Michael Sweet
Encyclopedia
Michael Sweet is a singer from Whittier, California
, United States. Sweet is best known as co-founder, writer and frontman of the Christian glam metal band Stryper
. He was also one of the two lead vocalists and one of three guitarists for Boston
until August 2011.
, and at age 12 he began to sing. Sweet also learned to play the drums
, piano
and bass guitar
. His interest in Christianity
began when he attended church during his childhood.
. The band challenged the stereotype of heavy metal
being satanic and took Christian rock
into mainstream.
With the band, Sweet recorded five successful studio albums that reached gold and platinum status and won him many awards and worldwide fame. However, in the early 1990s, popular rock music was facing shifts in styles and the band's reputation declined.
, which featured several songs allegedly intended for the band. Sweet later included some of these on his first full-length album.
His self-titled debut album
was released in 1994 and sold over 250,000 copies. He followed it with a slightly softer album titled Real in 1996 earning him a Dove Award nomination. However, he left the Benson label with which he had released those two albums.
During this time, Sweet and his wife moved to Massachusetts
, where Sweet worked at his father-in-law's campground/cranberry business, Maple Park. In 1998, he released an independent demo album titled Truth
which received critical acclaim. He was signed to Restless Records
and re-released the album in 2000 with a new song-list and new artwork (see Truth
). Reviews have stated that Truth
is Sweet's best work to date!
On August 19, 2007, Sweet acted as Boston's
lead singer and guitarist in Come Together: A tribute to Brad Delp
at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA
. He joined Boston during the band's summer 2008 tour with Styx
as the opening act.
, Ontario
. Sweet handled lead vocals on roughly half of the set list, including Boston staples "More Than a Feeling," "Amanda," "Peace of Mind," and "Long Time." "Peace of Mind" was re-recorded by Stryper
and released via the iTunes Store
on June 23, 2008. Reviews of his performance have been positive. In August 2011, it was officially announced that Sweet had left the band to focus on his contributions to Stryper. It is unknown whether he will appear on the new Boston album that is planned to be released later in 2011.
. The concert featured Fox and Gaines's band, Sindizzy
. Sweet was invited as a solo artist. The three of them got together for a set of four songs. The next year, the first Stryper Expo was held in New Jersey
and the entire line-up was reunited again.
Although original bassist Tim Gaines left the group in 2005 and was replaced by Tracy Ferrie, the band has continued to work together, releasing a new album titled Reborn, produced by Michael. However, Michael has continued with his solo career as well. In August 2006, he released a solo album titled Him
which features traditional hymns re-written and arranged by Sweet.
Stryper released the album Murder by Pride
, produced by Michael in July 2009.
The death of Michael's wife, Kyle, was announced on March 5, 2009, after her two-year battle with ovarian cancer. During this time Michael released an album called Touched in honor of Kyle. It is exclusively available on his website.
In September 2009, Stryper embarked on its 25th anniversary world tour, "Rocking the Hell Out of You for 25 years" with the original members. The tour included two opening bands: a Canadian group, Manic Drive
and Flight Patterns, which includes Michael Sweet, Jr., the son of Stryper front man, Michael Sweet.
In October 2009, Michael Sweet announced on his Web site that he is engaged to a woman whose name is Lisa Champagne. The band announced on Facebook that they were married on January 8, 2010.
Stryper recently completed a new record entitled The Covering, produced by Michael, and was released on February 15, 2011.
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, United States. Sweet is best known as co-founder, writer and frontman of the Christian glam metal band Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
. He was also one of the two lead vocalists and one of three guitarists for Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
until August 2011.
Youth
He began his musical career at age five playing guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and at age 12 he began to sing. Sweet also learned to play the drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. His interest in Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
began when he attended church during his childhood.
Stryper
In the early 1980s, Sweet and his brother started a band called Roxx Regime and played in small venues. This band would later become StryperStryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
. The band challenged the stereotype of heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
being satanic and took Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
into mainstream.
With the band, Sweet recorded five successful studio albums that reached gold and platinum status and won him many awards and worldwide fame. However, in the early 1990s, popular rock music was facing shifts in styles and the band's reputation declined.
Solo
After 8 years as front man of Stryper, Sweet left the band in 1992 in order to pursue a solo career. He first released a demo album titled UnstrypedUnstryped
Unstryped is a demo album released by Christian rock singer, and former Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was recorded in 1992 but wasn't officially released until 2000.The album features several songs that were left from Stryper sessions...
, which featured several songs allegedly intended for the band. Sweet later included some of these on his first full-length album.
His self-titled debut album
Michael Sweet (album)
Michael Sweet is the first full-length solo album of Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was released in 1993 by Benson Music Group....
was released in 1994 and sold over 250,000 copies. He followed it with a slightly softer album titled Real in 1996 earning him a Dove Award nomination. However, he left the Benson label with which he had released those two albums.
During this time, Sweet and his wife moved to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, where Sweet worked at his father-in-law's campground/cranberry business, Maple Park. In 1998, he released an independent demo album titled Truth
Truth (demo version)
Truth is a demo album released by Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was independently produced by Sweet and released in 1998 under his own label....
which received critical acclaim. He was signed to Restless Records
Restless Records
Restless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
and re-released the album in 2000 with a new song-list and new artwork (see Truth
Truth (2000 version)
Truth is the official full-length version of the demo album of the same name released by Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet, two years before . This version was released by Restless Records in 2000....
). Reviews have stated that Truth
Truth
Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
is Sweet's best work to date!
On August 19, 2007, Sweet acted as Boston's
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
lead singer and guitarist in Come Together: A tribute to Brad Delp
Brad Delp
Bradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He joined Boston during the band's summer 2008 tour with Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
as the opening act.
