STRYPER Frontman Talks Touring With T&N, Upcoming Autobiography

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

Sleaze Roxx: A few weeks back, the news leaked on the Internet prematurely that you'd be touring with Jeff Pilson and George Lynch's new project T&N this year. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got involved with that?

Michael Sweet: Yeah, it's George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown — it's the original DOKKEN guys minus Don Dokken. They asked me to do it. They were going to go out last year that didn't work out so they are planning to go out this year. Right now the plan is to begin rehearsals in September and go out in October. Things can change but that's what we're looking at right now. I did have a conversation with George, and then another with Jeff, about it and it's a "go." I think this is a good fit, they are a melodic hard rock band and those are my roots too, it's what I cut my teeth on. They are great guys and I hope they feel the same. We have a good relationship and we like each other. It's an exciting time to represent these songs, not only the DOKKEN songs but the T&N songs. The way I understand it, Jeff will sing all the T&N songs and I will be singing most to all of the DOKKEN songs.

Sleaze Roxx: One of the projects that you've undertaken is a book. I don't know if that is in the can or in the working stages, can you tell us more about that?

Michael Sweet: My book is in editing right now as we speak. It's an autobiography and it's close to 40,000 words and 40 chapters. There's also a foreword and a conclusion. It's pretty crazy. I'm really excited about it. There's a lot of stuff that people wouldn't expect me to talk about, or expect me to talk about but might be shocked to hear about some of the stuff we went through and did. There's nothing horrific, like, no, I didn't die three times on heroin, no, I didn't sleep with 100,000 women! I always get a kick out of some of these autobiographies; don't believe every word you read! [laughs] There are so many autobiographies that are over embellished and stretched out beyond belief or imagination. I didn't do that in this book. Like it, hate it, call it boring — it's my life.

Sleaze Roxx: Did Dave Mustaine of MEGADETH write the foreword for the book or was it just a blurb on the book?

Michael Sweet: I think what you read was a lengthy quote from Dave. I also have quotes from Jeordie White (Twiggy Ramirez) of from MARILYN MANSON. I talk about a lot of stuff in the book, like being arrested multiple times as a kid to being in Boston to losing my wife to remarrying — there's a lot of stuff in there, man. I also have a new record to come out with it as well. Like I mentioned, STRYPER is working on a new album of all original material. We'll be doing a live album where we'll be recording our rehearsals in front of a live audience — that will be in November. Then I'll be starting a new project next year. I can't say with who, but I'm going to record and produce a new record with three all-star musicians. There's just a ton of stuff going on right now.

Read the entire interview from Sleaze Roxx.