'With Arms Wide Open: A Retrospective' (Nov. 20th)

[Johnzilla2179]

nagpo: I think the reason they're using the radio edits is because of lifelong fans. Think about it: it's been six years since the band's last studio album, and many more since their first three records and even Greatest Hits, which included all album versions save for "What's This Life For." I think the reasoning is that most people that would buy this set already have the album versions, so this is giving them more bang for their buck in a minute way. I personally would rather spend money on versions I don't have, be they radio edits or not, than for $10 of my money to go for what amounts to a useless first disc.

I'm glad they've gone the box set of rarities route as opposed to album reissues. I don't need to repurchase those records just for two bonus tracks and some demos that would be spread across them. Plus, the whole second and third discs have songs that haven't appeared on any other widespread Creed records. Some of them have appeared here and there on special editions released outside of the United States, but that's it. I'm just amused that literally every b-side I listed is included.

I can see your point about including the music videos, but honestly I can live without them. Most of them were included with the original Greatest Hits album on a bonus DVD. Sure, the CD/DVD version is a tad hard to find now, but Creed's music videos aren't all that great anyway. Plus, we live in the age of YouTube, after all, so I'm thinking the record label didn't see the point of including them since it's been done before (even if it was before Full Circle) and the videos themselves can easily be found on the internet.

As for the demos, are these the circa 2012 songs the band was working on and didn't finish? If so, I can understand why it might be frustrating that they couldn't just finish them for this compilation. However, "Blistered" sounds like an alternate version of "Weathered" to me, so I'm not so sure. As for "Do It All Over", I'm thinking maybe the only recorded performance might have been that live video that's partially on YouTube, and perhaps they couldn't just dissect it? Maybe it would have cost too much? Plus, Tremonti did say it wasn't finished, so perhaps that live performance just tapers off into nothing (not that we would know since the video ends so prematurely).

As for the live tracks, they all appeared on singles back in the day from what I can tell. Back when CD singles were a thing, they often had the popular track with one or two "alternate versions" you couldn't get anywhere else to sucker fans into buying them in addition to the full albums. I've downloaded pretty much all of these save for the Full Circle-era material from various places, so it'll be nice to have them on an official release in (hopefully) good sound quality. As for those FC live tracks, Creed did a lot of acoustic performances for promotional purposes around the album's release date. I know they did some for Walmart soundcheck, iHeartRadio stripped and even Yahoo (I think). The iHeartRadio performances are grand, so hopefully these are it.

"Overcome" Stripped - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4T6Y0HFU3A

What other b-sides are you referring to? The only ones I know of based on personal research of the singles as well as CreedFeed are those that are included.

CreedFeed - http://www.creedfeed.com/songs/?unreleased

[Johnzilla2179]

CREED

WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN: A RETROSPECTIVE

CD 1 - Best Of: The Singles

1. My Own Prison [Radio Edit]
2. Torn [Radio Edit]
3. What's This Life For [Album Edit – Clean]
4. One [Radio Edit]
5. What If [Radio Edit]
6. Higher [Top 40 Version]
7. With Arms Wide Open [New Version with Strings]
8. Are You Ready?
9. My Sacrifice [Radio Edit]
10. Bullets
11. One Last Breath [Radio Version]
12. Don't Stop Dancing
13. Weathered [Edit]
14. Overcome
15. Rain [Pop Mix]
16. A Thousand Faces [Radio Edit]


CD 2 - Rarities & Demos

1. To Whom It May Concern
2. Is This the End [Scream Edit]
3. Bound and Tied
4. Young Grow Old
5. Silent Teacher
6. I'm Eighteen
7. Roadhouse Blues [Live at Woodstock '99]
8. Riders on the Storm
9. Blistered [Demo]
10. More Than This [Demo]
11. Why [Demo]


CD 3 - Acoustic

1. My Sacrifice [Live Acoustic]
2. My Own Prison [Acoustic Version – Extended]
3. Don't Stop Dancing [Acoustic Version #3]
4. With Arms Wide Open [Acoustic Version]
5. What’s This Life For [Alternate Version – Clean]
6. Rain [Live Acoustic]
7. My Own Prison [Live Acoustic]
8. With Arms Wide Open [Live Acoustic]
9. Overcome [Live Acoustic]
10. One [Live Acoustic]
11. Torn [Live Acoustic]
12. Higher [Live Acoustic]
13. To Whom It May Concern [Live Acoustic]

http://mediakits-showcase.concordmusicg ... index.html

Thanks for the info. Where did you find this? I tried searching the album title before posting the Amazon information and nothing came up. Couldn't find a link from their website, either.

