and Stapp, along with other artists including New Kids on the Block, Alter Bridge, Tom Morello, and David Archuleta, together helped raise over $1 million for the cause.^[31]

In early 2012, to provide musical therapy and promote fundraising for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami,^[32] Stapp and his wife, in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, IsraAid, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the United Service Organizations, traveled to Japan and visited with victims of the tsunami in affected towns including Sendai and Ishinomaki along Japan's northeast coastline. Stapp also performed an acoustic show on board the USS George Washington at the Yokosuka Naval Base for U.S. troops stationed in Japan to thank and express his appreciation for them.^[33]

Personal life[link]

In 2003, he contemplated suicide after drinking a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. He retrieved two MP5s from his collection, put the guns to his head, but failed to pull the trigger after looking at a picture of his son Jagger. He stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that he was convinced that anyone involved with Creed wanted him dead so he would become a "Kurt Cobain martyr-type" and increase record sales. Says Scott, "I had crazy thoughts going through my head."^[34] He later said that instead of killing himself, he fired a few rounds in his home. He said, "I was in the throes of prednisone coming out of my body [...] I shot a few rounds off and instantly was like, 'What the hell am I doing?' So I put the guns away and ran out to the garage and got the putty and patched the holes."^[35]

Stapp has since committed himself to "controlling his demons." He shaved his head, which he used to demonstrate his "changed" personality. He said,"I wanted my wife to perceptually and visually see me as changing, that I was not what I used to be."^[36] Stapp's Creed band mate, guitarist Mark Tremonti, said that he was "surprised as hell at Scott's new attitude towards music and life in general." Tremonti elaborated, saying: "It seems as though, over the last six years, he'd done a lot of maturing and reflecting; he has his head on straight. And he realizes how truly important Creed was to him. Not just as a monetary enterprise, but as a band, a group of people. Creed was an important thing for him to be a part of. Right there, in our first meeting, he made us realize that we felt the same way."^[37] He stated in another interview, "From the second we started playing again, he was very complimentary towards what we were all doing musically. He had a lot of nice things to say about my guitar playing, and to hear him say to Brian [Marshall] that he thought he was a great bass player was very cool." He also said, "Falling apart was probably the best thing that could have happened to us."^[38]

Family[link]

In 1997, Stapp married Hillaree Burns. They were married for 16 months and divorced in 1998 and she later gave birth to Stapp's son, Jagger. Creed's song "With Arms Wide Open" is about their son.

On February 11, 2006, Stapp married Miss New York USA 2004 winner, children's literature author, and model Jaclyn Nesheiwat.^[39] Their daughter, Milán Hayat Stapp, was born on January 4, 2007. In May 2010 the couple announced their second child Daniel was due in July 2010.^[40] The Stapps welcomed son Daniel Issam Stapp at 3:01 pm on Sunday, July 4, 2010. Scott Stapp now has three children (2 sons and 1 daughter). Stapp also has two sisters, Amanda and Amie.^[41] Stapp and his family currently reside in Boca Raton. He is a Christian.^[42]

Legal troubles[link]

In July 2002, he was detained by Florida police and charged with reckless driving after he drove his SUV off the road before swerving back into the proper lane. He was released from custody after posting $500.^[43]

He was also arrested February 12, 2006, one day after his second marriage, for suspected intoxication.^[44]

On May 20, 2007, he was arrested for domestic abuse; after returning home after a night of partying, Stapp was questioned by his wife Jaclyn and got defensive and threw a bottle of Orangina at her. She called the police and her husband was taken into custody and charged with one count of assault, although he was later set free on supervised release.^[45] Stapp apologized to his wife and the public on May 23, 2007, and the charge was later dropped.^[46]

Accolades[link]

Stapp was ranked as the 68th greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time by Hit Parader in 2006.^[1]

Discography[link]

Solo albums

• The Great Divide (2005)
• Between Lust and Love (2CD) (TBA)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Scott Stapp

• Official website
• Scott Stapp on Myspace
• Scott Stapp on Twitter
• Passion Breeds Followers

Creed Bratton
Bratton in March 2009
Born	William Charles Schneider (1943-02-08) February 8, 1943 (age 69) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor/Musician
Years active	1965–present
Website
http://creedbratton.com/

Creed Bratton (born February 8, 1943 as William Charles Schneider) is an American actor and musician, a former member of The Grass Roots. Today, he is best known for playing a fictional version of himself on the American adaptation of The Office on NBC.

