A Conversation With Creed’s Mark Tremonti – HuffPost 8.13.10
Mike Ragogna: What’s up with Creed’s latest tour?
Mark Tremonti: It runs through September. We’re trying to get a single out at the same time that we’re recording right now, and hopefully, we’ll finish it up in the next few weeks. That’s about it going on in Creed world.
MR: You have a new single?
MT: I spent about a month before the tour putting ideas together to try to get a single on the radio, just to get some attention on the tour. But with Scott (Stapp) having a new baby, and us all being apart, it was hard to really get it recorded. So, we had to wait until we were doing rehearsals for the tour to get it started, and all we have to do now is finish up the vocals and get it out there, hopefully this month.
MR: I guess it’s like herding cats when everyone has families and private lives.
MT: Yeah, absolutely, it’s tough. We all have kids now and live in different cities. So, when we get together, it’s all about work.
MR: Even though it was released last year, your album Full Circle is still going strong, and this tour is, more or less, a continuation of the reunion. What was it like getting back together with the other guys?
MT: First, we got together just to put a tour together and see if we could all get along out there. Things went well, nobody brought up the past, and after a few meetings, we decided that it would be best to put out a record to accompany the tour. The only problem was we only had three months to write and record an album, so it was quite a fire drill. But it got done in time, and I think the record came out during that tour, and came out the way we wanted it.
MR: Mark, over the years, beyond Creed, you also fit in some side projects. There’s Alter Bridge, and you worked with Larry the Cable Guy.
MT: Yeah, years ago. We had become friends a long time ago, before his career really started to take off. We joked about getting together and doing a song, and he called me up one day to say he actually wanted to do it. So, he sang me his idea, and I went to record my guitar lines that day, and the record went gold. It might be platinum by now.
MR: Were you a fan of his humor?
MT: You know, I was a fan of his before anything really happened. He was just doing radio commercials for a truck shop in Orlando, and they were the funniest things on the air.
MR: Creed has had quite a few monster singles such as “Higher,” “With Arms Wide Open,” “My Sacrifice,” “One Last Breath,” and then you had two number one albums in Human Clay and Weathered. How does any band stay humble after that?
MT: I always kind of keep my head down, and stay focused on writing. I just try to keep to myself and not really keep track of the business side of things too much because it can distract you a little bit, you know? So, I always just kind of kept my head down and kept on going.
MR: In addition to Creed’s hits, you’ve had many songs in movies and various stray projects. One of my favorites is “I’m Eighteen” from The Faculty that features a pre-Frodo Elijah Wood.
MT: Yeah, that was fun. It’s always a good challenge to get in there. Usually, we don’t have these songs practiced, we just have a choice of songs that we can cover, and we try to learn it that day. It’s always a fun process. We did the same thing with “Riders on the Storm” forThe Doors. So, it’s a challenge, but it’s a good time.
MR: Let’s talk some more about the side projects. Can you catch us up on Alter Bridge?
MT: Yeah, we just mastered our third record about two or three weeks ago, and we plan on releasing it before we go on tour in Europe starting Oct. 16. We’ll be touring through September, and then Myles (Kennedy) is out with Slash in January and February. So, we won’t hit the States until next March with Alter Bridge. But like I said, we’ll be in Europe from October through December.
MR: Are there any acts that you’re taking on the road on this new tour, that you’re sort of sponsoring or mentoring on the road?
MT: No. You know, all the bands that are out with us are pretty well-developed bands. I think Theft, the first band, is being helped by MTV. I don’t know if they’re managed or sponsored by them, but MTV has really taken them under their wing, and they’re a great band. Red and Skillet are also out with us, and they’re two really developed acts. When you see what their show looks like, it’s like they’ve been at it for years. They’re two great bands, and there’s no mentoring any of these guys; they’re all very professional.
MR: Where can people go to find information on your tour?
MT: There’s www.creed.com/, and we’re also giving away a motorcycle. You can go there and register for free to win this motorcycle.
MR: What advice do you have for new artists?
MT: I would just say keep focused on the music because at the end of the day, that’s where all the power to succeed lies — in a good song. I think good representation and good music are important. Find a good manager, and work hard on songs.
Transcribed by Ryan Gaffney