Stryper
is a Christian metal band from Orange County, California, USA. Formed in 1983, they are pioneers in the mainstream popularization of Christian metal music. [1] Stryper enjoyed great success during the mid-late 1980s, with one Platinum and two Gold records,
The name "Stryper" derives from the King James Version of Isaiah 53:5:
''"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."'' [2]
The scriptural reference is also part of Stryper's logo on most of their releases. (They also incorporate stripes into most of their outfits and their logo.) Once the band embraced the name of Stryper, drummer Robert Sweet created a backronym which is:
S
alvation
T
hrough
R
edemption,
Y
ielding
P
eace,
E
ncouragement, and
R
ighteousness. [3]
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STRYPER TICKETS
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History
Foundation and mainstream success
The Sweet brothers became
Christians in 1975, but began to walk away from the Christian faith. Playing in a band called Parliament and Kirkadelic, which received critical acclaim from the southern California rock community, causing lead singer Clayton Kirk to quit the band. The Sweet brothers rededicated their lives to Christ after their friend
Kenny Metcalf, who later became the original keyboardist for Stryper and is currently keyboardist of , witnessed to them about Christ.
"During rehearsals a friend of the Regime kept stopping by to witness about the glory of dedicating their music to God. A year later the rockers dropped to their knees for a prayer session that changed their lives." - People magazine 1986
"I think you already know the story about our buddy, Ken Metcalf, came and told us we needed to change our lives. That’s what happened." - Michael Sweet as quoted in Heaven’s Metal Magazine in 1991.
Inspired by bands such as
Van Halen, but distressed by their message, they sought to form a band that would extol their worldview and beliefs.
Stryper was originally known as
Roxx Regime
and comprised brothers
Michael Sweet on lead vocals and guitar and
Robert Sweet on drums as well as
Oz Fox on lead guitar.
The name "Stryper" was adopted when bassist
Tim Gaines joined the band. The name "Stryper" first came because when they were recording, Robert came up with the name "Stryper" after a passage in Isaiah “with his stripes we are healed” and it also rhymed with hyper. Shortly afterward, they released the
EP The Yellow and Black Attack
on July 21, 1984. During this period, Stryper opened for bands like
Ratt and
Bon Jovi, leading some fans and critics to claim that they were not a true Christian band. Stryper's first full-length album,
Soldiers Under Command
released on May 15, 1985, was the band's first
gold record, selling more than half a million copies. Capitalizing on this unexpected success and in an attempt to make up for the EP's extremely limited release (less than 20,000 copies), their record label,
Enigma, re-released
The Yellow and Black Attack
on August 10, 1986 with two new tracks and new cover artwork.
Stryper's third album,
To Hell with the Devil
, was released on October 24, 1986 and went platinum after spending three months on
Billboard's album charts,
[5] eventually selling more than 2 million copies. In addition to being Stryper's most successful record, it was both the first
contemporary Christian music and
Christian metal album to achieve this feat.
"Calling on You", "Free" and "Honestly" were hugely popular
MTV hits in 1987--so much so, that "Free" and "Honestly" both became most-requested songs on MTV. They were also the first Christian band to get any airplay on MTV.
[6] "Honestly" is Stryper's best-known song, peaking at #23 on the
Top 40 charts.
The album achieved a
Grammy Award nomination.
Bassist Tim Gaines did not participate in the recording of this album, and for a period of time prior to the release of the record he was replaced by another bass player, Matt Hurich. Hurich wasn't with the band more than a month, although he was outfitted with a Yellow & Black striped bass and a Racing Costume that was later handed down to Tim Gaines, who didn't wear it often because it was too small. Brad Cobb played bass on the album.
However, when the promotional photos for the album were being shot, Gaines decided to return to the band and participated in its successful world tour. In 1987 the band headlined the
Dynamo Open Air Festival in the
Netherlands.
There is one
To Hell with the Devil
promotional photo of the band with Matt Hurich is that seen on some websites.
Prior to his time in Stryper, Matt was in the band
Leatherwolf. In 1989 he performed with the group Divine Right who featured Kevin Brandow (Petra) on lead vocals and guitar.
Their next album,
In God We Trust
, released on June 28, 1988, also went gold, and the song "Always There for You" briefly entered the lower levels of the pop charts peaking at #71 though it was another massive hit on MTV. However, the sound of the album was more
pop-oriented than previous releases
and a number of critics, as well as Stryper fans, criticized the songs as being too commercial and over-produced. In addition, the image of the band was moving even closer to the
glam metal look of the era, giving fans something else to criticize. These factors led to lower sales, and the album spent only 5 weeks charting on Billboard.
