Mark Tremonti and Scott Stapp of Creed had a moment of reflection on the skepticism that shadowed the band’s early days, noting how they are now selling more tickets than during their peak years.
Creed’s journey, in many ways, mirrors a tale of faith. Despite facing initial resistance from critics and tastemakers alike, the band surged to national prominence on the strength of their musical prowess and raw talent. By the height of their success, Creed found themselves in a position akin to Nickelback’s, where widespread popularity was coupled with a polarizing reception from those who deemed themselves connoisseurs of taste.
Twenty years after Creed’s initial split, the narrative has flipped. Professional athletes celebrate historic victories to the strains of “Higher,” a new wave of fans embraces the band’s music unironically, and longtime supporters feel vindicated.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, Mark Tremonti recalled the band’s early days marred by constant negativity. Critics and skeptics predicted failure at every turn, from their debut album “My Own Prison” being dismissed as a one-hit wonder to doubts about their follow-up “Human Clay.”
“That all kind of happened naturally. What was terrible about the first three records of our career was, everybody was talking about how we were going to fail. Each next step was going to be a disaster. We came out with ‘My Own Prison’, and everybody said, ‘You’re going to be a one-hit-wonder.’ Then we set a record for Number 1’s in a row on a debut record, and then everybody said, ‘All right, now you’re going to have the sophomore slump with “Human Clay.’”
Despite the early challenges, Creed persevered. Today, Tremonti marvels at the band’s resurgence and the enthusiastic reception of their recent tours.
“I remember when Bon Jovi came back and blew up arenas, I thought, ‘I sure hope this happens with Creed.’ People grow up and they want to relive their youth and see the bands they loved.”
“Lo and behold, here we are doing exactly what I hoped would happen. We put the summer tour on sale, and it took off well beyond what we imagined. I spoke to my agent, and he said, ‘This is bigger than you guys were at your prime, ticket sales-wise.’ It’s unbelievable.”
Mark Tremonti also revealed the truth about Creed reuniting.
