Stryper: The classic rock and metal veterans declare God Damn Evil

Thursday 19th April 2018

Tony Cummings spoke to STRYPER frontman, Michael Sweet, about the band's heaviest album for years



Continued from page 1

Michael: We are! We're touring throughout the US and quite a few dates overseas. We have a couple in Spain, Italy, Japan, South America and Puerto Rico. Europe is still being worked on but we should have a European tour.

Tony: Has Perry Richardson brought in something fresh to Stryper?

Michael: He really has. I don't think we thought about it until we experienced it. What Perry Richardson has brought to the band is just a lot of joy and peace, he's such a good guy. When you hear him playing and singing it's just the icing on the cake, he's really talented. We're really excited, it almost feels like we're back in the early days again.

Tony: Critics are saying you've managed to make a record which seems to be referencing a bit of your roots and yet is downright contemporary.

Michael: We tried hard to combine the two which is an art in and of itself. You can't just snap your fingers and do that. We've been blessed that we're able to figure out how to combine the old, which is what the fans want, without sounding too dated. Trying to sound contemporary with the sound and relevant is difficult but we've been figuring it out slowly but surely.

Tony: You've had so much criticism thrown at you through the years, quite a bit from the Church.

Michael: We get a lot of it still, believe it or not, I think as much as we always did. Stryper isn't the norm and we're not going to try to be. From our sound, our approach, our delivery, we just don't fit with any clubs or groups. We need more light in this world because there's a lot of darkness in it, there really is, and somebody's got to shine the light and we're one of those bands that's doing that. There are some other bands that are doing the same thing, even celebrities. It's important to influence, inspire and encourage people because there's too much negativity in this world.

Tony: Parts of the Church have long been denouncing many metal bands for singing ungodly and sometimes even Satanic songs. But it seems to me a lot of their occult-style songs and image is just an act. They might be singing some awful stuff, but they're not Satanists.

Michael: You're right. And it's interesting because maybe when they were young it was true but now they're older and they're faced with their mortality maybe they're thinking twice about things. A lot of these guys go to church and have kids and they're family men and they're retired. The bands that people thought would be around forever are retiring and the bands that go on, like Stryper, we're still rolling full steam ahead!

Tony: I saw in the press release about the band that you called those years in the '90s a 'sabbatical'. I think that's a good enough word. During that time when you were at the Meltdown event in 1993, did you ever think in the back of your mind that one day you'd be back and doing all this again?

Michael: Never. I thought in the '90s through to around 2001 that Stryper would never ever reform, that it was over, there was no chance, as The Eagles say 'when Hell freezes over'. Then low and behold we started talking, we went out and did a tour in 2003 which has opened the door to where we are now. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
About Tony Cummings
Tony CummingsTony Cummings is the music editor for Cross Rhythms website and attends Grace Church in Stoke-on-Trent.


 
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