Scott Stapp comes from honest place with "Proof of Life"
Scott Stapp is feeling pretty relieved today. It's been eight years since he released his debut solo album, "The Great Divide," and he's finally ready to unveil the follow-up.
"The seeds were planted in 2007. I just had a lot to go through and to get through in order for it to be born," the Creed singer said about the album during a recent visit to CBSNews.com. "I'm glad it's finally here. It's a huge sense of accomplishment and I feel like almost a weight has been lifted that it's finished."
His sophomore solo effort, titled "Proof of Life," out Tuesday on Wind-up Records, consists of extremely personal songs, including lead single "Slow Suicide." The personal nature of the music won't come as too much of a surprise to fans who read Stapp's 2012 memoir, "Sinner's Creed." The 40-year-old rocker has had a lot tap into from his own life for inspiration -- from his fundamentalist upbringing and the rise of Creed to his battle with addiction and the rediscovery of his faith.
"It's different on so many levels," Stapp said, comparing the new album with his 2005 solo debut. "Content-wise it's from a much different place from me as a human being -- much more of a reflective place, a place of maturity and honest commentary on myself and my situations that started with that record in 2005. I think in 2005 with 'The Great Divide' I still had a lot of emotions in terms of anger and bitterness over some things that had gone on. And also I was in a much darker place of desperation. That was really the beginning of the story. It took nearly seven years to bring reconciliation to that and to grow and change as an artist and as a human being and for this record to be born."
Stapp directly tackles his struggle with addiction on the new album, particularly in "Slow Suicide." "It's a direct characterization of what I felt for a time in my life -- what I was doing to myself with what I was putting in my body, getting caught up in that lifestyle and that lifestyle becoming a disease," said Stapp, "and it was slowly killing me." He said that song was an honest reflection of where he was at the time.
Since the release of his last studio album, Stapp reunited with Creed for 2009's "Full Circle" and an accompanying tour. Although Stapp is keeping the door open for more Creed music down the line, his focus right now is his solo career.
And with the release upon him, Stapp says he's not concerned about critics' response. "I don't worry about that...I feel like as long as I give everything I have and just come from a place of honesty and passion -- it's what the fans I've had for all of these years, it's what they expect," he said. "And I think I've met their expectations."
For more Stapp's new album and the future of Creed, check out our sit-down interview with him above.
