By Mike Chlasciak MIKE C.: Michael, tell us briefly what has been cooking on the Stryper front since your last record as a Stryper - the band. What has been happening in your individual lives? MICHAEL SWEET: Nothing new on the Stryper front at this time. We all have been doing our own solo projects - Sin Dizzy (Oz and Tim) Blank, Titanic, Robert Sweet (Robert) and Michael Sweet. I've done 3 solo projects and look forward to the release of a fourth on Restless Records this year! MIKE C.: Tell us about your new up-coming solo record on Restless Records called "Truth". You have had previous solo records as well... how was the response to your offerings? MICHAEL SWEET: It's a record that I'm VERY happy with. Kenny Arnoff is drumming on it and a guy by the name of Bob Marlette is co-producing it along with myself. I feel like it's my first due to the fact that I had 4 years to write for this record. We recorded the first version (which is available at www.michaelsweet.com) which landed the deal with Restless, then recorded the new version and added 4 new songs. MIKE C.: Are you putting a band together to possibly tour behind this new solo record? MICHAEL SWEET: I am. We plan to tour as soon as it is released. MIKE C.: Fill us in on the Christian Metal market. At the height of Stryper's carrer there were plenty of bands spreading the name of the lord. How do you feel about it? Do you think the end of Stryper killed the "Cool" of Christian Metal bands? How is the market doing? Did the number of fans change over the year for better or worse? MICHAEL SWEET: I just think that it's different at the moment. There are some great bands out there crossing over and truly reaching people the way that it should be. POD is one example of what I'm speaking of. A great band / A great message! MIKE C.: Can we expect more shows/ albums from Stryper in the future? MICHAEL SWEET: We have spoke about the possibilities but nothing is confirmed at this time. Through prayer, God will show us what to do. MIKE C.: What is the biggest misconcepetion about Stryper? MICHAEL SWEET: That we were not serious about our beliefs/faith. We were, and are not perfect. Because of that (our shortcomings) some people thought that we were not for real. We have always been for real and very serious about our faith in Christ. I still am and pray that I'll always be! I guess when you're on the front lines people expect alot more of you which I do understand. but to say that we (Stryper) was not for "Real" is a huge misconception! MIKE C.: How does a Stryper show look like these days? MICHAEL SWEET: I'm really not sure. We have not played together since 1991. MIKE C.: Michael, tell us your feelings on the state of Heavy Metal in the world, and especially United States. What do you think of the resurgence, or is there any, for this type of music in the USA? MICHAEL SWEET: I think the world will always have heavy music but with different tags/catagories.You drop the octave of the vocal and you have a new type of music? Or add this or that and another new type? Heavy is heavy to me. Heavy guitars/heavy vocals/heavy rhythm section. HEAVY! I think we'll always have that. MIKE C.: Please tell the readers the official websites, if any to purchase Stryper and your solo/ other band members merchandise. Where can fans write, inquire, to keep up with the exciting world of your type of metal. MICHAEL SWEET: Michael Sweet - www.michaelsweet.com - Robert Sweet - www.robertsweet.com SinDizzy (Tim and Oz) - www.sindizzy.com We all have addresses to write to at the web sites and e-mail links as well. Please feel free to write to any one of us and we'll get back to you as soon as we can to keep you up on everything going on. MIKE C.: In this final question, I'd like you to tell the readers any closing thoughts or messages you might have and I thanks you for your time. MICHAEL SWEET: I want to thank EVERYONE for all the years of support and encouragement that you've given to Stryper/Michael Seet/Robert Sweet/ Sin Dizzy. We are grateful and thankful and we look forward to what the future holds for all of us. Copyright 2000, BallBuster, The Official Int'l Underground Hard Music Report