VH1 one-to-one: Creed Answered You...

VH1.com

You asked, they responded. Here's Scott Stapp's reactions to your One to One questions. Have fun.

Q: Who and what bands have been the major influences on you musically? - Rachel from Salisbury, Md.

Scott Stapp: U2, Led Zeppelin, John Fogerty, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Q: What advice could you give to my best friends that have a band? Any words of wisdom? - Jennifer from Laurel, Miss.

Stapp: Write from your heart (no gimmicks). Make a demo and have it look professional. Write and write and write. This will help you discover your sound and find quality songs.

Q: Your lyrics have touched my heart, and given me strength. Are their any artists that do the same for you? - Christy from Alexandria, Ala.

Stapp: U2 (The Joshua Tree)

Q: Scott Stapp - How has the birth of your son changed your point of view towards your father and towards the band it self? - Amber from Mauston, Wis.

Stapp: It has changed my outlook towards my father completely. It has helped me understand why he did what he did. Whether I feel like it is right or wrong, he did it to protect, teach and guard my heart. It's moved the band down on my priority list.

Q: How do you respond to being labeled a "Christian" band and will you ever consider playing at Christian festivals such as Creation or Inside Out Soul Festivals? - Denise from Waterbury, Conn.

Stapp: We have been labeled that by Christians or individuals who understand Christianity because they hear the lyrics with their view-points in their mind, so they apply any key words or word and assume it is of Christian nature solely based on their background. I don't believe we will [play at Christian festivals].

Q: What is your favorite and least favorite thing about touring? - Daina from Miami, Fla.

Stapp: Favorite - the 1:45 to 2hrs we perform and meeting the fans. Least favorite - being away from my son, even if it's only 5 days a stretch.

Q: If there is one thing you could do (other then what you are doing) with your life, what would it be and why? - Angela from Roanoke, Va.

Stapp: Be a professional baseball or basketball player. I've played both sports since I was five and dreamed of doing that many years before being in a band.

Q: Is there a special meaning behind the song "My Sacrifice"? Does it symbolize something in your life? - Alyssa from Alice, Texas.

Stapp: There is a lot of symbolism in that song. As I always say, I will leave the meaning to who ever listens.

Q: It seems to me that "Never Die" and "Weathered" are like two sides of the same idea. Do you think they are related that way? They don't exactly contradict each other, it's just one seems to be from a high time in life, and the second one from a hard time. I just want to know if I'm understanding them rightly. - Brenda from Martinez, Ga.

Stapp: I never thought of them being related, but your understanding and meanings behind the songs are what's most important to me. Your questions make me analyze myself and my writing from totally different angles, thanks.

Q: If you had a chance to meet with anyone living or not who would you choose and why? - Sue from Sheboygan, Wis.

Stapp: Jesus Christ because His message is one of love, peace, unity and grace. Those are all messages our world could use to help solve our problems. Also, He died for his beliefs. I admire that.

Q: If each of you could do anything or go anywhere for just one day with no restrictions, what would you do, or where would you go? - Angela from Philadelphia.

Stapp: I would like to travel through space and if there were other life forms in the depths of space, I would like to meet them.

Q: Hi,guys! I love you, but one thing is bothering me. On your last albums, you seemed very spiritual and made it clear that you were singing to if not God than at least to a higher power. On this new album your lyrics can be taken as either being sung to God or maybe a girlfriend or wife. They're just not as spiritual as your former lyrics. Why? - Bev from Greenville, Ill.

Stapp: First of all, we never made it clear what any of the songs were about or directed to. Secondly, I have no mold for which I write. I write about what is on my heart or what I'm thinking of at the time. As I have always said, I have no agenda; that was given to me by certain fans' interpretations of the songs. Just keep interpreting how you always have and the spiritual side will come back to you.

Q: What's the story behind the song "Hide"? Do you write your songs about life experiences? Do you write the music or the lyrics first? - Chris from Long Beach, Calif.

Stapp: Yes, I write about life experiences. "Hide" means what you want it to. The story is, I wrote it on my pool deck, lyrics first. Sometimes lyrics are first or sometimes the music - no set way.

Q: When you guys aren't touring or writing music, do you still stay in touch with each other on a regular basis? - Nancy from Dallas.

Stapp: Pretty much. As we get older and start having our own families, we spend more time with them but we still talk or see each other pretty often.

Q: What is your favorite song to perform? - Chelsea from Austin, Texas.

Stapp: "Who's Got My Back"

Q: What CDs do you listen to while you are on the road? - Lisa from Johnstown, Pa.

Stapp: I don't listen to music.

Q: What do you do to wind down after a show? - Deb from Ocean City, Md.

Stapp: Have a beer, take a shower, call home, go talk to the fans in VIP.