EASTER METAL WEEKEND TV SPECIAL - STRYPER is OUR GUEST!

Stryper's The Covering

Oz Fox and Michael Sweet sign the coveted GATV Straightjacket!

This weekend is Easter and we thought it would be appropriate to have Oz Fox and Michael Sweet of Stryper the guests of our show. Since God did create metal on the 8th, why not? Oz and Michael talk about the similarities of the beginning of their career when the Christian community didn't accept their secular sound to the new album, The Covering where they cover some of the most iconic metal songs of our time. Does the Stryper faithful approve? Watch and find out this weekend!

Stryper, originally known as Roxx Regime, was formed in Orange County, California by brothers Michael and Robert Sweet and guitarist Oz Fox.

Stryper stands for Salvation Through Redemption Yielding Peace, Encouragement and Righteousness. The Isaiah 53:5 under their logo is the bible verse that states "by His stripes we are healed". The band earned their stripes on the Los Angeles metal club circuit and in 1984, after recruiting bass player Tim Gaines, signed with Enigma Records and released their debut mini-album, The Yellow And Black Attack (Y&BA).

On August 19, 2007, Michael Sweet performed with the Legendary rock band Boston at a concert honoring the voice of Boston, the late Brad Delp. Stryper then performed with Boston members at the Station Family Fund Concert on February 25, 2008. Later that year, Boston tapped Michael Sweet to sing for them during their summer tour.

Exactly 25 years after their ground breaking release of the Y&BA, Murder By Pride (MBP) was released on July 21, 2009. At the time of this writing, Stryper is set to embark on their 25th Anniversary Tour in September of 2009. Reuniting for the tour, Tim Gaines will once again play bass. Stryper will also reunite with yellow & black clothing designed by Ray Brown, whom created their classic outfits for THWTD and IGWT.

Stryper's new album, The Covering has received rave reviews. Personally, I found the album fantastic as Styper makes these songs their own. Carry On Wayward Son, Shout It Out Loud, and Over The Mountain in my opinion not only give honor to the originals, in some cases, the remakes are actually better than the original. I encourage you to go purchase The Covering and it a listen. 

The Associated Press wrote,

"The Covering," Stryper sets scripture aside for a bit in favor of the sheer joy of plugging in, turning it way up and rocking out to a dozen classic rock tunes. These are all songs the band grew up listening to and loving, and the treatment they receive here is reverential. The band adds its trademark layered vocal and guitar harmonies to each track, but sticks faithfully to the original arrangements, infusing each with the Stryper sound and style while showing proper respect to the originals. The best of the bunch is an absolutely molten rendition of Deep Purple's "Highway Star," with a blazing keyboard solo by quasi-band member Charles Foley. On track after track, singer Michael Sweet summons up unfathomable high notes, some of which only dogs can hear. The Scorpions' "Blackout" sounds almost exactly like the original, minus Klaus Meine's heavy German accent; it's nice to finally hear this song sung in clear English. Black Sabbath's "Heaven And Hell," perhaps the greatest heavy metal song of all time, has made-for-Stryper lyrics like "The Devil is never a maker." More theologically problematic (but musically gratifying) is the inclusion of Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law," which doesn't exactly take a stand against wrongdoing. "Shout It Out Loud" is more fluid and less pounding than the Kiss original, but the band's harmonies on the choruses are sparkling. Oz Fox is perhaps the most underrated 1980s guitarist, and he shines on this disc, flawlessly handling complex solos like the Randy Rhoads masterpiece on Ozzy's "Over The Mountain," as well as his own tasty interpretation of the dueling guitars on Iron Maiden's "The Trooper." And he channels his inner Eddie Van Halen with "On Fire."