Without doubt the American Rock success story of the late 90s. CREED deal in post Grunge roots Rock and have endeared themselves to virtually a whole generation of Americans. The acceleration of CREED's rise was so rapid that it took the music industry totally unawares. The band has broken many records including that of launching no less than four consecutive no. 1 American singles from a debut album. Success has come at a price though and CREED have been assailed by vicious criticism from both the industry and other artists.

CREED's roots are traced back to the teenage Scott Stapp's devotion to U2 and THE DOORS. Indeed, Stapp's fascination with Jim Morrison was so strong that the youngster relocated to Tallahassee, Florida due to its connection with the legendary Lizard King. There he met up with guitar player Mark Tremonti, actually a re-acquaintance from school. A band was duly convened in collusion with bass player Brian Marshall, enticed away from his covers band BABY FISH MOUTH, and drummer Scott Phillips. This quartet, originally dubbed NAKED TODDLER, played the club circuit until a change of name to CREED was decided upon in 1996. The inspiration for this title coming from one of Marshall's previous acts MATTOX CREED.

The band members pooled together some $6'000 from their day jobs to record their first album. 'My Own Prison' was released in April 1997 on their own Blue Collar label. Within a matter of months the record, mainly prompted by strong local radio support, had shifted over 5'000 copies. This flush of success would not pass the major labels by and both Universal and Atlantic put deals on the table.

However, these corporates both advised a delayed re-issue of the album and so, promising a rapid turnaround, the newly formed independent Wind Up label took the band on. 'My Own Prison' was remixed by Ron Saint-Germain and restocked into the store racks by August. From then on sales exploded and within five short months CREED's record company would be playing host to a million sales platinum party for the band atop the World Trade Centre in New York..

CREED's debut achieved the unprecedented feat of hosting four no. 1 Billboard singles in 'My Own Prison', 'Torn', 'What's This Life For' and 'One'. Before long the album had gone platinum five times over and the band were the obvious stand alone choice for the title of 'Billboard Rock Artist Of The Year 1998'. Touring throughout the year had been relentless due to escalating demand, the band finishing off the year with gigs supported by FINGER ELEVEN and JIMMIE'S CHICKEN SHACK.

CREED did manage a couple of diversions away from their schedule of album promotion donating a rendition of ALICE COOPER's 'I'm Eighteen' to the movie soundtrack 'The Faculty' and cutting a version of THE DOORS 'Riders On The Sorm' for a tribute album.

Anticipation for a follow up album would be at fever pitch and tantalizingly CREED snuk in a few new numbers on the European festival circuit. The band would then be invited to headline the 'Woodstock '99' festival, taking to the stage with THE DOORS guitarist Robby Krieger for takes on 'Riders On The Storm' and 'Roadhouse Blues'.

In September of 1999 the 'Human Clay' album arrived with another brace of no. 1 singles onboard. 'Higher' and 'With Arms Wide Open' giving CREED their 5th and 6th chart toppers. Quite phenomenonally 'Human Clay' had clocked up a staggering 9 million album sales in America alone by April 2001. August of 2000 would find CREED on a run of dates opened up by DAYS OF THE NEW and AMERICAN PEARL.

Fans would be alarmed though to hear that Brian Marshall was to leave. The bass player had caused ructions with a series of scathing remarks directed at PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder but, officially, these comments would not be cited as the reason for his departure. For roadwork CREED pulled in Brian Hestla, frontman for VIRGOS MERLOT, opting not to enrol a permanent replacement for Marshall.

Upon it's launch in November 2001 the 'Weathered' album, so named after the verbal endurance test the media and industry had put the band through, pulled in a mighty 850'000 plus sales in it's first week. Leading up to the album release date the band had put in a special TV performance on the 'Saturday Night Live' programme performing new single 'My Sacrifice' and the distinctly heavier paced 'Bullets'.

Country diva FAITH HILL was scheduled to duet with Stapp on the track 'Don't Stop Dancing' but had to decline due to pregnancy. In her stead came Stapp's sister Amy and the Tallahassee Boys Choir. Cherokee author and campaigner Bo Taylor would lend his native American chanting as backing to the song 'Who's Got My Back?'. Touring in America would see TANTRIC and VIRGO confirmed as as opening acts but these dates would be hastily re-scheduled after Stapp suffered a car accident. JERRY CANTRELL would take up the mantle of support act for July and August dates with SEVENDUST being enrolled in September. A trio of October dates in Phoenix, Bakersfield, and Sacramento would be pulled as Scott Stapp was unable to perform due to suffering from a respiratory infection.

In the Spring of 2004 guitarist Mark Tremonti contributed a guest solo to the song 'The Way I Am' on a new album from Heavy Metal band FOZZY, a.k.s. WWF wrestling champion Chris Jericho. Concern as to the band's status was heightened when their label readied a 'Greatest Hits' package.

In early June CREED, having 24 million album sales to their credit, confirmed they had folded, this decision apparently due to disagreements between guitarist Mark Tremonti and singer Scott Stapp. The singer reportedly was set to work on an album of sings inspired by the Mel Gibson movie 'Passion Of The Christ' whilst Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and previously exiled CREED bassist Brian Marshall, drafting singer Myles Kennedy from MAYFIELD FOUR, quickly announced the formation of ALTER BRIDGE and recording of a Ben Grosse produced debut 'One Day Remains'.

The spectre of a CREED reformation was raised in late 2008 when ALTER BRIDGE vocalist Myles Kennedy was rumoured to be in rehearsals with the LED ZEPPELIN triumvirate of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham. On 27th April CREED officially announced all four of the original band members — Scott Stapp, Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall — would reunite for a summer tour and new album. The tour, the band's first in seven years, commenced 6th August in Pittsburgh.