[nagpo]

nagpo: I think the reason they're using the radio edits is because of lifelong fans. Think about it: it's been six years since the band's last studio album, and many more since their first three records and even Greatest Hits, which included all album versions save for "What's This Life For." I think the reasoning is that most people that would buy this set already have the album versions, so this is giving them more bang for their buck in a minute way. I personally would rather spend money on versions I don't have, be they radio edits or not, than for $10 of my money to go for what amounts to a useless first disc.

I just can't get excited about radio versions. I guess it's a difference of expectations and opinions. These are the same songs, but are just a little different. If it was every song, I could get excited for collective purposes

I'm glad they've gone the box set of rarities route as opposed to album reissues. I don't need to repurchase those records just for two bonus tracks and some demos that would be spread across them.

But that's exactly what this feels like to me

Plus, the whole second and third discs have songs that haven't appeared on any other widespread Creed records. Some of them have appeared here and there on special editions released outside of the United States, but that's it. I'm just amused that literally every b-side I listed is included.

But every hardcore fan has already heard these and has them already. I guess I'm just upset that there isn't more newer material. I guess it's another expectations meets reality conflict.

I can see your point about including the music videos, but honestly I can live without them. Most of them were included with the original Greatest Hits album on a bonus DVD. Sure, the CD/DVD version is a tad hard to find now, but Creed's music videos aren't all that great anyway. Plus, we live in the age of YouTube, after all, so I'm thinking the record label didn't see the point of including them since it's been done before (even if it was before Full Circle) and the videos themselves can easily be found on the internet.

I disagree. The videos were pretty awesome in their own ways. They are part of creed history. They played on mtv and such a lot. And it's not even the GH dvd, they even had live dvd which isn't in the set. Another important part of creeds history. These are things that should be in a retrospective. And the argument that since youtube exists, their isn't any point in releasing them, you could say that for every song on the record since all of them are on youtube and the internet as well.

As for the demos, are these the circa 2012 songs the band was working on and didn't finish? If so, I can understand why it might be frustrating that they couldn't just finish them for this compilation. However, "Blistered" sounds like an alternate version of "Weathered" to me, so I'm not so sure.

Yeah there is no way to know

As for "Do It All Over", I'm thinking maybe the only recorded performance might have been that live video that's partially on YouTube, and perhaps they couldn't just dissect it? Maybe it would have cost too much? Plus, Tremonti did say it wasn't finished, so perhaps that live performance just tapers off into nothing (not that we would know since the video ends so prematurely).

Possible, but I have always hoped it was a legit song. Even if it wasn't recorded or finished, I hope they will make it reality one day. Great simple tune

As for the live tracks, they all appeared on singles back in the day from what I can tell. Back when CD singles were a thing, they often had the popular track with one or two "alternate versions" you couldn't get anywhere else to sucker fans into buying them in addition to the full albums. I've downloaded pretty much all of these save for the Full Circle-era material from various places, so it'll be nice to have them on an official release in (hopefully) good sound quality. As for those FC live tracks, Creed did a lot of acoustic performances for promotional purposes around the album's release date. I know they did some for Walmart soundcheck, iHeartRadio stripped and even Yahoo (I think). The iHeartRadio performances are grand, so hopefully these are it.

"Overcome" Stripped - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4T6Y0HFU3A

What other b-sides are you referring to? The only ones I know of based on personal research of the singles as well as CreedFeed are those that are included.

Along with those creedfeed tunes, I've read in some interviews with stapp and mark or something saying they had 9 or so demos from the More than this writings. Maybe these three were the closest to being finished. Maybe all the others are just bits and pieces of songs and ideas. But what if they aren't?

CreedFeed - http://www.creedfeed.com/songs/?unreleased

my response in red.

