Scott Stapp

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Scott Stapp
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Scott Flippen
Born	August 8, 1973 (1973-08-08) (age 36)
Origin	Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States
Genres	post-grunge, hard rock
Labels	Blue Collar Wind-Up Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Associated acts	Creed
Website	http://www.scottstapp.com/

Scott Alan Stapp (born August 8, 1973) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead singer of the band Creed.

Early life

Stapp was born Anthony Scott Flippen on August 8, 1973 in Cherokee, North Carolina, to his mother Lynda and his biological father, about whom little is known. He was adopted by Steven Stapp, a dentist, when he married Scott's mother.^{[citation needed]}

School

Stapp graduated from Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, FL and then attended Valencia Community College in Orlando, where he received his associate's degree in music.^[1] He then attended Florida State University, where Creed was formed in 1995.

Creed (1995-2004, 2009-present)

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After developing a friendship with guitarist Mark Tremonti, Stapp and Tremonti decided to form a band. After recruiting Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips, Creed was formed in 1995. Creed went on to sell three multi-platinum albums and became one of the most successful rock bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2004, Creed officially announced its break-up and Stapp began working on his debut solo album, The Great Divide, which was released in 2005. The other members of Creed went on to form Alter Bridge with former Mayfield Four vocalist Myles Kennedy.

During interviews before the reunion, Stapp did not discuss Creed, his relationships with the members of the band, or the meanings of his lyrics, preferring instead to let the lyrics speak for themselves. He has told the press that he is a Christian.

Stapp cites The Doors, particularly Jim Morrison, as one of his principal musical influences, and performed with the surviving members of the band for a televised concert in 1999, as well as the Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors tribute album. On VH1's Behind the Music special on Creed, Ray Manzarek of The Doors said, "When you hear Scott Stapp singing, it's kind of shocking 'cause it sounds so much like Jim."

After months of rumors about a Creed reunion, confirmation was given on the official Creed website on April 27, 2009. The band toured from August 6, 2009 to October 20, 2009 on a Reunion tour and released their new album, Full Circle on October 27th, 2009, their first album in 8 years.

Solo career (2004-2008, 2009-present)

The Great Divide was released in the U.S. on November 22, 2005, peaking at #19 on Billboard's Top 200 chart. However, due to certain controversies in Stapp's private life and overall mixed reviews of the album, it has sold poorly compared with the amount sold during his time with Creed, although it was certified platinum in December 2007.^[2] His backing band for the record and live shows since has consisted of Aristides Rincon and John Curry on guitars, Mitch Burman on bass, and Mark Archer on drums. They are all members of the band Goneblind.

Plans for a feature-length documentary about Scott Stapp are in the works to go along with his upcoming second solo album.^[3]

In April 2008, Scott Stapp uploaded a cover of U2's "Running to Stand Still" on MySpace.

On August 8, 2008, Scott posted an acoustic version of "Broken" which was on his previous record.

Originally, his new album was due on the second quarter of 2009.^[4] However, because of the Creed reunion, the album has been put on indefinite hiatus.^[5]

Personal life

Stapp in 2002 before his change of hairstyle

On February 10, 2006, Stapp married Miss New York USA 2004 winner (Miss FL America 2008) Jaclyn Nesheiwat in Miami, Florida, his second marriage and her first. Their first child Milan Hayat Stapp was born on January 4, 2007.^[6] He was previously married to Hillaree Burns for 16 months, divorcing in 1999. He has a son from this marriage, Jagger Thomas Stapp. Creed's number one single "With Arms Wide Open", is about the birth of Jagger. Stapp also wrote a song called "Milan Song" about Milan Stapp. In 2006, Scott relocated with his family to Boca Raton.

Controversies

Stapp's career has seen several controversies over the years concerning Scott's personal life, as well as his relationships with other celebrities.

• Stapp was arrested by Florida police in July 2002 and charged with reckless driving after his SUV ran off the road before swerving back into the proper lane. He was released from custody after posting $500.^[7]

• Stapp stated he contemplated suicide sometime in 2003 after drinking a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. He retrieved two MP5's from his collection, put the guns to his head, but failed to pull the trigger after looking at a picture of his son, Jagger. He stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that he was convinced that anyone involved with Creed wanted him dead so he would become a "Kurt Cobain martyr-type" and increase record sales. "I had crazy thoughts going through my head," he says.^[8]

• Thanksgiving 2005, Stapp was involved in a brawl with SA Martinez, Chad Sexton, and P-Nut of 311 in the hotel lobby of Baltimore's Harbor Court Hotel. Stapp made inappropriate remarks to Martinez's wife, which caused Sexton to ask him not to disrespect the lady's presence. Stapp then asked Sexton to have a shot with him at the bar. Before the shots were even served, Stapp sucker-punched Sexton. That punch grazed Martinez's wife, which got him involved with the fight. They held Stapp down until security arrived. No charges were filed.^[9]

• In 1999 Scott Stapp and Kid Rock recorded a 45-minute sex tape with several groupies. The tape was released in 2006 but successfully blocked from sale. ^{[10] [11]}

• In 2007 Scott Stapp came home "wasted ... he'd been out partying all night... on drugs and pot" (Jaclyn Nesheiwat). ^[12] He proceeded to attack his wife, scaring her into calling 911 and reporting him.^[13] Charges were eventually dropped once Stapp completed terms of an agreement including a requirement that he participate in anger management counseling. ^[14]

Discography

With Creed

• 1997 My Own Prison
  • 1998 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later ("What's This Life For")
  • 1998 Dead Man on Campus ("Bound & Tied")
  • 1998 WBCN '98 Naked CD ("My Own Prison" - acoustic)
  • 1998 The Faculty: Music from the Dimension Motion Picture ("I'm Eighteen")
  • 1998 Late Night with David Letterman ("One")
• 1999 Human Clay
  • 1999 End of Days ("Wrong Way")
  • 2000 Scream 3 ("What If," "Is This The End")
  • 2000 Woodstock Vol. 1 ("Roadhouse Blues")
  • 2000 GT2: Music at the Speed of Sound ("Unforgiven")
  • 2000 Jailbait ("Pity for a Dime")
  • 2000 Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors ("Riders on the Storm")
  • 2001 NASCAR: Full Throttle ("Are You Ready?")
• 2001 Weathered
  • 2002 The Scorpion King ("To Whom It May Concern")
  • 2002 WWF Forceable Entry ("Young Grow Old")
• 2004 Greatest Hits
  • 2005 Harley Davidson: Ride ("Are You Ready?")
• 2009 Full Circle

Solo

Albums

• 2004 The Passion of the Christ: Songs ("Relearn Love")
• 2005 The Great Divide
• 2010 Scott Stapp's 2nd Studio Album

Singles

References

External links

• Scott Stapp official website
• Scott's official myspace website
• [1]
• Creed.com
• Creed World
• Scott Stapp Fansite
• Scott Stapp at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview at ChristianityToday.com
• Interview on The Rock radio station
• Interview: Scott Stapp - The Great Divide
• Scott Stapp comes clean after drug addictions at Rolling Stone