STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET: 'As Long As You're Performing Live And Using' Backing 'Tracks Sparingly, It's Totally Fine'

STRYPER's Michael Sweet has once again weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

Sweet addressed rock bands who use pre-recorded tracks in a social media post earlier today (Tuesday, July 2). He wrote: "It's a bit odd when bands speak out against tracks when they actually use tracks isn't it?

"The truth is many bands use tracks. Even if you think they don't. Most musicians can hear when tracks are being used verses when they're not. What's really odd is when some people say adamantly that it's live when tracks are actually running.

"We've always used some tracks," he continued. "I've always spoken about that and been pretty transparent about it. We also don't rely on tracks. We can still play if our computer goes down or gets lost. We certainly wouldn't cancel any shows based on that. We have 2 guitar players in the band and we have 3 vocals going live at all times, on all songs. We only use tracks (very limited) for certain songs. Songs like Yahweh, Honestly and so on. Songs that have huge production with choir like choruses and or keys/piano. We don't typically travel with a keyboardist or a choir;-)

"QUEEN was using tracks back in the 70's to pull off songs like 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Can you imagine if they tried to perform such an epic song with just 4 guys? It probably would have sounded nothing like the recording."

Sweet added: "Regardless, it seems to be quite the controversial topic these days but I think there's a lot of miscommunication and confusion based on the subject. Some saying 'if it's not 100% live then you're talentless and a joke'. Really? Some bands have much bigger productions than other bands and I think it's perfectly acceptable and respectable to use a few tracks here and there to make the same statement live as you did in the studio. As long as you're performing live and using tracks sparingly, it's totally fine.

"To the guys out there who disrespect any band for using tracks - some of your favorite bands do! And have done so for years. That doesn't make them any less of a band. If they're miming and faking it completely (often the term 'Milli Vanilli' is used) and or didn't even play on the recordings and or can't play the parts recorded, then I get the frustration. I just think it's a dead horse that some people so often beat".

Michael previously offered his opinion on the use of backing tracks in a 2019 interview with MA Entertainment Global. At the time, he said: "I'm going to be honest — we do use some [backing] tracks on a few songs like 'Yahweh', [where] we have these big vocals to start the song and we have these big choruses that [sound] like a choir," Sweet said. "We still sing, always. We never, ever go up and lip sync and fake it. We're always singing on stage, but we do have some tracks that help us. Another song is 'God', which isn't in the set right now. We have a track on 'Honestly', because that's a piano ballad and we don't travel with a keyboard player these days. Things like that.

"I try to be open and honest, and I don't want people thinking that we're not using those if we are," Sweet continued. "I come from the school of, 'It's okay if it's done right.' In other words, if it's there to enhance what's already there, or if you've got some huge production... I'm okay with that. I'm okay when it's done right and it's limited, just to enhance certain things on certain songs. But when you have bands that go out and literally it's every song, and they're up there and they're not even singing the background vocals — because there are bands that do that. They're up there mouthing it, and then you get into the mouthing of the lead vocals on every song, and you're thinking, 'Man, there has to be a line that's drawn.' You've got to be real cautious of that, or it's not live — you're not giving people a live experience."

Even with the backing tracks, Sweet believes that STRYPER's concert performances are "live." "I would go out on a limb and say that we're in the category of one of the most live bands that you'll see now," he said. "Like I said, we've got a few tracks on a few songs just to enhance, but we're up there playing live. We're banging it out, doing it live, night after night, still in the same tuning. Will we drop back at some point? Maybe. We might have to. I know most bands — our peers — already have. They're already back a half-step; some of them, a whole step; and a few of them, a step-and-a-half. That's getting crazy to me.

"Sometimes, I go and see a band and you'll hear a song, and it's hard to even recognize [because] it's so low in tuning," he continued. "I get it. You do what you've got to do, but there comes a point in time... Let me put it this way — if STRYPER is ever tuning down a step and a half, we're done. We're going to hang it up. If it gets to a point where I can't sing these songs and I'm struggling that much and I've got to sing so much lower than the old days, I really don't want to do it anymore. Or I want to go out and just play guitar, and then we'll get a new kid who can come out and sing the songs like they're supposed to be sung. I'm not going to let my pride get in the way of that — it's not going to happen."