STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET On Songwriting Process: 'I Pray When I'm Writing, But I Could Always Pray More'

In a new interview with Rock Your Faith Out, Michael Sweet of Christian rockers STRYPER was asked how he goes about injecting his faith into the music and whether he and his bandmates "go to contemplative prayer" to help them get inspired during the creative process. Sweet responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, of course I pray when I'm writing, but I could always pray more. I'm one of those guys where I'm so hyper-focused and I get so distracted due to my ADHD, which I've talked about many times over the years, that sometimes I forget to pray. And that's not a good quality. But yes, of course. Everything lyrically is biblically based."

Michael continued: "That's the thing I think a lot of people misinterpret or they confuse, is the writing process. I think people have this way of thinking that we always all wrote as a band. And I always get flack for it when I say I'm writing the new album. And people are, like — not all, but some people will come out and say, 'Oh my gosh. Why don't you do it like the old days and all you guys get in the room together and write the album?' And I'm, like, 'That never happened. That's not how it was.' It just isn't how it was. And the reality is most of the time I was in a corner of the studio while Oz [Fox, STRYPER guitarist] was rehearsing or varnishing something and Robert [Sweet, STRYPER drummer] was taping something, I was in the corner writing songs. And I was kind of always the music guy, Rob was always the visual guy, and that's just how it's always been. So that's how it continues to be. It works. There's a certain structure and format to that. And everyone seems happy with it — the band and the fans. So we just keep doing what we — don't fix what ain't broken, that old thing. Why try to do that? It just works. And the label's happy."

Sweet added: "We had a meeting with the label. I said, 'What do you guys want us to do on the next album? Let me hear it. What do you want?' And they're, like, 'What you did on the last album. We love it.' I'm, like, 'Okay, we can do that.' So everyone seems happy and pleased with how things are going."

Michael went on to say that he is writing the next STRYPER album now. "I always try to do something a little different without reinventing the wheel," he explained. "I always try to stretch out a little bit and try some little different flavors here and there, or spices or what have you. And I'm doing that. I will do that. But, yeah, it's gonna be a STRYPER album, and hopefully it's gonna be our best album. We always shoot for that. And we'll record it in January and February, finish it in March, turn it in in April, and it'll come out next year."

STRYPER will release its long-awaited Christmas album, "The Greatest Gift Of All", on November 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The 10-song effort will include five original Christmas tracks and five traditional Christmas cuts, including remakes of "Reason For The Season" and "Winter Wonderland", both of which originally appeared on a 1985 single and were also made available on the 1986 re-release of STRYPER's debut EP, "The Yellow And Black Attack".

This past July, STRYPER released the first single from the upcoming Christmas LP, a song called "Still The Light". Just in time for Christmas in July, the track also arrived alongside an official lyric video.

STRYPER guitarist Oz Fox recently sat out the band's Latin American tour on advice of his doctor. The 64-year-old musician, who underwent a brain surgery in May 2024, was once again temporarily replaced by Howie Simon (JEFF SCOTT SOTO, GRAHAM BONNET),who previously filled in for Fox on several tours in the past.

STRYPER's latest studio album, "When We Were Kings", came out in September 2024.

The band recently completed the U.S. leg of its 40th-anniversary tour, which was described as "a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production."

In December 2023, Michael underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.

Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER'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 other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".