Shadowing Practice: The Tragic Downfall of Creed - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
128 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Creed formed in Tallahassee, Florida in 1994.
2
They would go on to become one of the biggest rock bands of the last 30 years.
3
Then, at the height of their success, they shocked the music world.
4
Creed announced they were breaking up as a band.
5
It's been many years since that decision was made, and a lot has changed since then.
6
As you may know, most of the members of Creed went on to form Alter Bridge.
7
and now after many years Creed have just announced their reunion a lot of fans wondered
8
if this day would even come Creed had a troubled history
9
and vocalist Scott Stapp took the blame for
10
that original breakup he said on the net positive podcast earlier this year I think there was some frustration
11
and anger because the guys were like this isn't what we signed up for
12
and to their credit it's
13
because they didn't want to be fake they didn't want to be hypocrites they were like hey man, we're not living the life that someone who claims to be a Christian is living,
14
and we don't want to have people perceive us that way and live a lie, so that's just them being authentic, so I can't blame them for that, and me too.
15
I was telling them, guys, sorry.
16
At the time, I wanted to participate in the same lifestyle, and was, so we were kind of all in a conundrum.
17
We were living like rock stars, man.
18
We were young and living the life, and we were on fire, man.
19
I can own my part.
20
I got mixed up in some things I shouldn't have that I go to a program for today.
21
And that, I'm sure, was a major part.
22
Because had I not developed those issues, I think we probably could have worked through everything else.
23
So I'll take the blame about that.
24
It was 1994 in Tallahassee, Florida.
25
Classmates Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti at Florida State University decided to start a band together.
26
They built a band from the ground up, playing local shows, eventually recording their debut album on a budget of just $6,000.
27
That record was My Own Prison.
28
It was released through their own label, Blue Collar Records, and sold about 6,000 copies around the state of Florida.
29
It was in 1997 when someone from Wind Up Records got their hands on My Own Prison.
30
She immediately knew this record was special, and she wanted to sign them to a deal.
31
She said when she first listened to Creed, she immediately heard an arena band, and her instincts were correct.
32
They took that record, My Own Prison, and it was remits.
33
They made certain adjustments, which would give it a more radio-friendly sound.
34
And then they released this historic rock record in 1997, and it would change their lives forever.
35
They released four singles from this album, each one getting bigger than the rest.
36
Creed became overnight rock stars, living life in the fast lane.
37
But unfortunately, that rock and roll lifestyle would eventually catch up to them.
38
It was unheard of to sell 6 million copies on a debut album.
39
Creed was unstoppable.
40
With the cash rolling in from the breakout success of their debut album, Creed would enter the studio for their sophomore record.
41
And this wouldn't be a sophomore slump.
42
This elevated them to global superstardom with Human Clay.
43
The first single from that record, Higher, would break records, spending 17 weeks on top of the rock radio charts.
44
To put this into perspective,
45
this album in just two years time sold more than 10 million copies and was certified diamond.
46
This is one of the biggest rock records of all time.
47
It's hard to put it into words just how big Creed were for the few years
48
that they were active in the late 90s and early 2000s.
49
And that's what made it so shocking when Creed abruptly announced their breakup at the peak of their success.
50
In 2002, Scott Stapp was driving to the One Last Breath music video shoot.
51
Stapp was in a vehicle on the interstate near Orlando, Florida, when a vehicle struck him from behind going around 50 or 60 miles per hour.
52
Stapp said he flew forward and his body hit the steering wheel, his head hit the windshield.
53
Stapp told MTV, The woman behind me, I guess, wasn't paying attention, and nailed me from behind going probably 50 or 60 miles per hour.
54
I flew forward and my body hit the steering wheel
55
and my head hit the windshield and I kind of came back and hit my seat
56
Stapp called his manager to let him know what had happened as he was on his way to shoot
57
that music video He then realized he had been injured He
58
said I was kind of trembling even my lips were trembling
59
and I was disoriented I had a concussion from the whiplash
60
and from hitting the windshield He said he refused to call an ambulance or go to the hospital He told them, I did that against my manager's wishes and against the doctor's wishes.
61
I have a personal doctor and I had him come see me at the house
62
because it immediately becomes big news if I'm in the hospital.
