[Bridge of Clay]

Inside scoop!

Quote: (Originally Posted by Gabriel on abb.net)

Yes, this quote was a direct shot at the band formerly known as Gone Blind. At least the members who were on stage performing with Stapp at the Nascar Awards, playing Creed songs.

Mark wanted me to come on here and give you fans a little history as well as an explanation of why he said this as it is unusual for him to take a shot at another band. Here is the scoop....

Back when Creed was together Mark had a friend named Kiki. Kiki started managing bands and one of the first bands he represented was Gone Blind. At the time Creed was playing large festival shows and Kiki asked Mark if he could help out and get Gone Blind added to the side stage at one of the shows. Mark said yes, asked the rest of the Creed, and everyone agreed. At that show, Kiki came running up to Mark and told him that Gone Blind had no food and asked him if they could have acess to Creed's catering. Mark said yes, even though the tour manager told him it would come out of Creed's tab. Gone Blind ended up playing more shows with Creed and Mark struck up a friendship with all of them, even giving their guitar player one of his signature model guitars to use on tour because he did not have enough money to buy one. He always did everything in his power to help that band out.

After Creed split up, Mark found out that Kiki(whom Mark had severed his freindship with) was working in some capacity for Stapp. Around this time Mark also found out that Gone Blind was working with Stapp on his solo cd. Was Mark angry? Not at all. He understood that the guys were just trying to make a name for themselves in a tough, dog eat dog business. All was cool.

Soon thereafter Stapp went on a promo tour for his new single that was on the Passion Of The Christ Soundtrack. It was just Stapp and the guitarist for Gone Blind. The two of them were performing acoustic songs for many radio stations across the country. They did not play Relearn Love, Scott's new single, once live as far as I know. They only played Creed songs on the entire promo tour. This got Mark pretty angry. He and Scott had a verbal agreement when they split that none of them would ever perform Creed songs unless the whole band was together again. Mark felt betrayed, not only by Stapp, whom he had an agreement with, but also by the guitarist for Gone Blind(who knew damn well that Mark would be mad about it). I mean, Mark gave this guy one of his own guitars and helped his career along as much as humanly possible. It was like a dagger in the back.

Later on, the drummer and bass player for Gone Blind came to an AB show. Mark voiced his displeasure with what was happening to the drummer. The drummer swore to him up and down that he did not want to play Creed songs. The drummer also told Mark that Stapp was planning on marketing himself as Creed part II and that he was planning on playing many Creed songs when he goes out to tour. At the end of the conversation the drummer told Mark that he would never play a Creed song on stage with Stapp, and also that the rest of Gone Blind felt that way too. The two of them shook hands and all was forgiven. Understand that Mark feels this way because he is fiercely proud of the songs he has written in the past. If 3 joe schmoes go up there and play Creed songs with Stapp, it is a different story. He'd stiil be angry with Stapp but Mark would figure the other guys were just trying to make a buck. With Gone Blind playing them, it hurt. He thought these guys were his friends.

Fast forward to the Nascar awards. Stapp played two Creed songs there, one of which was broadcast on national TV. The Gone Blind drummer, who swore to Mark he would not do this and shook his hand in friendship, was up on stage playing with the rest of Gone Blind, backing up Stapp. Mark had been lied to yet again.

So that is why Mark said the "pawn shop" quote. He is pissed about the whole thing and, if you know Mark, he does not suger coat things for the press. He tells it straight up, PC or not. In his view, Gone Blind, a band that he befriended and bent over backwards to help has knowingly and willingly backstabbed him.