Exclusive Interview with Michael Sweet of Stryper | “We Don’t Fit Into Any Club”

(By Eric “Core” Balbi and Gustavo R. Rosciano)

In the last few days, it was confirmed what had been rumored about a possible third visit of Stryper to Argentina. The date will be July 25th in “Arena Sur”, Buenos Aires, but they will also be visiting Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, country where they will share the stage with Narnia and Bride. For this reason, we thought it was the best time to ask Michael Sweet, Stryper’s leader and vocalist, a few questions. Getting the note was not as difficult as we thought, but what stands out the most are Sweet’s politically correct answers, like when we asked him about Dave Mustaine, on whom he unloaded the decision to do something together and left it up to the red head! Between the lines, we can also deduce what is to come for Stryper once this 40th anniversary celebration is over.

I imagine that this tour celebrating the 40th anniversary must mean a lot of things for you and the band, what can you tell us about it and what feelings does it give you to think that more than half of your life you have been linked to Stryper?

“It is incredible to be celebrating 40+ years. When I left the band in 1992 I never imagine that we would ever celebrate 40+ years. But here we are doing so and it feels amazing. And it also feels great to be releasing new music as well as performing the classic music. We’re very blessed and fortunate that we still get to do what we love to do.”

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the beginnings of Stryper? What anecdotes from those early days can you tell us?

“We were so young and innocent and just wanted to play music and create music. We didn’t care about anything else. As you get older, though you realize that you have to care to some degree about the business side of things and investing in your future. We’ve learned a lot over the years, but we still love music and we do it for the music.”

I always remember that, especially in the ’80s, the Heavy Metal scene criticized them for the Christian message in their lyrics, and also, a certain sector of conservative Christianity criticized them for being a Christian band doing Heavy Metal. Now how is it more normal, but in those times how did they manage to hold their own with so many people against Stryper’s proposal?

“We still get criticism from both sides. That will never change. We don’t really fit into any club and we never have tried to. We do our own thing our own way. And it works for us. Somehow, and miraculously, we’ve been able to reach many people and build an incredible fan base worldwide. People stand by us and with us, and it is always a blessing to see.”

The year 2024 saw the release of When We Were Kings, what can you tell us about the idea and concept of this new album? What differences are there with respect to the band’s previous works?

“We always reminisce about the past and talk about the glory days in the best of ways. I thought it would be great to write a song about that. And that’s all that this particular song and the title of the album is about. When We Were Kings. When we were on top of the world selling out arenas and touring every corner of the Earth. It was an amazing time. We are still doing these things, but it’s just a different era as we have obviously grown Much older.”

Lately it has become usual for bands to do a tour remembering a classic album, which they play in its entirety. Having that in mind and that next year is the 40th anniversary of a fundamental album for Stryper like “To Hell With TheDevil”, is there any chance that you will do something like this next year?

“We talk about it and if we were to do so we would most likely do it with an album like Soldiers Under Command. We actually are celebrating the 40 year anniversary of soldier and a command this year so we may very well do that. We did something similar with To Hell with the Devil as we were celebrating that album back in 2016 when we were celebrating it’s 30th anniversary. So who knows, we may do something like this and it would be a lot of fun to do for sure.”

While I know that their first albums were re-released in Japan not too long ago, are there any plans for a re-release of those first albums, maybe in deluxe or box set editions, to honor all that they mean to the band and to the fans?

“We are definitely planning on releasing those early albums with remastering and possibly adding a song to each album. Doing something really different and unique. But we definitely have plans to do something at some point soon in the future. We’re just trying to figure out all the legalities and do it the right way.”

Since we are in an announcement of a new Latin American tour, I read that your second home is Puerto Rico, for those who don’t know, why?

“I always refer to Puerto Rico as our second home because we have been there so much. And we are still very popular there and played to good size crowds and we are so happy about that and am very blessed to be able to experience that. Puerto Rico has a special place in our hearts for sure.”

The media is from Argentina, so I ask about your next visit to Argentina, what is your feeling about coming back to the country? What do you remember from previous visits?

“I remember last time I was in Argentina how impressed I was with the people in their passion and the food. I am a food connoisseur, so it was amazing to eat such incredible food. But the people at the show was amazing and I’ll never forget their energy and passion. We love Argentina and we cannot wait to come back.”

In 2023 in the podcast Scars & Guitars from Australia you confirmed that you talked with Dave Mustaine about making music together, what has that idea been? Are there conversations with other musicians or singers to do something in the future?

“It was only talk. It is something that I would love to do, but I doubt that Dave would ever consider doing such a thing because it is probably beneath him. But that being said, whether it ever happens or not, we would make incredible music together. But that remains to be seen.”

For who thinks that Stryper is just a religious band, what can you answer to that? and following that reasoning and beyond religion itself, what does God mean to you?

“We don’t like the term religion. We like the term Christian, but not religion. I feel that religion confuses people quite often. We just tried to deliver the message of Christ and do so with the love of Christ. We do our best and we want to inspire and encourage people along the way”

Planned, careful and politically correct. That’s how Michael Sweet sounds in an interview. Quite logical if we take into account that the band is in the middle of promoting “When We Were Kings”, which will take them to this Latin American tour between July and August 2025. One more opportunity to see the “kings” of White Metal, if I may use the term, playing live, which is not a minor issue when it comes to Stryper, a living legend of ’80s Heavy Metal. We leave here how the tour is coming, dates and venue…here you go!

05/06 Sweden Rock Festival 2025 @ 12:00 PM Sölvesborg, Sweden

06/27 Rock Imperium Festival 2025 @ 4:00 PM Cartagena, Spain

06/29 Rock Fest Barcelona 2025 @ 4:00 PM Barcelona, Spain

07/11 Escenario GNP Seguros @ 9:30 PM Monterrey, Mexico

07/12 Auditorio BB @ 8:00 PM Mexico City, Mexico

07/13 C4 Concert House @ 9:00 PM Zapopan, Mexico

07/16 Pepper Disco Club @ 8:00 PM Zapote, Costa Rica

07/17 Astor Plaza @ 8:00 PM Bogotá, Colombia

07/20 Centro de Convenciones Teatro Leguia @ 8:00 PM Cercado De Lima, Peru

07/22 Teatro Coliseo @ 8:00 PM Santiago, Chile

07/24 Montevideo Music Box @ 8:00 PM Montevideo, Uruguay

07/25 Arena Sur @ 6:30 PM Buenos Aires, Argentina