Music N' Other Drugs

When Creed hits the stage at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center tonight (Sept. 27), I won’t be there. I had everything mapped out in terms of how I was going to cover the show and what the real framework of this tour should be, but someone at Live Nation decided that my support of the band and Scott Stapp specifically at a time when no one in the mainstream gave a shit wasn’t enough to warrant an invitation to the party.

Because I didn’t get into this game to become an extension of someone’s PR team, I’m more disappointed than angry about being left out this time around. I’m disappointed to know that none of the reviews that emerge in the coming days will extend beyond a rehash of what everyone else has already written throughout the year. We’ve all heard that they sound as tight as ever and Stapp appears to have conquered his demons, but what about the reasons why Creed was discredited to begin with or the inherent disingenuity of the media’s reaction upon their return?

You won’t get that, because it’s not part of the show.

When Creed first reunited back in 2009, they couldn’t give tickets away and now I’m hearing that the media requests have reached astronomical levels in 2024. People say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but has the band’s public profile really changed that much? They still only have four studio albums and you’re unlikely to hear any of them on the radio anytime soon. Not even when Scott Stapp launched various solo tours on the club circuit during the hiatus did anyone care or show up outside of a select few willing to go on the record as a fan of one of the most hated men in rock, so forgive me if I’m not welcoming the renewed interest with arms wide open.

I interviewed Stapp once in 2014 and again in 2016, as well as assumed the unpopular task of supporting his attempts at redemption when 100 people or less were in the audience. He was determined to claw his way back to the top the old-fashioned way and I found something admirable about that while also understanding why others didn’t.

We all see and hear things differently, so I’m not shocked by how reviled Creed is in certain circles. They arrived at a time when the Seattle sound left a lot of imitators in its wake and the narrative that Stapp was struggling to get out from under Eddie Vedder’s vocal shadow was never far behind.

What irks me is when I see the band’s perceived connection to Christianity cited as a reason to pounce on them. I’ve read through countless articles disparaging them for daring to bring spiritual content into the world at the same time that Ice Spice is getting a 7.6 out of 10 from Pitchfork with lines about eating pussy like Pac-Man. No matter how many times Stapp or guitarist Mark Tremonti reiterated that Creed was not a Christian rock band, the label was made, and their fate was sealed.

I’m not saying that there isn’t space in the world for both or that you shouldn’t enjoy Spice if she’s your thing, but let’s not pretend as if there’s not a clear agenda behind elevating one at the expense of the other. Corporate media promotes whatever worldview requires the least amount of reflection and sacrifice, and modern mainstream hip hop happens to fit the bill at this time.

If you’re going tonight, I’m sure you’ll have a splendid evening, but just remember how much cooler it would be if the fawning didn’t feel so artificial.