Background and education[link]

Born William Charles Schneider in Los Angeles, he grew up in Coarsegold, California, a small town near Yosemite National Park. His grandparents, mother, and father were musicians, and he took a liking to music at a very early age. At 13, he received his first guitar from a Sears mail order catalog. He became a professional musician during his high school and college years. Upon his mother's remarriage, his name was changed to Chuck Ertmoed.

Musical career[link]

Early years[link]

He decided to try life as a traveling musician and made his way on a global excursion, during which he changed his name again, to Creed Bratton. He traveled through Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Appearing with his group the Young Californians, he played guitar at a large folk festival in Israel. Fellow American and guitarist Warren Entner witnessed Bratton's performance, and asked him to give him a call when he got back to the United States. In 1966, they formed a partnership and recruited the remaining members needed for their group, the 13th Floor. Bratton played lead guitar, Rick Coonce played drums, Entner played rhythm guitar, and Kenny Fukomoto played bass. They recorded a demo and sent it to Dunhill, a new record company headed by Lou Adler.

Bratton playing at The Office Convention in Scranton, PA in 2007

The Grass Roots[link]

Producers/songwriters P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri heard the demo and liked it. They needed new band members for a folk rock group that they had created in 1965. The 13th Floor lost their bass player to the draft during this time, and quickly recruited Rob Grill. They changed their name to The Grass Roots for prior name recognition and went straight to the top 10 with their first recording, "Let's Live for Today" in 1967. The group continued in their hit-making vein and toured the United States. Iconic hit songs such as "Midnight Confessions" cemented their standing as major contributors to the rock music scene.

The Grass Roots had top songwriters offering their best songs to them and they wrote many songs themselves. Bratton co-wrote "Beatin' Round the Bush", "No Exit", and "Hot Bright Lights", and self-composed "Dinner for Eight" and "House of Stone". Bratton played with the group on their first four albums: Let's Live for Today, Feelings, Golden Grass, and Lovin' Things. Three albums charted and Golden Grass received a gold record certification. He took part in the first ten singles released, eight of which charted; Midnight Confessions received a gold record certification.

The Grass Roots played at the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival on Sunday June 11, 1967 in the "summer of love" as their top ten hit "Let's Live For Today" was hitting the airwaves. This music festival is important because it occurred before the Monterey Pop Festival but did not have a movie to document it for the ages (see List of electronic music festivals). On Sunday October 27, 1968 they played at the San Francisco Pop Festival and then played at the Los Angeles Pop Festival and Miami Pop Festival in December of that year as their top ten hit "Midnight Confessions" was hitting the airwaves.

In April 1969 Creed, not happy with the band's shift away from their folk rock roots, left the Grass Roots.

Solo years[link]

In 2001 and 2002, Bratton released three albums showcasing his solo recordings since the 1960s with the assistance of Peter White. In 2007, he presented an induction award to The Wrecking Crew at the Musicians' Hall of Fame. In 2008, he released another album of new music with producer Jon Tiven. In 2010, Bratton released another new album titled "Bounce Back" with producer Dave Way. In 2011, Bratton released an album of greatest hits from his first three solo albums titled "Demo". In 2010 & 2012, Bratton performed live at the SXSW festival.

Acting career[link]

Bratton began to pursue an acting career in 1969. He has appeared in films such as Mask and Heart Like a Wheel. He is a current cast member (playing a fictional version of himself) on NBC's Emmy and SAG award winning The Office. In 2008, he appeared in a short film with Kyle Gass titled Just One Of The Gynos, which won an award for best short film at the 2008 Malibu International Film Festival. He appeared in the feature film Labor Pains in 2009. His recent film projects are The Ghastly Love of Johnny X, written, produced and directed by Paul Bunnell, I Am Ben, written, produced and directed by Mathew Brady and Gaelan Connell and Terri produced by David Guy Levy. Terri was selected by the Sundance Film Festival 2011 to appear in the US dramatic competition. It was one of only 16 films selected from 1,102 submissions to the US dramatic category.^[1] In 2012, he appeared as special guest star in Staged with Brandon Olive who appeared with him in Just One Of The Gynos. Bratton's latest film project is Saving Lincoln a biography set in the civil war period. It is produced by Horatio C. Kemeny and written and directed by Salvador Litvak.

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

++ - Gold Record - RIAA Certification

+++ - Composed by Italian superstar Lucio Battisti)

Albums[link]

++ - Gold Record - RIAA Certification

References[link]

External links[link]

• Creed Bratton at the Internet Movie Database

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Creed Bratton

• Creed Bratton at AllRovi
• The-GrassRoots.com - Official Site
• Creed Bratton at MySpace
• Creed at AMG