SCOTT STAPP Says CREED And His Solo Career Can 'One Hundred Percent' Coexist Creatively

In a new interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Scott Stapp was asked if he thinks CREED and his solo career "can coexist creatively" for him. Scott responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "One hundred percent. And one thing that I just love so much about the relationship with all our brothers in CREED, and me and Mark [Tremonti, CREED guitarist] specifically, is that we're so supportive of each other's projects and bands outside of CREED. And I don't wanna spill the beans on anything that he's doing, but we wanna help each other, we wanna support each other in everything that we do. And CREED is there, and who knows the future with CREED in terms of music, There's nothing been planned or nothing discussed or arranged; right now it's just the touring. But along the way, Mark and I are both on the same page that rising tide raises all ships, and we both accepted and support each other's other projects and other bands and other creative outlets, which is a great place to be. And so he supports [my] new [solo] record. I support what he's working on. And CREED can be not only a conduit to give the fans what they want in terms of CREED music, but also help expose his work and my work to the fans as well. So it's a win-win for everybody."

Stapp added: "Music's not a competition. There's room for everybody. And it's all about the song. And so you just keep writing good songs, and people will consume and people will connect. And that's been my philosophy from day one."

Scott will release his fourth solo album, "Higher Power", on March 15 via Napalm Records. The LP will arrive just a month before the frontman returns to the stage with CREED for the first time in 12 years.

CREED will headline the "Summer Of '99" cruise, setting sail from April 18-22 (the band added a second cruise the following weekend). A full-fledged tour, also dubbed "Summer Of '99" tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off on July 17 and will run through September 28.

CREED's enormous success is largely due to the prolific writing team of Stapp and Tremonti, who founded the band together in 1993. Their winning combination of driving guitar riffs, rousing hooks and introspective lyrics earned them legions of loyal fans around the world. Following the release of their first two albums, the four-piece — which also included bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips — became the first band ever to have seven consecutive No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. CREED's third album, "Weathered" (2001),also debuted at No. 1, and produced several popular singles, including Top Ten hits "My Sacrifice" and "One Last Breath". Though CREED announced its breakup in 2004, the band briefly reunited in 2009 to release "Full Circle". Heavier than their previous albums, "Full Circle" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, proving the incredible staying power of the band.

CREED disbanded in 2004 but reunited five years later for the aforementioned "Full Circle" LP and an extensive tour. Stapp has since toured and recorded as a solo artist, although he suffered a drug-related mental breakdown in 2014 and spent several years recovering from that. During the hiatus, Mark has regularly released music as the leader of the collective TREMONTI, among other side projects.

Photo credit: Sebastian Smith