It’s nearly impossible to think about the 90s and early 2000s music scene without thinking about Creed and their lead singer, Scott Stapp.
This summer Stapp released his first solo album in six years, “The Space Between the Shadows.” When his tour stopped at Universal Orlando’s Hard Rock Live News 6 anchor Julie Broughton caught up with the singer during his soundcheck.
Stapp is an Orlando native and Lake Highland Preparatory School graduate.
"It's always special to come home to my hometown. The place I was born and raised and see friends and see family and put on a rock show," Stapp said. "I love Orlando. We are here all the time as a family. We bring our kids here for vacation and it's a beautiful place and I'm so grateful I was raised here."
Stapp's new album debuted in the top 10. The first single released was "Purpose for Pain."
"It's a journey of human emotion. It's raw. I've always tried to write from the depth of my core and share my life's experiences. The highs, the lows and all of that makes me who I am as a songwriter and to connect with people through song is what I've always been about."
Stapp’s powerful lyrics have connected with listeners for the past 25 years. He publicly battled addiction and mental illness and has now been sober for more than five years.
“I think for years there was shame in that, there was a stigma. You know, people saw it as weakness before people really understood that addiction is a disease just as mental health issues are,” he said. “I’m glad we are having this conversation, getting the word out there and help people in need and save lives. Because just talking about it can do that.”
Stapp credits his wife, Jaclyn, with whom he has three children, for helping him recover.
“She’s really shown me what true love and true friendship is. And that is sticking by someone during the absolute worst of times and not just being fair weather and staying there when things are good. And you know, she found side by side with me, trying to get answers to figure out what we were dealing with, trying to get answers how we could beat this. She’s been such an amazing support,” he said.
Part of recovery, Stapp says, is running a sober tour.
"We want to be in the best shape and condition mentally and physically to give the best show to our fans. And also, with me being in recovery, it's just something I don't want to be around on a daily basis. It's good to have a band that supports me and understands and believes in the same thing. I think you see that connection in the brotherhood we share on state every night."
Stapp has a message for those who are struggling.
"We all fall. We all stumble, but it's how we react and overcome and come out stronger and wise with lessons learned and life to give," he said. "You can recover. You can reclaim your life and rewrite the story moving forward."
Stapp's "Arms Wide Open Foundation" helps military veterans and their families dealing with drug addiction and PTSD-triggered mental health issues. He's also appearing at the 2020 Pollstar Live conference in February, where he will share the story of rebuilding his life.
You can keep up with Stapp on his website, www.scottstapp.com.