[nagpo]

also i'm surprised creedfeed it still up. damn why is he spending his money keeping that dead board up

[Felipe]

CREED

WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN: A RETROSPECTIVE

CD 1 - Best Of: The Singles

1. My Own Prison [Radio Edit]
2. Torn [Radio Edit]
3. What's This Life For [Album Edit – Clean]
4. One [Radio Edit]
5. What If [Radio Edit]
6. Higher [Top 40 Version]
7. With Arms Wide Open [New Version with Strings]
8. Are You Ready?
9. My Sacrifice [Radio Edit]
10. Bullets
11. One Last Breath [Radio Version]
12. Don't Stop Dancing
13. Weathered [Edit]
14. Overcome
15. Rain [Pop Mix]
16. A Thousand Faces [Radio Edit]


CD 2 - Rarities & Demos

1. To Whom It May Concern
2. Is This the End [Scream Edit]
3. Bound and Tied
4. Young Grow Old
5. Silent Teacher
6. I'm Eighteen
7. Roadhouse Blues [Live at Woodstock '99]
8. Riders on the Storm
9. Blistered [Demo]
10. More Than This [Demo]
11. Why [Demo]


CD 3 - Acoustic

1. My Sacrifice [Live Acoustic]
2. My Own Prison [Acoustic Version – Extended]
3. Don't Stop Dancing [Acoustic Version #3]
4. With Arms Wide Open [Acoustic Version]
5. What’s This Life For [Alternate Version – Clean]
6. Rain [Live Acoustic]
7. My Own Prison [Live Acoustic]
8. With Arms Wide Open [Live Acoustic]
9. Overcome [Live Acoustic]
10. One [Live Acoustic]
11. Torn [Live Acoustic]
12. Higher [Live Acoustic]
13. To Whom It May Concern [Live Acoustic]

http://mediakits-showcase.concordmusicg ... index.html

Thanks for the info. Where did you find this? I tried searching the album title before posting the Amazon information and nothing came up. Couldn't find a link from their website, either.

I found in Label's website: http://mediakits-showcase.concordmusicgroup.com/

Search by Creed

[Johnzilla2179]

nagpo: I think the reason they're using the radio edits is because of lifelong fans. Think about it: it's been six years since the band's last studio album, and many more since their first three records and even Greatest Hits, which included all album versions save for "What's This Life For." I think the reasoning is that most people that would buy this set already have the album versions, so this is giving them more bang for their buck in a minute way. I personally would rather spend money on versions I don't have, be they radio edits or not, than for $10 of my money to go for what amounts to a useless first disc.

I just can't get excited about radio versions. I guess it's a difference of expectations and opinions. These are the same songs, but are just a little different. If it was every song, I could get excited for collective purposes

I'm glad they've gone the box set of rarities route as opposed to album reissues. I don't need to repurchase those records just for two bonus tracks and some demos that would be spread across them.

But that's exactly what this feels like to me

Plus, the whole second and third discs have songs that haven't appeared on any other widespread Creed records. Some of them have appeared here and there on special editions released outside of the United States, but that's it. I'm just amused that literally every b-side I listed is included.

But every hardcore fan has already heard these and has them already. I guess I'm just upset that there isn't more newer material. I guess it's another expectations meets reality conflict.

I can see your point about including the music videos, but honestly I can live without them. Most of them were included with the original Greatest Hits album on a bonus DVD. Sure, the CD/DVD version is a tad hard to find now, but Creed's music videos aren't all that great anyway. Plus, we live in the age of YouTube, after all, so I'm thinking the record label didn't see the point of including them since it's been done before (even if it was before Full Circle) and the videos themselves can easily be found on the internet.

I disagree. The videos were pretty awesome in their own ways. They are part of creed history. They played on mtv and such a lot. And it's not even the GH dvd, they even had live dvd which isn't in the set. Another important part of creeds history. These are things that should be in a retrospective. And the argument that since youtube exists, their isn't any point in releasing them, you could say that for every song on the record since all of them are on youtube and the internet as well.

As for the demos, are these the circa 2012 songs the band was working on and didn't finish? If so, I can understand why it might be frustrating that they couldn't just finish them for this compilation. However, "Blistered" sounds like an alternate version of "Weathered" to me, so I'm not so sure.

Yeah there is no way to know

As for "Do It All Over", I'm thinking maybe the only recorded performance might have been that live video that's partially on YouTube, and perhaps they couldn't just dissect it? Maybe it would have cost too much? Plus, Tremonti did say it wasn't finished, so perhaps that live performance just tapers off into nothing (not that we would know since the video ends so prematurely).

