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STRYPER Frontman: 'God Formed This Band And Called Us To Do What We Do'

March 26, 2011

Craig Hlavaty of the Houston Press recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet of Christian hard rockers STRYPER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Houston Press: Why a covers album?

Michael Sweet: We grew up on these songs and played them all live for years way back when, before we were STRYPER. We still sound check with some covers for fun, and we added "On Fire" by VAN HALEN to our stage set in the '90s and JUDAS PRIEST's "Breaking The Law" a few years ago too. It seemed like the perfect opportunity and the right time to make a covers album. We wanted to cut loose and let the focus be on the fun and joy of the music. No thoughts, and just went in and had a blast on songs that influenced us.

Houston Press: You taught a lot of people that you could have a Christ-filled message and rock...

Michael Sweet: We grew up going to KISS and VAN HALEN shows. We didn't grow up in the church or get molded in the church like most other Christian bands. We came up in the rock scene and that is why we were a bit different in terms of delivery and approach and how we sound. We were called to go out in the world and into the bars, where other Christian bands aren't comfortable going.

Houston Press: For a lot of Christian kids you were the first exposure to heavy metal.

Michael Sweet: We were in the right place at the right time and it was all about timing with us. When we rededicated our lives to Christ, we were one of the first bands to come out like us. Prior to us you had PETRA and others, but none were as edgy or packaged quite like us. God formed this band and called us to do what we do. Because of that so many doors were open and so much history was made.

Read the entire interview from Houston Press.

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