. The second single & video "I Believe in You" peaked at #88 and a third single "Keep the Fire Bburning" failed to chart at all. As with the previous album, Tim Gaines did not participate in the recording of
In God We Trust
and Brad Cobb once again played bass, but later Tim Gaines rejoined the group for another world tour.
In God We Trust
also garnered two
GMA Dove Awards, for "Hard Music Album" and "Hard Music Song" for the title track.
[7]
Decline
On August 21, 1990, Stryper released the controversial album
Against the Law
, which drastically changed the band's image and lyrical message.
While their earlier albums all had yellow and black colors in the covers and the lyrics spoke of God and
salvation,
Against the Law
featured the band with black leather clothes and with no mention of the word "
God" in the lyrics at all.
The band's musical sound was also heavier, closer to
classic metal.
Drummer Robert Sweet said that the change of image and sound was in response to the criticism of the previous album and an attempt to leave behind their
glam metal image. But the band's original fan base claimed that they were not being true to their roots, and the album sold poorly. Part of that were some rumors in the press (both mainstream and Christian) that Stryper was not only playing music which was becoming more mainstream, but also becoming less committed as Christians and caught up too much into the "Rock and Roll" lifestyle.
Fans would wonder why they covered the 1975
Earth Wind & Fire's #1 hit "
Shining Star." The video for it would not be a hit on MTV (the first Stryper video that wasn't). Two other videos followed for "Two Time Woman" and "Lady" which generated minimal airplay. However, many critics still considered the album to be Stryper's best musical production to date.
On July 20, 1991, after being signed to
Hollywood Records, Stryper released a greatest hits collection called
Can't Stop the Rock
, which featured two new songs. One of which was the Gulf War inspired "Believe."
The band continued to tour until February 1992, when
frontman Michael Sweet departed the band citing artistic differences and to pursue a solo career.
Stryper continued as a trio for several European dates, with
Oz Fox doing lead vocals. Sometime during this period while touring with the Christian band
Bride, Dale Thompson would fill in at vocals. It was during one of the concerts that Robert Sweet unexpectedly announced that Bride's frontman Dale Thompson was going to be their new lead singer. This, however, was later denied by Thompson. Upon returning to the United States, the remaining members decided to go their separate ways.
Oz Fox and Tim Gaines formed their own band,
Sindizzy, and released the album
He's Not Dead
in 1998. During the 1990s, Michael Sweet released four solo albums which performed well in the
Christian music market. Drummer Robert Sweet played in several bands, among them
Blissed, who released an album in 2002.
Other bands include
King James, dbeality, Final Axe, and The Seventh Power.
Reunion
The former members of Stryper first reunited in 1999, when
Michael Sweet and
Sindizzy were invited to play at a summer
rock festival in
Puerto Rico. As an
encore, Sweet joined
Oz Fox and
Tim Gaines on stage and played several Stryper songs. Later, in 2000, the first "Stryper Expo" was held in
New Jersey, and for the first time in 8 years the complete line-up of Stryper took the stage. That same year, a concert was held in
Costa Rica at which the four members played together. A second "Stryper Expo" took place in
Los Angeles in 2001..
[8]
Hollywood Records asked the former members of Stryper to record tracks for a new
greatest hits compilation in 2003
7: The Best of Stryper
which also had 2 new songs, "Something" and "For You". A tour followed in support. The band played 36 shows in the United States and finished the tour in
San Juan, Puerto Rico. A live album, titled
7 Weeks: Live in America, 2003
, was released the following year, and the concert in
Puerto Rico was filmed for a live
DVD produced and directed by
Jack Edward Sawyers. However, that show in Puerto Rico proved to be the last for the original line-up of Stryper. Gaines left the band in 2004 before they were slated to play
Disney's
Night of Joy in Orlando. Michael's bassist on his previous solo tours,
Tracy Ferrie, replaced him.
After the "Night of Joy" show and with new found energy, Stryper decided to go back into the studio to record a new CD,
Reborn
and another tour followed in the fall of 2004.
