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Old 07-30-2010, 12:03 AM   #233
Dark_Knight
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Re: The Official Creed Press/TV Thread

Thanks to PBF.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/ente...895b93e19.html

Creed returns a stronger band


Quote: The six years between "old" Creed and "new" Creed were good ones, says guitarist Mark Tremonti.

"We didn't just sit around, idle. We were hustling...and becoming better musicians."

Now, as the re-formed band, he, Scott Stapp, Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall are even more united.

"When we're out touring, we realize it would have been a big shame to throw it all away over past differences," Tremonti says.

Those glory days brought Creed a string of hits, sold-out arenas and a Grammy Award. They also prompted more than a little inner tension. When it got to be unbearable, Stapp went his way, Tremonti, Marshall and Phillips went theirs. Stapp released a solo CD. The others formed Alter Bridge, a band with a "more layered, more melancholy" sound.

Time, Tremonti says, healed old wounds. "Enough time went by and Scott and his managers reached out to ours. We had a discussion about the possibilities of touring and testing the waters. We all came to the same place."

Because the label wanted new music for the reunion tour, the band holed up in Nashville and quickly wrote "Full Circle." Tremonti had a bunch of ideas the others embraced. "We worked around the clock on it," he says. "It was exciting."

And it revealed a different shade in Stapp's voice. "It sounds even wider," Tremonti explains. "He's got a big boomy voice but this opens it up even more. Sometimes when he's pushing for a note he sounds like a big bear."

New music also gives Creed new perspective.

New perspective gives the band new purpose.

"We can push forward," Tremonti says. "We want to see where the day takes us."

Alter Bridge, meanwhile, continues to exist.

"Creed shows are more fun. We get to let loose and hear the crowds sing back our songs. Alter Bridge has a more condensed crowd filled with die-hards who know every note we play."

Creed crowds are easier on the musicians. Alter Bridge ones "know when we hit a wrong note."

"With Arms Wide Open," Creed's Grammy winner, always elicits a big response. "Even if we're butchering it, the audience has a good time."

A mega-hit like that isn't easy to come by, Tremonti says. Today, "you can pretty much write off record sales. To us, now, they're just a marketing device. There's definitely a correlation between piracy and sales going down. The economy has taken its toll on bands, too. Record labels are throwing bands out there just to see if they stick."

Because technology has changed so rapidly, "you can make any kid sound like a pro. I surf the Internet a lot and some of them just blow me away. There are very talented folks out there. But it's tough for a band, particularly if they want to hit on the radio."

To do so, songs need to be simple and "digestible."

For Creed's next CD, Tremonti and company are already combing through ideas. "We'd like one that we can use on this tour and, in the last few days, we've found one we agree on. I wrote the lyrics in about 10 minutes. But I know Scott likes to write lyrics, so the lyrics will change."

Keeping things fresh, Tremonti adds, will ensure longevity.

"We plan on keeping everything nice and healthy. We want to move forward."

The big difference this time out? "We're all dads now except for Brian. We have other priorities. When we're not on the road, we have other things that keep us busy."
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