SKILLET's JOHN COOPER Is Still 'Proud To Be A Jesus Freak'

In a new interview with CCM Magazine, John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock group SKILLET, spoke about how the band's music — which has a uniquely Christian message — was able to reach a plethora of people outside of the faith-based realm. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I think when somebody says, 'What would you say is the reason you've been able to do it?' I usually just say, especially if who I'm talking to is not necessarily a person of faith and they don't understand providence, and I just say, 'Look, I do think we were very authentic. We've always been authentic. We've always been very open about who we are.'

"I made the decision, when we were making that crossover, going into interviews… I knew there was going to be some people that were, like, not down with the Jesus stuff," John explained. "And I just made the decision on the front end, because there had been a few bands that have crossed over, and they ought to do what they believe is right. And I'm not being critical towards them by any means, but as a Christian music fan, I know what I want to see a Christian artist say in that interview. And so I just decided, if they say, 'Are you a Christian band?' I'd [say], 'Absolutely. [I am] proud to be a Jesus freak.' It's like on the front end. It's sort of like you're smacking the bully. If somebody makes fun of you on that first day of school, you gotta make fun of their mama so bad so that they never make fun of you again. You gotta smack the bully.

"When we just started, I remember going into one of my first interviews. Our song 'Monster' was beginning to hit at radio. And we sat down, and I was so thankful that they interviewed [me]. And [the interviewer] said, 'Okay, now some people are saying you guys are, like, Christians or something. That can't be true, right?' And I said, 'Oh, absolutely. We're Christians. Being a Christian is so much more important to me than being a rock star. I play music to express my love for God.' And [his] jaw dropped."

Circling back to SKILLET's crossover appeal, John added: "I think it's that authenticity, and I do think that at the time there wasn't as much of a... I used to always say I think that people would like SKILLET if they just could hear it, and we don't know how to get to those fans. And I don't really know if they really care if you're Christian, atheist, Buddhist. I'm not sure they care. I think they just wanted to hear some rock music. And I think they connected with the songs. And we meet people every show. They're, like, 'I'm not really into the Jesus stuff, but your music makes me feel good.' Sometimes we meet people that say, 'I wasn't into the Jesus stuff, but your music brought me to God. Your music got me into rehab, and in rehab I met Jesus and my life changed.' But it's all that stuff. That's all providence of God stuff."

SKILLET will release a new independent six-song EP, "After The Storm", on October 9.

The band now averages more than 12 million monthly Spotify listeners, while its six-times-platinum anthem "Monster" has surpassed five billion global streams and earned a place in Spotify's Billions Club,

Earlier this year, SKILLET's European headline tour drew the largest international crowds in the band's history, including record-breaking ticket sales at Zénith in Paris.

Produced by David Cowell (SLEEP THEORY) and the band's own Korey Cooper, "After The Storm" marks both a return to SKILLET's heavier musical roots and one of its most personal creative statements to date. Inspired by seasons of betrayal, grief, perseverance, and ultimately hope, the EP finds John Cooper writing from one of the most vulnerable places of his career.

SKILLET will support "After The Storm" with a nationwide U.S. Live Nation headline tour beginning this October.

With more than 23 million albums sold, two Grammy Award nominations, a Billboard Music Award, three Top 5 Billboard 200 debuts, and music featured by the NFL, WWE, ESPN, Marvel and countless film and television productions, SKILLET continues to expand its reach across generations.