The impact of Christian heavy metal band Stryper on the music industry cannot be overstated. They were one of the first bands to merge heavy metal with Christian lyrics, paving the way for other bands such as POD, Skillet, and Flyleaf. Stryper’s music has inspired generations of Christians to embrace their faith while enjoying music with a message of hope, redemption, and salvation that continues to resonate with fans worldwide.
Lead singer and guitarist Michael Sweet joined Robbo and Becci on Rise and Shine to talk about their upcoming The Final Battle Australian and New Zealand tour beginning 2 March 2023 at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane.
Stryper are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. They have released their latest album, The Final Battle, which is receiving rave reviews worldwide.
Condemned as Devil Worshippers
It wasn’t always smooth sailing. Many church leaders condemned their style of music back in the 80s when the band first started out, even though they were throwing Bibles out to the crowd.
‘We went through a lot and still do, mainly due to the fact that we look different,’ said Michael. ‘We present the gospel in a different fashion, but it’s still the gospel. In 1984, they weren’t ready for that. We had not only the church and the music industry coming against us but the guy that brought us to the Lord coming against us, which was Jimmy Swaggart.’
Jimmy Swaggart was an American Pentecostal televangelist who also recorded gospel music. Michael recalls coming to the Lord while watching Jimmy Swaggart on television.
‘We started watching Jimmy, and we were moved by him. We loved his music and his voice. He sounded kind of like Elvis Presley. We were drawn to him and accepted the Lord right there in front of the television and started going to church,’ said Michael. ‘This is back when I was 12 years old. Fast forward to when we formed Stryper when I was twenty. By the time I was 21, Jimmy was holding up our albums at his Crusades, telling people we were of the devil and wolves in sheep’s clothing and not to support us.’
Jimmy Swaggart’s people would attend Stryper’s shows with bullhorns to protest against them. Stryper responded by meeting with the people who were protesting against them to try to speak with them and share their side of the story.
‘This was all based on judging the book by its cover,’ said Michael. ‘And nine times out of ten, once we would meet with them, they’d have a change of heart. But, you know, what happened was that subconsciously by 1990, we were resentful and had kind of rebelled against the church. And that came out in our music and our lyrics and our attitudes. And it was a bit of a downfall for the band. So I don’t think we saw that coming. To be honest, I think it just kind of crept in and then hit us over the head like a baseball bat.’
$2 Million in Debt
‘We were humbled beyond measure. The band had never incorporated. We were a partnership, so we accrued over $2 million in debt, and we wound up as individuals filing bankruptcy. So that was a real humbling experience,’ said Michael. ‘Through those times, from 1990 to 1992, our marriages were suffering, and our relationships with friends and family were suffering. So, I left the band in 1992 because I had had enough. I felt the only way to make this right was to do away with the wrong and get out of the band and take that off my priority list, and put things that should be a priority at the top of the list, which was obviously my relationship with God, and my relationship with my family.’
Michael quit music for a while and became a family man. When Michael got back into music, he was a changed man with a renewed passion to continue sharing the gospel through music. The band have a new bass player, Perry Richardson, who used to play for the band Firehouse.
Stryper received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group. They have won multiple Dove Awards over the years and sold millions of copies after numerous of their albums went gold or platinum.
Stryper will be touring Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and then across to Auckland, NZ.
Click the link for more information about Stryper.
This article was inspired by Michael’s interview with Robbo and Becci. To listen to the full interview, click the link below:
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Images from Stryper website.
