STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET: 'I've Always Been A Rebel, And I'll Always Be A Rebel'

In a new interview with Bringin' it Backwards, Michael Sweet of openly Christian rockers STRYPER was asked what piece of advice he would give to young artists looking to make it in the music business. He responded (see video below): "My advice is always to tell artists, and sometimes this gets me in trouble, 'cause it gets them in trouble, but to tell artists to be themselves. Follow your dreams, follow your heart, not what someone else tells you your dreams and your heart should be. Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't take direction, but you need to really stick to your guns on what you feel convicted about and what you feel led to do, musically speaking, because you know you better than anybody else. So that's something that I live by, and I've always stuck to my guns. I've said 'no' to labels before, 'cause they wanted me to do something that wasn't me, and I said, 'Sorry. I've gotta pass.' And that's a tough decision to make, but one you have to make sometimes. So just really stay true to who you are."

Sweet credited his fierce determination with pushing him and his bandmates to make a place for themselves in the music world.

"I've always been a rebel, and I'll always be a rebel," he said. "If 10 people are going that way [points in one direction], I'm going that way [points in opposite direction]. It's how I'm built. And that applies to my style, my music — everything that I do. I like to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing."

Sweet recently announced his fifth annual Christmas concert and new partnership with VenueNet, a brand new premier social platform for concert live streaming. This fully interactive concert experience brings the spirit of Christmas and the music you love right to your laptop or mobile device. Michael's Christmas show has been a success for years in the Massachusetts area but now fans across the globe will have an opportunity like never before to be a part of this yearly celebration. Featuring original music and Christmas classics (with a twist) this once-in-a-lifetime experience is an opportunity for fans to see Michael like never before as he streams directly from the newly opened state of the art Bank Of New Hampshire Stage in Concord, New Hampshire on Saturday, December 19.

STRYPER's latest album, "Even The Devil Believes", was released in September via Frontiers Music Srl.

Most of the recording sessions for STRYPER's new LP took place at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts with engineer Danny Bernini.

Formed 37 years ago, STRYPER is the first overtly Christian metal band to go mainstream. The group's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen" and "God Damn Evil".