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Creed
The '90s are gone and grunge died several fads ago, but somebody forgot to tell the guys in Creed--and their millions of fans. Armed with an arsenal of Pearl Jam-esque, Alice In Chains-sounding Big Rock songs, this Tallahassee, Florida group proves, once again, that nothing can keep a good rock band down.
Questioning the lines between spirituality and religion--as a child, singer Scott Stapp was forced to transcribe sections of the Bible as punishment--the band's tormented lyrics (Stapp challenges organized religion in "In America" and actually says "Goddamn" in another song) are filled with enough angst-lite to walk the fine line between religious and secular fans, strangely attracting both in droves.
It's not easy to find a success story as genuine as Creed's in popular culture these days when considering all of the carefully scripted rises to glory and the falls that inevitably follow careers built on hype. If any band in recent years can claim to have ascended strictly on its own merits, it's Creed. This Florida-based band went from zero to 60, (or, more accurately, from zero to selling more than 20 million albums) by virtue of a combination of finger-on-the-pulse songs and powerful live performances.
Creed was formed in 1995 as a heavy metal, rock, and alternative rock group. Many people consider Creed to be a Christian rock band, because their songs include many religious and spiritual implications. While most of the band members are Christians, frontman Scott Stapp disagrees with the label: "No, we are not a Christian band. A Christian band has an agenda to lead others to believe in their specific religious beliefs.
Their 1997 debut album My Own Prison was successful, and the title track was a major hit at rock radio. Their second album, Human Clay was released in 1999 and debuted on the Billboard 200 Album Chart at number one, based on the strength of its first single, "Higher". It wasn't until early 2000 that the single crossed over onto pop radio, and Creed became a household name. Its follow-up, "With Arms Wide Open," was similarly massive on rock radio and arguably even bigger on pop radio that summer.
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Artist Biography - Creed
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 Creed's reputation for dynamic and passionate live performances has led to consistently sold-out shows. Over the past four years the band has played to more than four million fans worldwide. "We were out on tour for a long time, and wherever we went, there were people telling me how much certain songs meant to them and how they felt so close to them," says Stapp. "That means more to me than any other kind of attention. It's important to feel as if you're doing something worthwhile, and in this band, with Mark and Scott, I feel like I am." On a similar note, drummer Scott Phillips added, "Our success has been dictated by the fans. They are the most important thing in the band's life. The three of us feel blessed to have such a great following of people. It's amazing to me when I sit behind the kit during a show and see the passion and emotion displayed by the audience."
In 2000, Creed's presence on television and their impact on end-of-year award shows were undeniable. The band released their VH1 Behind The Music special, taped and released VH1's Storytellers with The Doors, and garnered numerous awards. In November, Creed earned two awards at the Radio Music Awards, and the fans bestowed four awards on the band at the My VH1 Awards. They also received the award for Rock Artist of the Year, for the third year in a row, at The Billboard Awards in December. The writing team of Mark Tremonti / Scott Stapp ended the year winning a Grammy Award for the band's composition, "With Arms Wide Open," a deeply personal song that was inspired when Stapp learned he was going to become a father.
In the fall of 2001, "My Sacrifice," the first single off of Creed's latest album, Weathered was one of many inspirational songs to become huge in a post-September-11-America. In early 2002, "Bullets" was released as a single, along with a costly, special effects-laden video. The song and video were possibly Creed's least successful since achieving mainstream success. However, Creed rebounded quickly, with one of the summer's biggest hits, "One Last Breath". "Don't Stop Dancing" was a minor hit for Creed in late 2002/early 2003.
On June 4, 2004, it was announced that Creed had broken up. Stapp will record a solo album, collaborating with popular Canadian group The Tea Party, while the other band members will form a new band, Alter Bridge, with Myles Kennedy.
Stapp is also continually besieged with requests to help with a variety of fund-raisers and charities, and helps whenever and wherever he can. He has started his own charity, the "With Arms Wide Open Foundation," in an attempt to help underprivileged children and to be able to give something back to the communities that have supported Creed.
Band Members
Scott Stapp - Vocals
Mark Tremonti - Lead Guitar, Vocals & Studio Bassist
Brian Marshall - Bass (Left the band after the Human Clay album)
Scott Phillips - Drums
Discography
My Own Prison, 1997 album
"My Own Prison", 1997 single
"Torn", 1997 single
"What's This Life For", 1998 single
"One", 1998 single
Human Clay, 1999 album
"Higher", 1999 single
"What If", 1999 single
"Are You Ready", 2000 single
"With Arms Wide Open", 2000 single
Weathered, 2001 album
"My Sacrifice", 2001 single
"Don't Stop Dancing", 2002 single
"Weathered", 2002 single
"Bullets", 2002 single
"One Last Breath", 2002 single
Greatest Hits, 2004 greatest hits album
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of Creed
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