Creed
NICKELBACK
Few bands did more than Nickelback to establish the force of slick, commercially minded post-grunge in the 2000s. Led by vocalist Chad Kroeger, the band initially emerged in the late '90s as Canada's answer to Creed, prizing a blend of gruff vocals and distorted (yet radio-friendly) guitars. After a handful of singles failed to gain much traction in Canada, "How You Remind Me" caught hold in 2001, eventually topping the charts in several countries while gathering four Grammy nominations and four Juno Awards. Creed imploded several years later, but Nickelback's popularity only grew as the decade progressed, effectively eclipsing those acts that had once informed the band's sound.
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Chad Kroeger honed his frontman skills by performing with cover bands in Hanna, a small Canadian town 215 kilometers northeast of Calgary. After growing tired of playing other people's songs, he borrowed money from his stepfather and relocated to Vancouver, where he recorded his first batch of original material. Mike Kroeger, Chad's bass-playing sibling, decided to join his brother's band, as did fellow Vancouver transplants Ryan Peake (a guitarist who had befriended the Kroegers in middle school) and Ryan Vikedal (a drummer from Peake's hometown of Brooks, Alberta). Nickelback officially took shape in 1996 and quickly set to work, releasing two albums -- the Hesher EP and full-length album, Curb -- before the year was up. By 1998, the bandmates were managing themselves; Chad courted radio stations, brother Mike Kroeger handled distribution, Ryan Vikedal booked shows, and Peake maintained the band's website.
January 2000 saw the arrival of The State, Nickelback's second independent release. Issued at a time in which Canadian content requirements were increased (and, accordingly, local radio stations had begun to desperately seek out homegrown product), the album fared very well on indie charts. Nickelback toured ceaselessly in support of The State, logging approximately 200 shows while playing alongside other groups of the burgeoning post-grunge genre. Nickelback's commercial appeal wasn't lost on the record industry, either, and The State's distribution rights were quickly snapped up by Roadrunner Records in the U.S. and EMI in Canada. As the band continued to tour, Chad Kroeger kept writing new songs, many of which were honed in front of live audiences.
Much of that material found its way onto Silver Side Up, which was produced by Rick Parashar (who came to prominence in the early '90s by helming Pearl Jam's Ten, Alice in Chains' Sap, and Blind Melon's self-titled debut) and recorded at Green House, the same Vancouver studio used during The State's creation. The combination of Nickelback's growing popularity and Kroeger's focused songwriting propelled Silver Side Up onto album charts across the world, spearheaded by the hit single "How You Remind Me." Kroeger capitalized on that exposure by producing another Vancouver-based band, Default, and collaborating with Saliva's Josey Scott for the Spiderman soundtrack. The Long Road then arrived in 2003, featuring an increasingly polished sound and another high-charting single, "Someday." While some listeners criticized the apparent similarities between "Someday" and "How You Remind Me," The Long Road had little trouble maintaining Nickelback's wide audience, eventually selling over five million copies worldwide.
In February 2005, Nickelback announced the departure of Ryan Vikedal. He was soon replaced by 3 Doors Down's former drummer, Daniel Adair, and Nickelback returned to Kroeger's studio in Vancouver to begin work on another album. ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Pantera's Dimebag Darrell (who unfortunately died before the album's release) were guests on the chart-topping All the Right Reasons, which arrived in October 2005. The album proved to be Nickelback's most popular effort to date, remaining in the Billboard Top 30 for over two years and selling over 7 million copies in the U.S. alone. It also spawned five Top 20 singles, a feat that attracted the attention of veteran producer (and demonstrated hit-maker) Mutt Lange. Nickelback traveled to Lange's home in Switzerland to share songwriting ideas; impressed with the results, they also enlisted him to helm their next album. Recorded in a converted Vancouver barn, Dark Horse marked the band's sixth studio album upon its release in November 2008. ~ All Music Guide
For the Record
Members include Chad Kroeger, vocals, guitar; Mike Kroeger, bass; Ryan Peake, guitar; Ryan Vikedal. drums.
