> >Creed – And Then There Were Three? >Wednesday December 12, 2001 @ 04:00 PM >By: ChartAttack.com Staff > > >Creed > >Pretty much the biggest band in the world if album sales be your >guide, Florida’s Creed are about to embark on a mammoth 18 month >tour for their third album, Weathered. After the departure of >bassist Brian Marshall, the band decided to delay his replacement, >producing the latest album as a three-piece, which, along with >production adjustments, resulted in a renewed solidity of purpose. > >The new bass player on tour turned out to be a natural choice. > >"The new guy is not permanent," explains Drummer Scott Phillips. >"It's Brett Hestla from the band Virgos, who's been a very long-time >friend of ours. And he's actually the singer/songwriter/guitar >player in his band, but he's probably one of the best musicians I've >ever come across. He can just about play anything. When the split >happened between us and Marshall — I guess it was probably July last >year—we immediately called Brett. He's the first person we could >think of. He came out and we never skipped a beat." > >Of course, if they think so highly of the guy, why not have him join >permanently? > >"It's not like, 'No, I don't want to do it,' or we're like, 'No, we >don't want you to do it,'" Phillips says. "He's got his own band and >they've been working on their new album. It's almost finished. I >think it's got to go through the mastering process. You know, he >went out and he's trying to fulfill his dream of making music, >making his music. And he's said that if this album doesn't do it, >he'd definitely want to join if we'd have him. And we told him, >‘we'd definitely love you to join. But we personally as friends >never want to see you become the bass player of this band just >because that means that your project, the one that you were >initially passionate about, didn't happen.’ We love him to death. >He's such an awesome guy and a great friend. And if the opportunity >didn't work out for him, I would love him to join. I think he would >be a great addition, personality-wise and musically. But hopefully >his thing will take off and we'll do a co-headlining tour >somewhere."