SINCE RISING TO prominence as the guitarist in multi-platinum post-grunge band Creed, Mark Tremonti has seemingly made it his life goal to be one of the most impressive men in music. After Creed’s dissolution he formed the wildly successful Alter Bridge –where his reputation as a 21st-century guitar hero skyrocketed –and started his own solo project, Tremonti. He later proved himself a capable crooner by recording an excellent album of Frank Sinatra covers.
If that wasn’t enough, his work for the National Down Syndrome Society, inspired by his daughter Stella, is proof he is one of rock’s true good guys. Hammer sat down with him prior to the release of his forthcoming Christmas album, Christmas Classics New &Old, to find out who his festive king is, how he tackled Woodstock 1999, his regret at taking his shirt off for photoshoots and much more.
STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD
“When Creed first came out, all the bands of rock radio were kind of upbeat, more pop rock. Bands like Third Eye Blind were really big at the time, and Marcy Playground and Semisonic, stuff like that.
So, when we came out with My Own Prison, to me at the time, it was the only sombre song that was doing well on the rock charts. I think the seriousness of it grabbed people’s attention. The grunge scene had a lot of that moody stuff going on, but when we had come about, it had been years since the grunge thing really popped.”