Alter Bridge and Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti recently had a chat with Consequence of Sound’s Heavy Consequence, predominantly discussing the band’s latest album “Pawns & Kings.” However, Tremonti also touched upon what may interest plenty of rock fans out there — will we soon see Creed do something together?
Aside from the frontman Scott Stapp, the remaining Creed members all play in Alter Bridge with Myles Kennedy handling guitar and vocals. When the topic of a Creed reunion came up, Tremonti offered:
“We have to make sure we have a good block of time to put behind it. I have so much going on right now that it’d be hard to do it in the next year. Who knows when it will happen?”
Although breaking up in 2004, with Alter Bridge starting their work not long after, Creed once again came back together for an album in 2009. Titled “Full Circle,” they took it for a spin on the road, touring until 2012. They’ve reportedly done some work on a follow-up album. However, they have officially announced a hiatus in 2013.
Elsewhere in the interview Tremonti also discussed the 2022 Alter Bridge album “Pawns & Kings.” Reflecting on a song titled “Sin After Sin,” the guitarist said:
“For ‘Sin After Sin,’ I wanted to write a heavy, slow, groovy, dark and doomy kind of song, because I was listening to music like that at the time. So, I broke out my guitar and wrote that riff out of the gate, and that riff was the seed planted for that whole song.”
“I spent a month playing that drum loop and writing parts and parts until I felt I had the main parts. Then, I had to go through 60 different parts, and I said, ‘I can’t get rid of this!’ That’s why it’s a six-and-a-half-minute song. I didn’t want to eliminate parts.”
“When people ask why we write long songs or what’s the different approach, I think it’s us being possessive about these parts we’ve written and not wanting to cut any.”
When asked whether the album was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, he replied:
“I don’t think the album was influenced by the pandemic too much, because for me, I was already on tour with [my eponymous band] Tremonti and we did a whole album cycle, and I was writing during that tour. So, I was out in the world, and the pandemic didn’t really effect this record, but maybe the Tremonti one.”
Going more into the album, Tremonti also looked back on a somewhat brighter and more upbeat piece titled “Season of Promise,” explaining:
“That was the last song that I wrote for the record. Myles and I would each turn in songs right up until the end, so that song was the last track that I demoed for the album, and I liked the vibe it had. It made me feel good.“
“I think Myles did a great job writing the lyrics to that chorus, because the melody moves so fast. I loved the melody, but I was worried it would be hard to put lyrics to it, and he killed it.”
“I think that song is necessary, because the rest of the record is heavy and edgy, so that’s a breath of fresh air.”
At this point, Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy are considered to be one of the most prominent songwriting duos in modern rock and metal. But the creative relationship took some time to develop and become what it is now. Looking back at it, Mark said:
“In the beginning, we filled in each other’s gaps. I was the heavy metal guy more, and Myles was more the bluesy and atmospheric guy. You put that together, and it formed the Alter Bridge sound.”
“As time went on, we got more and more like one another. My producer joked about not being able to tell who wrote what. I think you just start writing for the band, so we have become more in tune with one another.”
In another recent interview, Mark Tremonti discussed some of his guitar gear preferences, explaining why he’s fonder of tube-driven amps over the digital modelers. He said:
“I did half of a tour with a Kemper at one point, just to try it out. I never found the right lead setting that made me comfortable. I always felt some digital weirdness in there. When I switched to my MT 100, I wouldn’t go back. So, on the road, it’s just the one MT 100 now.”
Talking about playing the instrument and work ethic, Tremonti offered:
“I remember watching an interview with Carl Verheyen [Supertramp guitarist and a session player]. He’s like, ‘I’m a professional guitar player. I don’t go a handful of days a year without playing the guitar.’”
“That struck me. Now, I try to make sure that when I’m gone from home, I’m working all the time. Every day I’m practicing for the next Sinatra shows. I’ve got two coming up after this tour, and I have another one in March. I’m trying to book as many as I can.”
“I’m also writing a book, which is taking up most of my time at the moment. Then, I’m writing songs for whatever happens next, trying to stay ahead of things.”
Discussing his and Myles’ creative process and how it goes, he offered:
“It’s an addiction. You write that song that makes your hair stand up, and you want to do it again. It’s the same with anything creative, whether writing a song or book, or painting a picture. It is like a drug.”
Reflecting on the last album, he said:
“We decided, ‘Let’s get back to our old way of doing things.’ We want it to be more just the guys playing their instruments. No orchestration underneath. No pads. Just us. It gives it more depth, and everything else has more room to breathe.”
Photo: Antje Naumann(14-06-06 RiP Alter Bridge Mark Tremonti 2)
