Scott Stapp On How He Makes Creed Bandmates Hate Him Instantly

Mark Tremonti and Scott Stapp sat down with Guitar World and revealed how one of Creed’s biggest hits was written in front of 4000 people. Apparently, what Stapp did to write the song is now probably making his bandmates hate him.

During the chat, the bandmates discussed their 1999 hit, ‘Higher.’ Tremonti explained the little game his bandmate loved to play to create a brand new song:

“Scott liked to play this game where he would put the band on the spot and say, ‘We’re going to write a song.’ In our college years, he would do that in front of a live audience at a club, and I would just start riffing out.”

This was how the song was founded. However, the band members are not really fond of the game now. Stapp continued:

“I still like to do that – I’m sure the band guys around me hate it. But it’s fun and you get in a flow. Mark can trigger me with some of his licks and interludes between songs. When I hear it, I roll with it. I’m glad Mark jogged my memory on that, because that’s how that chorus was born.”

The Meaning Of ‘Higher’ Changed For Stapp

Over the recent years, ‘Higher’ became even a bigger hit — the pop singer SZA shared her love for the song, and it even turned into the Texas Rangers’ unofficial theme song as they made their way to winning the 2023 World Series.

The song eventually became more meaningful to Stapp as well. During another interview with Vulture, the singer explained what the song really meant to him:

“This was a song written about heaven. Mark reminded me that I wrote the chorus as a freestyle during a show. I kind of had a download during the set in front of thousands of people. I came off tour as I was crafting the verses during a time when I was really trying to explore myself as a spirit being.”

He also explained how the meaning changed for him today:

“Now, at this stage in my life, understanding the realities of the world that I was so naive to when I was younger, I have a different perspective. In my youth, I’m crying out to heaven to ‘take me higher.’ Today, it still has that same meaning, but it also has evolved into having this 24,000-foot astronaut view. I’m seeing things pretty clearly at this point in my career.”

Hear the band’s hit song down below.