63
I was trying to avoid the press.
64
Despite those injuries, staff said he would go to the One Last Breath music video shoot the following day, against his better judgment.
65
He said, I had medication to help me with the pain
66
because my back and spine and neck and my head was killing me, and I had a very bad headache.
67
So I shot the video.
68
A doctor and a masseuse were on site.
69
They actually had to use a body double a couple times for some things I just couldn't do.
70
After that music video shoot, Stapp had some imaging done to see his injuries.
71
Doctors discovered a bulging disc between two vertebrae in his neck and a smashed disc in his lower back.
72
Despite their meteoric rise to success, selling more than 10 million albums in just two years' time,
73
guitarist Mark Tremonti said that things were never the same in Creed after that accident.
74
They got together after a year-long hiatus.
75
We got our instruments and played, but neither of us was taking it seriously.
76
We were just running in circles.
77
There wasn't a vibe like on the previous records.
78
It felt very job-like, when every day just seemed to get weirder and weirder.
79
It's natural to start discussing that with the people around you.
80
There wasn't ever a point where everyone was like, all right, I'm done with it.
81
It was more of a question of what exactly is happening.
82
What is going to happen tomorrow night?
83
What's going to happen three months from now?
84
Later that year, in December 2002, Creed's most infamous show ever took place in Chicago.
85
This was surely one of the catalysts that led to the band's breakup at the time.
86
Vocalist Scott Stapp appeared on stage, and his behavior was bizarre to say the least.
87
To make matters worse, guitarist Mark Schiamani had his entire family in attendance at the disastrous show.
88
Some fans in the crowd even later sued the band over the performance.
89
MTV described the whole ordeal, writing, The pinnacle of Creed's problems took place in Chicago in December 2002.
90
Weatherstaff was inebriated or simply sick as he had claimed.
91
His performance was so terrible that some members of the crowd sued the band for sucking.
92
He reportedly said that he had some things going on in his life, kind of felt alone, and didn't think anybody had his back at the time.
93
Tremonti later told MTV, My entire family was at that show, so I was very irritated.
94
But I forgave Scott for it.
95
I talked to him about it, but he didn't offer any kind of explanation.
96
That's probably what bothered me the most.
97
There was no closure on it.
98
It was like, let's keep moving on.
99
And I was like, well, we've got to address these issues, but we just never did.
100
Communication within Creed was non-existent at this point.
101
Guitarist Mark Tremonti described the change in their relationship.
102
He said, people in bands, at first they're high school or college buddies who just want to get out there and rock.
103
But after it gets to a bigger level, it turns into a business where people have to make decisions about their careers and people see things differently.
104
You start to see your friends as somebody who might hold you back from something that you really want to do.
105
Their opinions might not be your opinions, and a friendly disagreement might turn into a career-ending decision.
106
When Creed came out on the radio seven years ago, there was a lot of poppy radio music.
107
I think My Own Prison was the first song in a long time, with the serious tone and a message behind it.
108
After that, a lot of radio programmers started programming more serious-sounding rock and roll, and I think that's what I'm most proud of.
109
Creed perhaps opened the doors for some other bands who may have had a message.
110
In June 2004, Creed would shock the music world.
111
At the peak of their success, they announced they were breaking up as a band.
112
A statement from Tremonti read at the time.
113
Creed was one of the most amazing journeys through music and friendship I am blessed to say I was a part of.
114
I made memories I can never replace.
115
I just want to thank the fans who supported us and became part of the Creed experience.
116
We could not have accomplished anything without you.
117
Vocalist Scott Stapp would eventually go on to face serious addiction related issues,
118
but the good news is Stapp seems to be in a much better place these days, which has undoubtedly paved the way for Creed to make their triumphant comeback.
119
All those years ago, Scott was much younger when he was dealing with that huge rise to fame for Creed,
120
and most people aren't equipped to deal with that kind of overnight success.
121
And when you couple that with substance abuse issues, it can be a recipe for disaster.
122
And now Creed has a bit of a new beginning.
123
People seem to be genuinely excited to see them coming back, and that's a beautiful thing.
124
After all these years, The Creed fans have never given up on this band.
125
I'm sure they've all learned a lot over the years, and I'm excited to see what happens next in the world of Creed.
