Scott Stapp Is Defeating His Demons One Mile at a Time

Runner's World ^ | August 12, 2019 | Brett Williams

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

There’s no better way to get a window into the complicated world of a musician like Scott Stapp than by listening to their music.

Scott Stapp’s latest album, The Space Between the Shadows, which dropped back in July, is driven by the song “Purpose for Pain.” The standout single mines the tumultuous period the singer endured since his last record in 2013 for inspiration. “Purpose for Pain” clearly carries a potent message, with a chorus that hits with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer:

There’s gotta be more / Cause this life is insane / Gotta turn this around / And find the purpose for pain / There’s so much to lose / Yeah, there’s so much at stake / Gotta turn this around / And find the purpose for pain

Given everything that Stapp has overcome, however, the song’s unsubtle messaging is a powerful statement of resolve and resilience.

Finding What He Couldn’t Lose

Stapp, 45, rose to prominence as the frontman of post-grunge outfit Creed, one of the biggest rock acts at the turn of the millennium (the band hasn’t released new material since 2009 and is currently on hiatus). That success led to a solo career and two records in 2005 and 2013—but Stapp was using drugs to self-medicate to cope with an undiagnosed mental illness. After a series of highly-public incidents that culminated in a substance-fueled “pyschotic break” in 2014, the musician began a path that led to a physical and mental transformation. Stapp spoke to Men’s Health on the phone during the week of the new album's release, five years later, to share his story.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

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