Creed

Creed biography

Creed is a Grammy Award-winning American rock band, formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. 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, and over 40 million albums worldwide, becoming the ninth best-selling artist of the 2000s. 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, with vocalist Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti collectively having been noted as one of the most prolific songwriting teams in the history of rock music. Billboard ranked Creed as the 18th best artist of the 2000s.

Along with founding members Stapp and Tremonti, the band also consists of 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. Their 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 work on a fifth album.

History

Early years (1993-1997)

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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