Creed singer to open for INXS at Soboba

Valley Chronicle, June 16 2006

Fans of the band Creed have the opportunity to experience the songs and sounds they enjoy when Scott Stapp, former lead singer of the band, opens for INXS on Sunday at Soboba Casino.

Stapp, who has been solo since 2003, has recorded and produced “The Great Divide.” He said that while the album is independent, the style is similar to Creed.

“Nothing has changed for me as a songwriter. I just have different guys playing my music,” Stapp said.

Stapp said that when he formed Creed in 1994, it was with the idea that the band would eventually branch off. But as the primary songwriter for Creed, his style remains distinctly his.

“Creed was essentially me, just not using my name,” Stapp said. “If you like Creed, you'll like what I'm doing now.”

Stapp said the tour with INXS has been a lot of fun and that he appreciates that the band “thought of me (enough to) help me out with what I'm doing,” he said.

Establishing himself as a solo performer has been a challenge. He said many people do not know his name, but they recognize the sound and the voice.

Stapp promises that the performance will be a mix of new songs and favorites he performed with Creed.

“Even though I've grown a lot since, I like playing my older songs. I like to make the fans happy,” Stapp said. “Instead of creating a separation (from Creed), it's creating a common bond.”

Stapp said he got into music because he felt separated from the world. He began to work out those experiences through music and found “there were a lot of people who related.”

He added: “It's been an awsome ride. No one is alone out there. The people that I meet before shows ... how the music (affects them). It's become bigger than me - just a guy making music.”

He said music removes the barriers that separates people from each other.

Having started at age 23, and finding success relatively young, Stapp said he had a difficult time coping with Creed's success and believed that somehow he was selling out by accepting the success.

Now, at 32, he said he feels like he's getting a second chance to explore success, but with the life experience he's gained over the last several years.

“Be who you are and express yourself honestly in every aspect of your career. Embrace success,” is the advice he gives now.

Recently married and raising his son, 7, from his first marriage, he said he really does have a new life.

Stapp has been nominated for Grammy Awards six times and won for the popular Creed song “Arms Wide Open,” which deals with his coming to terms with being a father.

“Just to be nominated is just amazing,” he said, but to win for the song about becoming a father made it even more personal.

This tour has allowed him to reach out and help others. When performing in his hometown of Orlando, he learned that a large number of children in the city were going hungry.

Stapp formed a foundation that has teamed up with Harvest Food Banks.

“I wanted to do something about it,” Stapp said. “We're feeding hungry children in all these cities we visit.”

The concert at Soboba begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are available through TicketMaster; visit www.ticketmaster.com.

For information about Stapp, visit www.scottstapp.com. For information about his foundation's work, visit www.scottstappfoundation.com.

THE BASICS

INXS & Scott Stapp

When: 8 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Soboba Casino.

Tickets: Available through TicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices range from $20 to $55.

.Monica Reichl