Michael Harrison Sweet is a singer and guitarist from Whittier, California; he is the co-founder, songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of the Christian metal band Stryper. He was also singer and guitarist for Boston from 2007 to 2011.
Robert Lee Sweet is the drummer of the Christian metal band Stryper. He and his brother Michael founded the band as Roxx or Roxx Regime. Robert became known as the "Visual Time Keeper" for his wild drumming and captivating drum kits. Unlike most drummers, Sweet faces in the direction of stage left or right while playing, not straight ahead, so that the audience can see him and not have their view of him obscured by his drumkit. He began using a sideways setup in 1978 as a way to enhance his showmanship and connect with the audience. Sweet also played a key role in the visual direction of the band itself as well as being a significant contributor to the group.
To Hell with the Devil is the third studio album, by the Christian metal band Stryper, released in 1986. It was the first Christian metal album to achieve platinum status, selling over one million copies. It remained the best-selling Christian metal album until P.O.D.'s Satellite in 2001.
Soldiers Under Command is the second release, and first full-length studio album from Christian metal band Stryper, released on May 15, 1985. It was the first Christian metal album to achieve Gold record status, selling more than half a million copies. The album was originally issued on white vinyl. The Live in Japan in-concert video, released in 1986, was filmed on July 8, 1985 during Stryper's tour in support of this album.
The Yellow and Black Attack is the first release and debut studio album from the Christian metal band Stryper. It was originally released as a six-song EP, and fewer than 20,000 copies were pressed, as their label, Enigma Records, was unsure of the potential market for Christian metal. CCM Magazine was slightly critical, citing production quality and the short length of the release, but commented that "Stryper has the promise of a major success story." According to Michael Sweet's autobiography, the album was re-recorded and released as an official album, after their first manager, Daryn Hinton, loaned them $100,000 to re-produce the record. The album initially sold 150,000 units in the first three weeks.
Richard Alfonso Martinez, better known by the stage name Oz Fox, is the lead guitarist of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. Martinez' high school friends called him Oz in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to his ability to emulate the vocals of Osbourne while playing Black Sabbath covers in his pre-Stryper days. He was recruited by the Sweet brothers in 1983 to form what would become Stryper. As a founding member of the band, Fox recorded and toured with Stryper until the band's first break up in 1992 but has since rejoined the band.
Tim Gaines is an American bass guitarist best-known as the long-time bassist for the Christian metal band Stryper until his departure in 2017.
Reborn is the ninth release, and sixth album, from the Christian metal band Stryper, and the first full-length album of new material since Against the Law in 1990. Reborn was slated to be a Michael Sweet solo record, but after their reunion tour, Sweet played it for the other members, at which time Oz Fox suggested it should be a Stryper record. So the other members came in and learned their parts from the original demos. Sweet says in his autobiography, Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed, that he convinced Big3 Records, which had signed him for a solo release, to make it a Stryper record deal. Thus, Reborn became the first all-original Stryper record in 15 years.
In God We Trust is the fourth studio album by Christian metal band Stryper, released in 1988. The album achieved Gold record status, selling over half a million copies. Three singles were released including "Always There For You" and "I Believe in You" which both hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at No. 71 and No. 88 respectively. The third single "Keep The Fire Burning" did not chart. The album received two GMA Dove Awards for "Hard Music Album" and "Hard Rock Song" for the title track.
7: The Best of Stryper is the seventh release and second compilation album by Christian metal band Stryper. Released in 2003, it is the second compilation album produced by the band, and its recording and release led to the reunion of the original members of the band.
Real is the second full-length solo album by Christian rock singer and Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, released in 1995 by Benson Music Group.
Released by Christian rock singer and Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet, in 2000, Truth is the official full-length Restless Records version of the demo album of the same name Sweet independently released two years earlier (1998).
The Roxx Regime Demos is the eleventh release and third compilation album by Stryper consisting of songs originally released under the band's previous name, Roxx Regime, except for the track "Honestly", which is taken from a later demo. While the album's general release was on July 10, 2007, pre-sale purchases at Stryper.com shipped on July 7, 2007, a reference to 777, a holy number in Christianity and one that used to appear onstage at Stryper concerts.
Murder by Pride is the twelfth release and seventh studio album by Stryper. It was released on July 21, 2009 by Big 3 Records. The first single for the album, "Peace of Mind", debuted at No. 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 rock band Boston on its debut 1976 self-titled album. Michael Sweet was a touring member of Boston for several years, before parting ways amicably in 2011.
Stryper is an American Christian metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet, Oz Fox (guitar), Perry Richardson, and Robert Sweet (drums).
Joel Hoekstra is an American guitarist currently in the band Whitesnake. Hoekstra also tours as a guitarist for Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The son of classical musicians, he started out playing cello and piano at a young age, but it was hearing Angus Young of AC/DC that inspired him to start playing the guitar. He was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, in Orland Park, but has lived in New York City since 2001.
No More Hell to Pay is the fifteenth release and tenth studio album from Christian glam metal band Stryper, produced by band frontman Michael Sweet and released on November 5, 2013 by Frontiers Records. The album garnered positive critical reception from music critics as well as commercial success.
Fallen is the sixteenth release and the eleventh studio album by the Christian metal band Stryper, produced by the frontman Michael Sweet and released on October 16, 2015.
Onward to Freedom is a solo album by Tourniquet drummer Ted Kirkpatrick. Originally announced as a side project to be released as The Tourniquet Ark, Kirkpatrick made the decision to release it under the Tourniquet name with himself listed as the primary artist. This has led to confusion in the fan community, and the erroneous classification of the album as an actual Tourniquet release. This has been exacerbated by Kirkpatrick choosing to refer to it as part of the Tourniquet catalog instead of as a part of his solo catalog. The album features many musicians, such as Marty Friedman and Chris Poland of Megadeth, Mattie Montgomery of For Today and Michael Sweet of Stryper. The album was released on November 11, 2014, via Tourniquet's own label, Pathogenic Records.
One Sided War is the seventh studio album from the Christian musician and Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, who helmed the production on the album. The album released on August 26, 2016 by Rat Pak Records. This album charted at No. 77 on the Billboard 200 and it was awarded a five star rating by CCM Magazine.
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