MURDER BY PRIDE – IN STORES NOW
July 21, 2009
25 years to the day after the release of Stryper’s first EP Yellow And Black Attack comes… Murder By Pride on Big3 Records!
“Murder By Pride”, the new album from Christian hard rockers STRYPER, available in the U.S. on July 21 through Big 3 Records. The CD will be released in Europe on August 28 via Frontiers Records.
“Murder By Pride” track listing:
01. Eclipse Of The Son (4:04)
02. 4 Leaf Clover (3:42)
03. Peace Of Mind (3:58)
04. Alive (3:36)
05. The Plan (3:10)
06. Murder By Pride ((3:18)
07. I Believe (3:43)
08. Run In You (4:15)
09. Love Is Why (4:07)
10. Mercy Over Blame (4:07)
11. Everything (4:26)
12. My Love (I’ll Always Show) (3:14)
13. My Love, My Life, My Flame (exclusive bonus track for Europe)
Commented singer Michael Sweet: “After years of speaking to fans and hearing comments like ‘more guitars,’ ‘more solos’ and ‘more screams,’ I decided to keep those comments in mind as I wrote each song. It was important to me to try to get back to that early sound of STRYPER yet at the same time, to remain relevant today. It’s certainly not an easy thing to do but as I listen to ‘Murder By Pride’, I think that was accomplished.
“I got the idea of the title ‘Murder By Pride’ from seeing pride consume dreams, goals and many times, lives. We all deal with pride and it can be crippling, so I wanted to write a lyric and a theme that would be a constant reminder of that. This record has been in the works for a long, long time and I can only hope that it was worth the wait!”
STRYPER will embark on a tour of the United States in September, hitting approximately 50 cities across America. This will be followed by international tour dates in January and February of 2010. The bands’s 25th-anniversary tour will be a two-set show. The first set will be new STRYPER material and include bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, and Oz Fox. The second set will be classic STRYPER hits and will be all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines. Michael Sweet Jr.’s band will be the opening band on the tour.
25 years ago (1984), STRYPER broke onto the scene with its debut EP, “Yellow And Black Attack”, and has since gone on to sell 8 million records worldwide and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars, and pristine harmony vocals.
New Michael Sweet Interview in Christianity Today
July 7, 2009
www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2009/michaelsweet-mini-0609.html
Catching Up With … Michael Sweet
The famed Stryper frontman reflects on losing his wife to cancer, the group’s 25th anniversary, plus an update on his role in legendary rock band Boston.
by Andy Argyrakis | posted 6/30/2009
How are you balancing your music with the grieving process?
Michael Sweet: When Kyle was diagnosed two years ago, we basically started grieving then. Because we did that together, it made it a little easier to move forward at times, like going on tour with Boston. She gave me her blessing, encouragement and really pushed me along in making that decision. Now she’s gone, but I feel like the past two years have been such a low that I feel now like it’s time to pick up the pieces and move forward. People tell me not to do anything, but staying busy is the way I’m dealing with it.
How are your kids taking it?
Sweet: Tough, really tough. I’m constantly trying to encourage them through the whole recovery. We’re all battling it and we could go in our rooms, close the doors and all just stay there. But I feel the need to stay busy and active, because when I’m not, I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. The same goes for my kids. My 22-year-old son and his band Flight Patterns are opening the next Stryper tour. When I asked him, his chin just about hit the floor and his eyes popped out of his head. I see him with new purpose now and it’s pulled him out of his shell. My daughter, a senior in high school, is a dancer and is home schooled. She’s coming out on the tour as well, working on school during the day and probably handling merchandise at night. It’s going to keep her active and busy, which is so important so we don’t just sit around and dwell on things.
What’s been your most poignant observation during this period?
Sweet: It’s made me realize how precious life is and how short life is. Life is a gift, but sometimes we abuse it because we don’t seize every opportunity or moment in the way God intends us to. So many times we take life for granted and get caught up in all the activities that we become distant from God. But now I’m learning how to truly live life to the fullest and love to the fullest. I don’t want to waste a moment.
What are Stryper’s plans for its 25th anniversary?
Sweet: We have the new record Murder by Pride coming out on July 21 and are going on a 50-city tour this September through November. The first set will focus on new songs from Reborn and Murder by Pride with our new bass player [Tracy Ferrie] and the second will feature all the old, classic songs with our old bass player Tim [Gaines]. We’ll put on yellow and black for that.
Are you digging out the old Spandex?
Sweet: No way, never again on Spandex! But we’ve got some custom yellow and black threads—really nice stuff.
What is Stryper’s sound these days?
Sweet: We’re going back a bit more to our roots of harmony guitar solos and harmony vocals. We brought back more of what people like about the band. We fell away a little bit on Reborn because we wanted it to be a little more modern, and in doing that, sometimes you unfortunately lose sight of who you are trying be. I’m not saying we did that, but I think we unfortunately shot ourselves in the foot by not having more guitar solos and things people really liked about the band.
How has becoming Boston’s lead singer added to Styper’s fan base?
Sweet: A lot of Boston fans are now Michael Sweet fans and they’re incredible. I’m hoping they come out to the Stryper shows. At the Boston shows [last summer], I would see Stryper shirts and Stryper fans coming out.
How does it feel singing for one of classic rock’s most legendary bands?
Sweet: I’m still pinching myself! Here I was participating in what was supposed to be the last Boston show ever [paying tribute to departed frontman Brad Delp] and then I was out with them singing on the 2008 tour. It was really wild, but there was so much joy between the band and the fans and the tour was successful beyond anyone’s wildest expectations.
What’s next for Boston?
Sweet: There’s a new album coming out that being worked on right now. It probably won’t come out until 2010 and a tour is being talked about for 2010 as well. I played some songs for [co-founder] Tom [Scholz] and he really liked them. I’ve also written some others that I’ll be singing on and they’ll be a couple of other surprises.
Quick takes:
Where are you from originally?
Whittier, California
Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
Japan
Pet peeve?
Clutter
Your most annoying habit?
Clearing my throat
Favorite website?
www.wunderground.com
Last good book you read?
The Bible in 90 Days
Last good movie you saw?
Music and Lyrics
Band/artist you’re listening to the most right now?
Keane
Band/artist that comes closest to your sound?
Stryper’s been influenced by Queen’s harmony vocals and Van Halen
Age you became a Christian?
12, but I fell away and rededicated my life at 20
Favorite Bible verse?
Isaiah 53:5