Possible, but I have always hoped it was a legit song. Even if it wasn't recorded or finished, I hope they will make it reality one day. Great simple tune

As for the live tracks, they all appeared on singles back in the day from what I can tell. Back when CD singles were a thing, they often had the popular track with one or two "alternate versions" you couldn't get anywhere else to sucker fans into buying them in addition to the full albums. I've downloaded pretty much all of these save for the Full Circle-era material from various places, so it'll be nice to have them on an official release in (hopefully) good sound quality. As for those FC live tracks, Creed did a lot of acoustic performances for promotional purposes around the album's release date. I know they did some for Walmart soundcheck, iHeartRadio stripped and even Yahoo (I think). The iHeartRadio performances are grand, so hopefully these are it.

"Overcome" Stripped - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4T6Y0HFU3A

What other b-sides are you referring to? The only ones I know of based on personal research of the singles as well as CreedFeed are those that are included.

Along with those creedfeed tunes, I've read in some interviews with stapp and mark or something saying they had 9 or so demos from the More than this writings. Maybe these three were the closest to being finished. Maybe all the others are just bits and pieces of songs and ideas. But what if they aren't?

CreedFeed - http://www.creedfeed.com/songs/?unreleased

my response in red.

All valid points, despite my disagreement. I think only certain songs were edited for radio, hence why it's not all of them.

How does this feel like an album's reissue when it's a singular release? Chances are, we'll see at least a reissue of My Own Prison for the album's 20th anniversary, hopefully with both mixes on two separate discs.

As for the material, you're right: I've heard and even own all of this material already, save for an acoustic or two. I'm just happy to, A) have a new Creed release on the horizon and, B) have all of these songs on an official release, like Soundgarden's Echo of Miles release or AC/DC's Backtracks.

Good point about the videos, but they're all "official" uploads, whereas the b-sides are not. Also, the Live DVD was a rather poor release, if only because of Stapp's vocal problems at the time. Perhaps it would have been nice to have that long lost deluxe edition (with the feature film history of the band, the concert film and live CDs) of it released alongside this retrospective, but I can live without it. I already have the DVD. Keep in mind this is billed as a retrospective, not a "complete collection."

I have no excuse for the decision to not include "Do it All Over." I maintain perhaps that there wasn't really anything TO release, as many bands jam and the sessions start out good and sort of fall apart (which wouldn't make for a whole usable song). Nonetheless, given the track's popularity among fans you'd think they'd just rip the audio from that video and give us that. As I said, it could come down to rights issues with the documentarian. After all, perhaps that was the ONLY performance?

What are the More Than This writings? The 2012 album, or something that was before MOP? If it's the 2012 album, perhaps they're holding out with the idea of finishing them if the band ever resumes. It'd be awesome if they finished the 2012 tunes and wrote a bunch of new stuff and gave fans a double album for having to wait so long Regardless, if you don't even know if the demos in question were whole songs, much less their names, what's the point in lamenting their absence? There might not be anything else TO include in a listenable fashion.

I understand your disappointment, but I'm just happy to be getting something (kinda) new at all, particularly given that Creed is mostly a punchline to everyone but fans these days.

[nagpo]

All valid points, despite my disagreement. I think only certain songs were edited for radio, hence why it's not all of them.

How does this feel like an album's reissue when it's a singular release? Chances are, we'll see at least a reissue of My Own Prison for the album's 20th anniversary, hopefully with both mixes on two separate discs.

I just mean it feels like more of the same

As for the material, you're right: I've heard and even own all of this material already, save for an acoustic or two. I'm just happy to, A) have a new Creed release on the horizon and, B) have all of these songs on an official release, like Soundgarden's Echo of Miles release or AC/DC's Backtracks.

Good point about the videos, but they're all "official" uploads, whereas the b-sides are not. Also, the Live DVD was a rather poor release, if only because of Stapp's vocal problems at the time. Perhaps it would have been nice to have that long lost deluxe edition (with the feature film history of the band, the concert film and live CDs) of it released alongside this retrospective, but I can live without it. I already have the DVD. Keep in mind this is billed as a retrospective, not a "complete collection."

