It’s been nearly 27 years since Creed released their debut album My Own Prison, but the rock band are enjoying a much-deserved resurgence. Now, the band is back on the road for the Summer of ‘99 tour — and lead singer Scott Stapp is giving Us a glimpse at life behind the scenes.
According to Stapp, 50, each morning that precedes a show later that night involves a strict routine, which includes using his voice “as little as possible,” the Grammy winner — who’s also released four solo albums, including 2024’s Higher Power — told Us. “I’m an early riser [so] I do a daily workout, check in on work and the kids on email and text.”
In the afternoon, the band settles into the venue, does soundcheck and figures out that night’s setlist. At that point, “Things go from peaceful to warp speed,” Stapp said, noting this is when he looks for somewhere private to do vocal warm-ups, which sound “like herding goats, loudly.”
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The band (Stapp, guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips, and bassist Brian Marshall) settles into their dressing room before hitting the stage. And while some musicians are notorious for going above and beyond with their demands, Stapp doesn’t ask for much: “I need a steady supply of my favorite mocktail – warm water, lemon, and a ton of manuka honey — and healthy, high-protein snacks.”
As for how he prefers to find his home base for the day, Stapp says it’s what most fans would expect. “Chill lighting — because going from a bright room to a dark, vibey stage is a weird transition — and comfortable couches, because backstage is where a lot of new ideas get tried out and where we hang with our families,” he shared. Another plus? “Clean bathrooms!”
His one must-have? “If it’s football season, I need a TV!”
Moments before Creed heads out to perform, Stapp makes sure to get into the right headspace. “It’s about going from a meditative place to the most amped up, energetic level,” he explained. “We want everyone to leave the show as exhausted as we are.“
Though each of Creed’s songs are meaningful to the singer, he looks forward to performing “With Arms Wide Open” for the crowd each night. “It always takes me back to becoming a dad and the love and excitement I felt then, and with the arrival of each of my other three children, and again with my 6-month-old grandson,” the father of four — who shares Jagger, 25, with ex Hilaree Burns, and Milan, 17, Daniel, 13, and Anthony, 9, with ex Jaclyn Stapp — shared.
“Wanting to be the Dad they deserve literally changed my life and I feel that more deeply every day,” he continued. “Now I’m seeing how many other parents have passed it down to their own kids. I can’t even describe what it feels like to sing that song to an audience that spans three generations now.”
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Though Creed will make stops in Toronto, Nashville and Tampa with 3 Doors Down and Daughtry for the Summer of ‘99 tour, it’s unlikely anything will top playing Rome, New York in 1999 — for a few reasons.
“I was a big fan of The Doors and Jim Morrison’s poetic writing style, so when Robby Krieger from The Doors played with us at Woodstock ’99, it was a dream come true,” Stapp recalled of the infamous festival that featured Korn, Bush and Red Hot Chili Peppers as headliners. “That led to an invitation to front The Doors during VH1 Storytellers, which was next level for me.”
Unfortunately, “Woodstock ’99 is [also] the craziest concert experience, in light of how it ended after we left,” he told Us. “The day started as a rock and roll fantasy — and turned into a nightmare.”
Tickets for the Summer of ’99 Tour are available now