Boston
Michael Sweet performed lead vocals, background vocals, and guitar work for Boston. His first official show with the band was June 6, 2008 in Thunder BayThunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Sweet handled lead vocals on roughly half of the set list, including Boston staples "More Than a Feeling," "Amanda," "Peace of Mind," and "Long Time." "Peace of Mind" was re-recorded by Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
and released via the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
on June 23, 2008. Reviews of his performance have been positive. In August 2011, it was officially announced that Sweet had left the band to focus on his contributions to Stryper. It is unknown whether he will appear on the new Boston album that is planned to be released later in 2011.
Stryper reunited
In 1999, Sweet reunited with former Stryper bandmates Oz Fox and Tim Gaines during a concert in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The concert featured Fox and Gaines's band, Sindizzy
Sindizzy
SinDizzy is Christian metal band co-founded by former Stryper members Oz Fox and Tim Gaines. The band was founded in the mid 1990s after Stryper had disbanded. Its members included young drummer and lead guitarist...
. Sweet was invited as a solo artist. The three of them got together for a set of four songs. The next year, the first Stryper Expo was held in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and the entire line-up was reunited again.
Although original bassist Tim Gaines left the group in 2005 and was replaced by Tracy Ferrie, the band has continued to work together, releasing a new album titled Reborn, produced by Michael. However, Michael has continued with his solo career as well. In August 2006, he released a solo album titled Him
Him (album)
Him is the latest studio album from Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was released on August 1, 2006.The album features a collection of traditional hymns arranged and re-written by Sweet himself.-Track listing:...
which features traditional hymns re-written and arranged by Sweet.
Stryper released the album Murder by Pride
Murder by Pride
Murder by Pride is the eighth studio album by Stryper. The first single for the album, "Peace of Mind", debuted at #27 on Christianrock.net on October 24, 2008 and peaked at #1 on February 22, 2009. The track is a cover version, originally performed by Boston...
, produced by Michael in July 2009.
The death of Michael's wife, Kyle, was announced on March 5, 2009, after her two-year battle with ovarian cancer. During this time Michael released an album called Touched in honor of Kyle. It is exclusively available on his website.
In September 2009, Stryper embarked on its 25th anniversary world tour, "Rocking the Hell Out of You for 25 years" with the original members. The tour included two opening bands: a Canadian group, Manic Drive
Manic Drive
Manic Drive is a Christian Rock band formed by founding members Michael A. Cavallo and Shawn Cavallo hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are internationally known in North America and Europe and have established themselves through the Christian/Gospel music industry...
and Flight Patterns, which includes Michael Sweet, Jr., the son of Stryper front man, Michael Sweet.
In October 2009, Michael Sweet announced on his Web site that he is engaged to a woman whose name is Lisa Champagne. The band announced on Facebook that they were married on January 8, 2010.
Stryper recently completed a new record entitled The Covering, produced by Michael, and was released on February 15, 2011.
Solo discography
- UnstrypedUnstrypedUnstryped is a demo album released by Christian rock singer, and former Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was recorded in 1992 but wasn't officially released until 2000.The album features several songs that were left from Stryper sessions...
(EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
1992) - Michael SweetMichael Sweet (album)Michael Sweet is the first full-length solo album of Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was released in 1993 by Benson Music Group....
(July 26, 1994) - Real (October 1995)
- TruthTruth (demo version)Truth is a demo album released by Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was independently produced by Sweet and released in 1998 under his own label....
(demoDemo (music)A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
1998) - TruthTruth (2000 version)Truth is the official full-length version of the demo album of the same name released by Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet, two years before . This version was released by Restless Records in 2000....
(official release 2000) - HimHim (album)Him is the latest studio album from Christian rock singer, and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet. The album was released on August 1, 2006.The album features a collection of traditional hymns arranged and re-written by Sweet himself.-Track listing:...
(2006) - Touched (2007)
Guest appearances
- Mu5tardMu5tardMu5tard is a Christian rock band best known for their song "Resilient" that charted in Christian rock Radio in 2004. The band was formed in 1998 by brothers Mark Gove and Cole Gove Mu5tard is a Christian rock band best known for their song "Resilient" that charted in Christian rock Radio in 2004....
- Electra Glide - Longday - An Explanation for My Behavior
- Mars Hill - 'Sink or Swim (2003)
- Michael W. SmithI 2 (EYE)i 2 is Michael W. Smith's fifth album and his first platinum album. Smith collaborated again with lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick, and produced a music video for the song "Secret Ambition"...
- i 2 (EYE) - GuardianGuardian (band)Guardian is an American Christian hard rock/metal band. The band released six studio albums, three additional albums in Spanish—and toured extensively worldwide...
- DC Talk
- Mass - Reach for the Sky
- Liberty N' Justice Welcome to the Revolution
- Liberty N' Justice 4-All: The Best of LNJ
- Sonia V. - Oh Sweet Tragedy: Anthems from the Ashes, guitar & duet
- Christa Alberts - "My Song" (2011)
Projects produced
- Mass - Voices in the Night (1989)
- Mars Hill - Sink or Swim (2003)
- Longday - An Explanation for My Behavior
- Mu5tardMu5tardMu5tard is a Christian rock band best known for their song "Resilient" that charted in Christian rock Radio in 2004. The band was formed in 1998 by brothers Mark Gove and Cole Gove Mu5tard is a Christian rock band best known for their song "Resilient" that charted in Christian rock Radio in 2004....
- Electra Glide - Savannah - Forever's Come and Gone
- Stryper - Reborn
- Stryper - Murder By Pride
- Stryper - The Covering