Group formed in Vancouver, Canada, early 1990s; released debut EP Hesher on independent label, 1995; followed with full-length independent CD Curb, 1995; released second full-length independent CD, The State, 1999; signed with EMI Music Canada and with the U.S. label Roadrunner Records, 1999; rereleased The State under Roadrunner label, 2000; released Silver Side Up, 2001.
Addresses: Record company Roadrunner Records, 902 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010.
Website: http://www.nickelback.com.
Albums: (all albums produced by Roadrunner)
Curb, 1996.
The State, 1998.
Silver Side Up, 2001.
The Long Road , 2003.
All the Right Reasons, 2005.
Dark Horse, 2008.
Here and Now, 2011.
Source: Andrew Leahey; Wendy Kagan
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
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Alter Bridge
Bon Jovi
Linkin Park
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CREED
During the late '90s, Creed emerged from a veritable sea of post-grunge contenders to become one of the decade's biggest-selling rock bands. At a time when many other Seattle disciples were lapsing into inactivity or experimenting with less commercial sounds, Creed carried the torch of straightforward, grungy hard rock without apology -- and they were amply rewarded, selling millions upon millions of albums in just a few years' time. That success didn't translate into critical acclaim, however. Many reviewers slammed the band's music as derivative, and frontman Scott Stapp was lambasted by publications like Rolling Stone for being "irony-deficient, Jesus-haired and often shirtless in a way that reminded people of the guy from Lord of the Dance." Based on their frequently spiritual lyrics, some observers deemed Creed part of a new breed of alternative-styled Christian bands, an affiliation that Creed actively tried to downplay. Neither critical derision nor a potential secular backlash could derail the band, however, and they went into the new millennium as a seemingly unstoppable commercial juggernaut. Ultimately, it was Stapp's substance abuse and increasingly erratic behavior that brought an end to Creed's heyday in 2004. The remaining members partnered with vocalist Myles Kennedy to form Alter Bridge, while Stapp briefly pursued a solo career before reconvening Creed in late 2008.
Creed took root in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Founding members Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti had been classmates in high school and both attended Florida State University, where Stapp studied law before dropping out to pursue music (a decision that led to conflict with his anti-rock & roll parents, as his father was a Pentecostal minister). Stapp and Tremonti began writing songs together, many of which obliquely addressed themes of Christian spirituality, and added a rhythm section consisting of bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. As an alternative to the band's original moniker (Naked Toddler), Marshall suggested the name Creed, having previously played in another band dubbed "Mattox Creed." Now boasting a new name and a muscled, modern rock sound, Creed went on to form their own label, Blue Collar, before entering the recording studio in 1997 with producer John Kurzweg. Recorded on a shoestring budget of $6,000 and initially self-released in a limited run, the debut album My Own Prison was soon picked up by Wind-Up Records -- a fledgling imprint with distribution through Sony -- and treated to a beefy remix that gave it a heavier, radio-friendly punch. The trick worked, as My Own Prison subsequently spun off no less than four number one singles -- "My Own Prison," "Torn," "What's This Life For," and "One" -- on Billboard's mainstream rock radio charts, making Creed the first band to accomplish the feat with its debut album. My Own Prison proved to be extremely popular, moving over five million copies over several years' time despite little MTV exposure or media coverage.
Although Creed saw a good deal of competition from their post-grunge contemporaries, the band's sophomore album demonstrated their staying power. Released in the fall of 1999 (when tracks from My Own Prison were still peppering the Billboard charts and radio playlists), Human Clay turned out to be a blockbuster, entering the charts at number one and selling a whopping ten million copies over the next two years. The album's leadoff single, "Higher," spent a record-breaking 17 weeks at number one on rock radio, and the follow-up singles "What If" and "With Arms Wide Open" topped the chart as well. This gave the band seven consecutive chart-topping hits on rock radio. "With Arms Wide Open" also gave Creed their first number one pCp hit; several months later, the song won a Grammy for "Best Rock Song."
During the summer of 2000, bassist Brian Marshall made headlines for criticizing Pearl Jam's recent songwriting style during a radio interview; he later apologized, and Stapp distanced the rest of the band from Marshall's comments on Creed's website. Months later, as the band readied itself for an American tour, it was announced that Marshall was no longer a member of Creed. He was quickly replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla (also of Virgos Merlot) and later formed a new band, Grand Luxx, with his old bandmates from Mattox Creed. That same summer, Stapp was goaded into a brief media feud with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, who launched into a profane tirade against Stapp at a summer festival that both bands were playing. Although Stapp later blasted Durst's business tactics (as senior VP at Interscope), claiming they stemmed from a "mobster mentality," things soon reverted to normal as the band returned to the studio.