During their reunion, controversy continued to follow the band. In December 2004, Stryper was scheduled to play in
Mexico City at the
Palacio de los Deportes. The band cancelled the show, which led to a major disagreement between the band and the
promoter. Stryper and their management claimed the promoter was too inexperienced to stage an event of this magnitude, but a group of well-known Christian rock bands, including
Saviour Machine,
Narnia and
Mortification, sided with the promoter. The promoter demanded that Stryper return all the money they had received related to their appearance, but the band refused. Later, Stryper began selling items on their website in part to refund this promoter.[add citation]
Stryper's next album,
Reborn
, was released on August 16, 2005, and was the band's first recording of original material in 15 years. The new album received a positive response from fans and critics, some of whom labeled
Reborn
as one of the best albums of that year
[9]. With a more modern sound incorporating aspects of
alternative rock and
grunge, along with fewer guitar solos, the new record updates their style while keeping the Stryper identity, though a few songs do have a familiar sound to Michael's solo recordings. In fact, he had originally written the album with the intent of releasing it as a solo project.
[10] The lyrics also have returned to the band's familiar themes of God and salvation.
In 2006, the band released the DVD
Greatest Hits: Live in Puerto Rico
with
Music Video Distributors.
In November 2006, Stryper announced new management. They also announced a follow-up to
Reborn
tentatively due in Spring/Summer 2007. However, that February saw lead singer Michael Sweet postponing the release of the new album two days before its recording was to begin. Sweet's wife Kyle had been diagnosed with
stage four ovarian cancer, and the new album was put on hold so that he could care for his family and ailing wife. She underwent
surgery and treatment from February 14 to July 14, eventually resulting in her complete, although brief, recovery and restored health. In April 2008, Kyle announced that her cancer had returned as of October 2007. The new album was in the mixing stage as of January 2008, and Sweet said that it should be released in July or August.
[11].
On March 5th, 2009, Michael Sweet's wife, Kyle, died from cancer.
[12].
Murder by Pride was released on July 21st, 2009; with the lead single "Peace of Mind" preceding it.
In addition to still playing in Stryper and giving private guitar lessons at Groovin On Music in
Pasadena, CA, Oz Fox is also one of the guitarists in the Christian metal band
Bloodgood, who was also a frontrunner in the early 80's Christian metal scene.
Since late 2008, Tim Gaines has played bass in concert with
Tourniquet. The band has since added the song "To Hell With The Devil" to their set list to highlight Tim's involvement. Recently, Oz Fox joined
Tourniquet on stage in Germany to perform the same song.
Style
below =
Problems listening to this file? See media help.
During 1980s, Stryper represented the popular glam metal style for the time which is characterized by highly visual performances, twin guitar solos, Michael Sweet's high-pitched, multi-octave screams and
. A trademark of the band's stage act was drummer Robert Sweet's practice of turning his enormous drum kit sideways to the audience so that the crowd could see him playing. This is why Robert was more often called a "visual timekeeper" rather than a drummer.
A characteristic element of the band was that all their outfits, sets, and instruments were painted in yellow and black stripes. The number of the stripes represented in various stage props and costumes increased during the show, leading up to
, when drummer Robert Sweet would also have his drums painted in yellow and black. The band would explain the symbolism of the stripes: a direct reference to the whiplash scourges given by
53:5.
Apart from its ubiquitous yellow and black stripes, Stryper had other distinctive trademarks. During concerts, Stryper threw
with the band's logo stickers affixed to them. As a protest against "
" symbols popular among many heavy metal fans of the era, Robert Sweet promoted an alternative numerological symbol; Stryper's trademark use of the "777" symbol subsequently became quite popular among Christian metalheads. Although the number "777" is not actually referenced by the Bible (as opposed to 666, which is famously mentioned in
" is traditionally (in Christian symbolism) associated with divine perfection. Some of the band's stage sets included the crossed out symbols of "devil" and "666".
Stryper is recognized as the first openly Christian heavy metal band to gain recognition in the mainstream music world.
" is often ranked among the greatest ballads of the 1980s. Their message of salvation has also made them popular with some elements of the media.
However, Stryper has not been free of controversy. Many Christian critics did not approve of the group's association with the heavy metal subculture, which has often been associated with
imagery.
Other Christian detractors viewed the band's flashy costumes as incongruous with the modesty in dress often associated with sincere practitioners of devout Christianity.
was a particularly prominent critic, likening Stryper's practice of distributing the
".
magazine reported that the band had become disillusioned with Christian music.
being banned from many Christian bookstores. The Benson Company, Stryper's sole tie to the Christian market, dropped this album from distribution.
Swaggart's condemnation may not have been a surprise, however, as Stryper was supported by the rival
and it is estimated that two-thirds of their albums were bought by non-Christians.
in his book as one of the landmarks of the glam metal movement.
refers to Stryper as being a Christian glam band in Vol. 4