SCOTT STAPP AT THE RIDGLEA THEATER

Dallas Morning News, March 10 2006

Former Creed front man says he has something to prove on his solo tour

The Great Divide is much more than an album title to Scott Stapp these days.

In recent months, Scott Stapp has gotten into a fight with members of band 311, behaved badly on a celebrity poker TV show and been arrested on suspicion of being intoxicated. In addition, a seven-year-old sex tape has surfaced. Creed's former lead singer has been more about excess, addiction and pain than music for years now. The progression is well-documented: By the release of Weathered in late 2001, Mr. Stapp was free-falling into an abyss of health issues, alcohol and prescription-drug abuse, and erratic, hermitic behavior that ultimately killed what was then, in June 2004, the world's top rock act.

Coming back hasn't been any easier. His former bandmates, who formed a new group, Alter Bridge, had a full year to publicize their first CD before Mr. Stapp appeared with his solo debut in November. And his self-destructive bent, which, he told Rolling Stone, peaked when he found himself in a room with two machine guns from his collection and considered suicide, has again overshadowed the grumbly, brooding, semispiritual arena-rock sound that made him a megastar.

First there was the fight with members of ska-rock act 311 on Thanksgiving Day. Then, the acting out on a celebrity poker TV show. Things were quiet for two months, and then, on Feb. 10, the day after he married former Miss New York Jaclyn Nesheiwat in Miami, he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of being intoxicated (his arraignment hearing was scheduled Wednesday). Now, a seven-year-old sex tape has surfaced featuring him, Kid Rock and several women. A temporary court order currently bans promotion or release of the tape by its owner, World Wide Red Light District, the same company that brought us the infamous Paris Hilton tape. And this week one of the women in the tape filed a suit against Mr. Stapp alleging invasion of privacy.

Mr. Stapp has his theories: "Someone wants to hurt me and doesn't want me to be successful in my solo career. ... I should have burned that tape," he told the Associated Press last week. But to his credit, in an interview he acknowledged his battles with alcohol and drugs and said he's fully aware they could derail his sputtering music efforts (and already somewhat have done so). He's got a divide to conquer, and a gaping one.

"I have something to prove on this tour," he said by phone from Los Angeles on Feb. 7, prior to his arrest and the sex tape revelation. At the time, he was preparing for his wedding and for The Great Divide's tour, which stops at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth on Monday. "I think that there are consequences that you have to deal with in life. I made some boneheaded mistakes. I just tell everybody, humbly, that I'm human.

"In Dallas and Houston, two of my biggest markets, they're not even playing my record. I think it was because I had to cancel my promo run because of personal and family issues. Before, I'd had such a great relationship with radio; Dallas and Houston pretty much broke my old band. I want to reach out to everyone there and prove myself again. That's a consequence for not being dependable."

On the phone, Mr. Stapp sounded affable. He said he knew he had to squelch controversy and reverse his reputation as a cantankerous loner who drowns his struggles and demons behind the scenes. But he alternately accepts and deflects responsibility for his problems.

"I told myself long ago that I'd never become one of those rock-star prima donnas," he said. "But I guess I devolved into that some because of my decisions. For instance, I've allowed rumors and lies to be given credence by some because I didn't or couldn't defend myself.

"Now, I just want to challenge people to remember the person they met long ago, because that's really who I am."

He's got help. He said his new wife "is my strength; we're a team." She works with his charity for underprivileged children, the Scott Stapp Foundation, of which he wants to raise the profile.

After his recent bout of bad press, he returned to using a publicist from his record label, Wind-Up Records. And he said he has a lifestyle coach shadowing him on the tour to help him stay in control as he performs at venues he hasn't had to deal with in almost a decade.

"If it wasn't for what I now have in my personal and love life, it would be too intimate and intimidating," he said of the smaller club tour. "I'm definitely looking forward to the intimacy now, and just rocking out, playing the old stuff and the new."

If anything, he sounded intent on staying buttoned up because of Jagger, his 7-year-old son who now understands what Dad does for a living.

"He listens to Daddy's music, and he hears 'With Arms Wide Open' and he knows it's about him," Mr. Stapp said, his voice cracking almost imperceptibly. "He says to me, 'Daddy, why wouldn't I want to be like you?'

"I'd think to myself: 'Even at that time before you were born, Daddy knew that he was gonna make mistakes.' You try to learn from them, and move on."

.Mike Daniel