Creed worked on their new album for much of 2001; although Hestla remained in the touring lineup, Tremonti chose to handle the bass parts himself, preserving the band's initial core. Weathered was then released in November 2001, entering the charts at number one and tying a record (among other number one debuts) by remaining there for eight straight weeks; during that two-month time, it also sold a staggering five million copies. The first single, "My Sacrifice," was a Top Five pop hit that spent nine weeks atop the rock-radio charts. "One Last Breath" also demonstrated the band's crossover appeal by faring well on both charts.
Stapp was involved in a car accident in April 2002 and suffered both a concussion and vertebrae damage. Creed initially canceled the rest of their tour, but Stapp recovered quickly, allowing the band to reschedule most of their show dates during the summer. Stapp's health was slipping in other ways, however, as he developed an addiction to Percocet and began taking a host of other medications on the road, including Xanax and throat steroids. The tour concluded with an infamous performance in Chicago, during which an obviously intoxicated Stapp performed one song whilst lying on his back. Such problems quickly led to the band's unraveling.
Wind-Up Records officially announced the breakup of Creed in June 2004. Over the course of ten years, the band had sold over 30 million albums worldwide and became one of the biggest touring draws of the 1990s. Founding members Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall went on to form Alter Bridge with ex-Mayfield Four frontman Myles Kennedy. Scott Stapp went on to issue a solo record, 2005's The Great Divide, which included a collection of rock songs inspired by Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ.
Three years later, Stapp and Tremonti reconvened at the Hard Rock Hotel in Florida, where they began to reconcile past differences. Shortly thereafter, the two persuaded Scott Phillips and original bassist Brian Marshall to band together once again, thus cementing Creed's reunion. While material for a new album, the band booked a series of shows for the summer of 2009.
For The Record:
Members include Brian Marshall (born April 24, 1973), bass; Scott Phillips (born February 22, 1973), drums; Scott Stapp (born August 8, 1973, in Orlando, FL; one son, Jagger), vocals; Mark Tremonti (born on April 18, 1974), guitar.
Source: Andrew Leahey & Steve Huey, All Music Guide; eNotes
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
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ALTER BRIDGE
Albums:
One Day Remains, Wind-up Records, 2004.
Following the breakup of the immensely successful band Creed, songwriter/guitarist Mark Tremonti decided to join forces with Creed drummer Scott Phillips, original Creed bassist Brian Marshall and former Mayfield Four singer/songwriter Myles Kennedy. The new band, named Alter Bridge, releases their debut album on Wind-up Records on August 10th, 2004.
On the dissolution of Creed, Tremonti commented, “It’s kind of sad to end a chapter of your life, but it’s also exciting to be starting a new one. We’ll always be proud of the music we made with Creed, but Alter Bridge gives me the opportunity to start over with a different perspective and a more evolved direction. This band begins and ends with the love of the music.” Phillips continues, “Creed was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I’m really excited to be starting over as well. The most significant things that we are taking from the Creed experience are the lessons that we learned. We truly believe that the decisions we’ve made for our future are the right ones. After writing and rehearsing the new material, we are confident that we’ve made the right choices.”
Alter Bridge resurrected the music-making portion of Creed. After that band's 2004 dissolution, guitarist Mark Tremonti and drummer Scott Phillips tapped ousted bassist Brian Marshall for the new project. Ex-Mayfield Four frontman Myles Kennedy was soon on board as well, and Alter Bridge made their Wind-Up debut in August 2004 with One Day Remains. Written largely by Tremonti, the record tried to lean more toward a hard rock/metal sound than the post-grunge grandstanding of his previous group. After touring the world to support the album, the band decided to leave Wind-Up and sign with the Universal imprint Republic. In late 2007 the label released Blackbird, an album that featured more songwriting contributions from Kennedy. ~ All Music Guide
Source: Johnny Loftus
