“The first three records of our career, everybody was talking about how we were going to fail. Each next step was going to be a disaster”: Mark Tremonti and Scott Stapp on the unlikely rebirth of Creed – and why they’ve always been cool

“We didn’t plan any of it,” Mark Tremonti says. “I don’t think anybody could have planned it. Everything just fell into place and happened organically. It’s pretty incredible.”

The guitarist is responding to the strange, unexpected and borderline paranormal phenomenon that swept the nation last fall when Creed – that’s right, Creed, perhaps one of the most polarizing bands of the past 30 years, mercilessly derided by critics as overly earnest Pearl Jam knockoffs but adored by millions of music fans – were publicly embraced by not one, but two professional sports franchises.

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription