This has got to be one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a while! Stryper will be releasing there demo, from way back in the day. This was before they were even calling themselves Stryper! This will be released in stores on July, 10, 2007. However, if you pre-order this online through Stryper.com, it will be shipped on July 7, 20007……….that’s 7-7-07……….777. How cool is that?
(from Michael Sweet on the Stryper Forum)
I want to first apologize for not updating everyone here at the forum sooner on Kyle’s condition. I know how many of you have been praying and we will always be eternally grateful for your thoughts and prayers. It has been an extremely difficult past three weeks and we are trusting The Lord to see us through.
Kyle’s surgery was over five hours (it should have been 2-3 hours) and she needed a blood transfusion due to how much she lost during surgery. All visible signs of the mass were removed and they performed a complete hysterectomy. There was a small pallop on one of her lungs nearest the mass. We’re still not certain what that is. However, we received news on 2/27/07 that Kyle has ovarian cancer. We’ll be meeting with the oncologist on 3/8/07 to find out more details but so far what we’ve been told is it is an agressive type which responds well to chemotherapy. Kyle most likely will start chemo sometime the week of 3/12/07. Once we receive more details I will update everyone here.
I want to thank all of you for your prayers and to be honest we’ve seen many answered already. The door was opened for Kyle to be admitted into Brigham and Womens immediately and to be scheduled for surgery immediately. That was an answer to prayer. Due to the blood transfusion and needing help to breath for hours after the surgery, The Lord answered prayers by saving my wife on 2/14/07. I’m so very grateful for all of you and it has been such a blessing to Kyle to see all of your posts and prayers - it has touched both of us to the core.
Please continue to pray for healing, strength, peace and encouragement and a complete recovery and complete remission. We will be facing many more trials over the next four months and possibly even longer. Please pray for Mikey and Ellena too. It’s been very, very hard on them.
Also pray for provisions as well. We’re not really sure how the next four months will unfold or what to expect but we do know that we love The Lord more than ever and we love each other more than we ever knew.
I will be writing a new newsletter to explain my heart in depth, the times ahead, the future of Stryper and the record as well. I’ll be writing it sometime over the next few days and Jeff will be posting it at www.michaelsweet.com soon after.
We love all of you and your prayers and support mean so much - thank you for continuing to pray for Kyle and our family.
In Him always,
Michael
According to a post Michael Sweet made at the Stryper Forum recently, the band will enter the studio THIS MONTH to begin recording the next release! Let’s hope for some blistering guitar solos!!!!!
Robert Sweet is one awesome drummer! While attending a Stryper show, it’s hard not to watch Robert as he always has something interesting going on. Armed with tons of tricks up his sleeve, the moniker, Visual Timekeeper, fits him well!
Sony BMG has put out a cd of Stryper songs called Extended Versions which you can by through FYE.com for only $7.99. The cd features 10 Stryper classics. If your a fan who has the whole Stryper catalog, you don’t need this unless you just want it for the collection. These same songs have been released on several past cd’s. It’s nice to see something new come out none-the-less. I like to walk in a music store and see Stryper cd’s on the shelf.
Here’s the song list:
Certainly not a bad list of songs. Personally, I wish when these cd’s come out, that some of the more obscure songs from the catalog would be included. I love every song on this disc, but I would love to have seen The Rock That Makes Me Roll, Surrender, or The Writings On The Wall. Either way, if you looking for a place to start with Stryper, this is a great collection, and it’s only $7.99.
I just read this on the Stryper Forum:
2007 has some great things stored up for Stryper!
Stryper is planning on the release of their next studio album during the late Spring/early Summer 2007. Stryper will also be on Cruise with a Cause, June 4-8th. More information is available here, www.praisefestministries.com. Also make sure to check out www.stryperforum.com, the official online forum for Stryper.
Stryper is also involved with a unique opportunity that creates a wonderful partnership with their fans like none other. This is your chance to share a bond with your favorite band like never before. Stryper is looking to build a strong team and together we can make that happen! Please email todd@stryperforum.com for more information.
Personally, I like the look and sound of Stryper the best, before they reached their popularity peak. I first heard of them after “Soldiers Under Command” was out, and that is my favorite era. Back then, the music was just pure, raw, rock n’ roll. That was before the “pop metal” genre became so saturated with not-so-great bands. Make all the jokes you want about bands from the 80’s, but those guys could put on a show like nobodies business!
Stryper guitarist Oz Fox is a force to be reckoned with. Although his birth name is Richard Martinez, I always thought “Oz Fox” was a super cool stage name, along the lines of Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx, CC DeVille, Rikki Rocket, and the like. In the earlier days of Stryper…….the mid-eighties, Oz was always viewed as kind of the “wild man” in Stryper. He was into some serious heavy metal such as Black Sabbath, Anthrax, etc. Also, his stage presence, was pretty wild. I’ll never forget watching the GMA Dove awards in either 1985 or 1986. Stryper played ‘Makes Me Wanna Sing’, and I was blown away at how energetic they were. Oz was freaking all over the place. I believe that all in attendance were in complete shock at the spectacle. This was back in the day when the Christain crowd was a little more conservative. I thought it was awesome. My parents weren’t impressed. I believe they thought that’s why I liked it………because they didn’t. Truthfully, that had nothing to do with it. I thought the music was full of energy and exciting. I’ve searched for that footage forever on YouTube, hoping to see it again. I’ve never been able to find a recording of it.
Oz has always played some outstanding guitar in my opinion. I would never say he’s one of the best there is, just one of my favorites. My first Stryper album was ‘Soldiers Under Command’ and I think his playing really stands out on that album. The guitar solo’s are fast, melodic, and fit the songs perfectly. The only complaint I have about Oz is the fact that I can’t seem to get him to add me as a MySpace friend. I’m not sure why. All the other members of the band have done so, but I never get a reply from Oz. It was reported recently that Oz has joined Christian metal band Bloodgood. According to Michael Bloodgood, Stryper will always be Oz’s priority. He also said that there were several shows in the works to where Stryper and Bloodgood would both play. Anyway, I’m a big fan of Oz and wish him the best in all he does.
Welcome to my tribute to my favorite rock band of all time, Stryper! Stryper is a band that has always stood out in many ways…..from their very visual yellow and black “bumblebee” stripes……..and that catchy yet hard-edged sound, to their blatant christian overtones. One of the things that I love most about this band, is the fact that they came onto the rock scene back when you never saw a “religeous” group in the mainstream, yet there was Stryper busting the scene wide open and sticking out like a sore thumb……..and very “in your face”.
What seemed like an unlikely thing to work, not only worked as they were very successful, but they absolutely inspired a whole new scene called Christian metal that has produced hundreds of bands. After a few platinum albums and a couple of world tours, things slowed down for Stryper as they did with most bands of the 80’s era. Singer Michael Sweet left the band to pursue a solo career. Drummer Robert Sweet, guitarist Oz Fox, and bassist Timothy Gaines continued on touring for another year or so before calling it a day. After splitting up in the early nineties, Stryper returned in 2003 with a “best of” cd that offered two new songs……….and they toured the U.S. I saw them live on that tour and was completely blown away at what a great show it was. Since then, original bassist, Timothy Gaines has stepped out of the picture. New bassist, Tracie Ferry, is filling the spot nicely. In 2005, Stryper put out a new cd called Reborn, and toured again. The cd was an excellent disc that featured a more modern rock sound as opposed to 80’s metal. The cd garnered great reviews. Presently, they are gearing up for a new cd. I have to admit that I’m hoping for a little more of the blistering guitar solos like they did in the 80’s, but either way, I’m looking forward to a new cd from the “Yellow and Black Attack!!!
Robert Sweet "Visual Timekeeper" - Drums
Oz Fox - Lead Guitar
Michael Sweet - Vocals, Guitar
Timothy Gaines - Bass (1983-2004)