126
What's your favorite Creed memory?
127
Let me know in the comments and drop a thumbs up and hit that subscribe button if you enjoyed this video.
128
I would really appreciate that.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B21
19 sentences
Creed - Inside Us All (Remastered) (Official Audio)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
100 sentences
Fieldy Finally SPEAKS OUT On Why He Left Korn
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
33 sentences
Scott Ian of Anthrax on playing with Stryper
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
105 sentences
CLUTCH Neil Fallon Interview
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
222 sentences
Addressing the Steve Lawson Controversy
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
![Class of '09 - Ending 1 [Gameplay Walkthrough]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i1SLIy_oQsg/mqdefault.jpg)
B2524 sentences
Class of '09 - Ending 1 [Gameplay Walkthrough]
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B24
11 sentences
Tom G. Warrior on Celtic Frost's beginnings - Metal Evolution: Extreme Metal
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
33 sentences
Tony Campos (Static-X) on Honoring Wayne Static's Legacy | Off My Meds Pod Clips | 207
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
27 sentences
Robby Krieger speaks about SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
62 sentences
I wanted David Byron to REJOIN Uriah Heep! HE WOULDN'T LISTEN!
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
14 sentences
Pantera's Philip Anselmo on Falling-Out With Father + '25 Years'
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Tragic Downfall of Creed”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Creed, Stapp, band, record, rock. This video has 128 sentences and 1807 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:57. The speaker talks fast, about 182 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bind verb | /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ | To tie; to confine by any ligature. |
| vocalist noun | /ˈvoʊkəlɪst/ | A singer; a person who likes to sing. |
| windshield noun | /wɪnˈʃiːld/ | A transparent screen made of glass, located at the front and back of a vehicle in front of its occupants to protect them from the wind force generated by the… |
| guitarist noun | /ɡɪˈtɑɹɪst/ | Someone who plays a guitar. |
| breakup noun | /ˈbɹeɪk.ʌp/ | The act of breaking up; disintegration or division. |
| tremble verb | /ˈtɹɛmbl̩/ | To shake, quiver, or vibrate. |
| sophomore noun | /ˈsɑf.mɔɹ/ | A second-year undergraduate student in a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year secondary school or high school. |
| steer verb | /stɪɹ/ | To guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc. (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel). |
| disk noun | /dɪsk/ | A thin, flat, circular plate or similar object. |
| overnight adverb | /əʊvə(ɹ)ˈnaɪt/ | During or throughout the night, especially during the evening or night just past. |
| breakout noun | An escape from prison. | |
| certify verb | /ˈsɜː.tɪ.faɪ/ | To attest to (a fact) as the truth. |
| classmate noun | /ˈklæs.meɪt/ | A student who is in the same class at school. |
| conundrum noun | /kəˈnʌn.dɹəm/ | A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer. |
| disorient verb | /dɪsˈɔːɹi.ənt/ | To cause to lose orientation or direction. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| break up verb | To break or separate into pieces. | |
| come back verb | To return to a place. | |
| get out verb | To leave or escape. | |
| get together verb | To meet, to gather together, to congregate. | |
| go around verb | To move or spread from person to person. | |
| wind up verb | /waɪnd ˈʌp/ | To wind (rope, string, mainsprings, etc.) completely. |
| work through verb | To get past a difficult or stressful situation by thinking or talking about it. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What's going to happen three months from now?
- That's probably what bothered me the most.
- It was like, let's keep moving on.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was made · was released · was certified |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | It's been · have just announced · have never given |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who claims · somebody who might · days, which has |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 25 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, wasn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thumb /ˈθʌm/, authentic /ɔˈθɛn.tɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: windshield /wɪnˈʃiːld/, whiplash /ˈwɪpˌlæʃ/, concussion /kəŋkˈəʃɪn/, frustration /fɹʌsˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/, accomplish /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: disorient /dɪsˈɔːɹi.ənt/, meteoric /ˌmiːtiˈɒɹɪk/, unstoppable /ʌnˈstɔ.pə.bəl/, disagreement /dɪsəˈɡɹiːmənt/, undoubtedly /ʌnˈdaʊtɪdli/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like bind, vocalist, windshield.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.