Stapp has said that he and Mark write for themselves; if they can go home happy with what they've done, that's all that matters. They don't put pressure on themselves to "outdo" previous albums, they just love what they do, and that comes through in the end!
Please stop reading so much into the fact that they're taking such a long break. After everything they've been through together, I believe it will just make them stronger! When everything was coming crashing down in Stapp's personal life, not to mention the fact he was on steroids so they could keep giving their gift of music to the fans, it was winding down to the end of a hellish year for them. Put yourself in Stapp's shoes for a moment. In the spring, you have a car accident, which messes up your back and neck, requiring extensive rehab, which means postponing some tour dates, which you put the blame on yourself for, even though it wasn't really your fault. When you're able to go back on tour, you aggressively try to make up tour dates, trying to make it up to your fans, which puts unbelievable stress on your vocal chords, and you have to rearrange the tour schedule once again, which you again blame yourself for. So, not to let your fans down even more, you agree to take steroids to relieve the inflammation and swelling in your throat. The steroids make you moody, make you bloated in the face, and a whole bunch of other side effects too numerous to mention. Then there's your ex-wife to deal with, and trying to keep peace as much as possible for the sake of your son, who is your life, as well as not getting to see your son often enough. Your ex-wife hits you in the face with a cell phone, the media finds out about it and has a field day with it, as they often do with anything; your every move is scrutinized by the media, in fact. Then there are stalkers(at least one in particular who won't go away until you get a restraining order on her). Your life seems to be just one downward spiral, and the whole world is watching you go through meltdown. At the last show of the Weathered tour, you are transparent and honest with your fans, saying, "I don't know about you, but I'm glad there's only about ?? minutes left to the year 2002!"
Give Stapp and the band a break!!
Sorry so long, I just wanted to make you guys realize why they need such a long break.... and that this long break doesn't mean a "break-up"....
