The singer grew up in a very religious family and the family reaction to the band, which was far from satanic, was not the best
It’s no secret to any fan of I believe the fact that Scott Stapp be Christian. The singer’s religion was also a source of inspiration for a number of compositions for the band. And as you might imagine, he was raised in religion from an early age.
So Scott’s stepfather, Steven Stapphe was a little scared when his son started to appreciate rock. In times when access to information was not the easiest, many people thought that the musical style was entirely associated with anti-Christian, Satanist or anti-religious themes as a whole.
This led Elder Stapp to have strong opinions regarding the Def Leppardafter the future Creed singer fell in love Pyromaniathe third studio album by the English group. Despite the cover featuring a burning building in the crosshairs, there are definitely no controversial topics addressed in the album’s lyrics, responsible for bringing hits like “Photograph”, “Shocking”, “Rock of the Ages” and more.
In a 2019 statement to Classic rockScott Stapp initially recalled how Def Leppard made him love rock:
“I was at my friend’s house in 1983 and the video of ‘Photograph’ he came out inside MTV. From then on I was hooked on rock n’ roll. That album connected me in every way: I wanted to be those guys. When I saw the video ‘Photograph’I wanted a model wife and everything a teenager thinks a rock star has. The music moved me, something inside me was different from the moment I listened to this record.”
Stapp was not entirely a stranger to music or even rock. The singer says that, because of his mother’s influence, he listened Elvis Presleyas well as soul artists Donny Hathaway AND Otis Redding. Still, Pyromania “it completely changed the course” of his life.
“The guitars, the beats, the energy in the song, the way it was sung… it all spoke to me. I had never heard anything like it and it made me want to move, I felt it. When my friend brought the record to my house, we must have heard it ‘Photograph’ AND ‘Foolish” ten times in a row.”
Scott Stapp’s stepfather reacts
When Steven Stapp discovered that his son Scott was listening to Def Leppard, the reaction wasn’t the best. For him it was “the devil’s music”.
“My stepfather was extremely religious and came into my room while we were listening to it and said it was the devil’s song, so from then on I had to go to my friend Robbie’s house to listen to it secretly.”
The young man who years later would create Creed had mixed feelings about it. He concludes:
“I felt a little guilty about it, but I also felt like my stepfather was wrong. And I’m glad I listened to my heart, because it all started from there.”
Founded in 1994, Creed has sold more than 50 million copies, being one of the most successful bands at the turn of the century. After two breakups, one between 2004 and 2009 and the second in 2012, they resumed activities last year for a series of shows.
+++ READ MORE: Scott Stapp’s take on the media’s hatred of Creed
+++ READ MORE: Scott Stapp, voice of Creed, leaves alcohol and drugs behind and celebrates life: ‘There’s always a cure’ [ENTREVISTA]
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