But I question the point of a retrospective in the first place. Maybe just a cash grab? I guess at most it will bring creed back into the attention of the public - hopefully they'll release one of the demos as a single to support the release. When FC came out it got overshadowed because of the MJ record. That wont be the case this time.

This retrospective may mean that they (creed) are treading the waters for the possibility of working together again. Which would be more effective (for their careers) if they released a record soon afterwards but that isn't likely since mark has another solo record coming out soon. But who knows what's going on with AB, since myles has slash and a solo album as well.

I have no excuse for the decision to not include "Do it All Over." I maintain perhaps that there wasn't really anything TO release, as many bands jam and the sessions start out good and sort of fall apart (which wouldn't make for a whole usable song). Nonetheless, given the track's popularity among fans you'd think they'd just rip the audio from that video and give us that. As I said, it could come down to rights issues with the documentarian. After all, perhaps that was the ONLY performance?

What are the More Than This writings? The 2012 album, or something that was before MOP? If it's the 2012 album, perhaps they're holding out with the idea of finishing them if the band ever resumes.

More Than this is a song from the 2012 writings, when they were writing new material for the follow up of full circle but things fell apart - that's what I meant.

It'd be awesome if they finished the 2012 tunes and wrote a bunch of new stuff and gave fans a double album for having to wait so long

Ha ha agreed

Regardless, if you don't even know if the demos in question were whole songs, much less their names, what's the point in lamenting their absence? There might not be anything else TO include in a listenable fashion.

I understand your disappointment, but I'm just happy to be getting something (kinda) new at all, particularly given that Creed is mostly a punchline to everyone but fans these days.

like last time, in red. just easier

[JaredWard]

The demos are the only thing I'm excited about. Lol I'm not sure it's worth throwing $30 at it but like Tim said.. it would show the label and the guys that the fans still care and that we want more. I would honestly rather them wait and package some new material and the Ron Ranew doc with it but oh well.

[julio]

The question is More Than This with Mark on vocals or Stapp? I know Mark wrote with his own lyrics first, but let Stapp work on it for the final recording. From what I remember, they didn't have time to finish it.

[nagpo]

The question is More Than This with Mark on vocals or Stapp?

lol stapps ego wouldn't allow that. I have a good feeling it'll be him

[chtimixeur]

Disc 2 looks pretty cool. Sure, it could have been better, but having all the B-Sides altogether is a nice idea. I'm excited to hear More Than This, since Mark said it was in the vein of My Sacrifice.
After Full Circle's disappoitning sales, I guess he had tried to write a "safe single" to push Creed's 2010 summer tour, and I really wonder if he was still able to get in old school Creed mode back then. It would be great to know he's still able to write Creed sounding music if he actually gives it a shot.
@nagpo : More Than This was written in 2010, not 2012, and Stapp couldn't finish the vocals before the beginning of the tour because of the birth of his son.

[Jhenrid]

Maybe other demos and unreleased bsides are tied up in label issues? What label is this on?

[julio]

The Bicycle Music Company

[nagpo]

Would this be the first Creed record to be released outside of Wind-up?

[JaredWard]

Yep.

[Ryan]

The question is More Than This with Mark on vocals or Stapp? I know Mark wrote with his own lyrics first, but let Stapp work on it for the final recording. From what I remember, they didn't have time to finish it.

They didn't finish it, that's why it's a demo.

[CreedFeed]

also i'm surprised creedfeed it still up. damn why is he spending his money keeping that dead board up

haha I have the web server for other projects. As I said from the beginning, creedfeed.com will remain up and running as long as I am here

[nagpo]

also i'm surprised creedfeed it still up. damn why is he spending his money keeping that dead board up

haha I have the web server for other projects. As I said from the beginning, creedfeed.com will remain up and running as long as I am here

What are these other projects? Other boards for different subjects?

[CreedFeed]

What are these other projects? Other boards for different subjects?

Yes, I run other web sites. One is for Quake, the computer game. One is for a friend's band. One is my own personal site. I have several sites I operate and/or maintain.

[cesargil]

I'm only excited about the demos as well. We know they have a lot of b-sides, as 'Grip my Soul', 'Nothing' and 'Breathe', for example. I think the two demos are from Full Circle. Hope they can change it and release more unreleased stuff.