Why Stryper’s “Against The Law” Annoys Michael Sweet!
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- Опубликовано: 22 авг 2024
- In this video, we hear Michael Sweet is so bothered by Stryper’s “Against The Law” album.
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Of all the Stryper albums I own, “Against The Law” is the one I’ve played the most. Especially for extended road-trips. Phenomenal album!
EASILY their best album. Still sounds fresh 30 years later.
Absolutely. This is the album that made me (and many others) a fan.
It's one of the best Stryper albums! A
fresh album and a great one!
Against the law is a fantastic album. All killer no filler. I loved shining star cover. My favorite stryper album. Next would be yellow and black attack. After that to hell with the devil. After to hell with the devil would be their current album even the devil believes. Vocally against the law is michael sweet's best vocal studio album. That line of " truly be" in shining star gives me goosebumps everytime i hear it. The man is blessed with an amazing vocal range. Long live STRYPER!
Big fan of Against The Law myself. Soldiers Under Command is probably my favorite
Toe Hell With The Devil is #1 for me with their debut 2nd. This album is 3rd.
well, in Wikipedia it says All songs by Michael Sweet except where noted (Shining Star) so there's that. I think the real reason he doesn't like it is because their personal lives were shit at the time. Very understandable why this album would dredge up bad memories, but I would say 98% of this alums rules. Rock the Hell Out of You is a tremendous track, his vox on that was fire.
If I have to choose between Against The Law, and In God We Trust, I'll go with Against The Law every time! Some of the material on In God We Trust was good, but some of it was so poppy and sappy, it wasn't to be believed! The three songs that I like most off of In God We Trust, are 1:In God We Trust. 2: The Writing's On The Wall. 3: The Reign. One other song that I like is Always There For You. That's it. The rest of the Album is Pop, and some of it ain't nothing but trash!
I like Its Up To You.
Against The Law is my favorite album but primarily as a musician myself it was obvious the players had really honed in the craft.Their playing was stellar,catchy songs grooves and hooks,solos...production is great..it was a bit more technical i suppose...but id did steer away from the traditional stryper sound quite a bit.but if you look at the beatles...they would change from album to album sometimes..always a treat.
I like left turns in bands careers. Makes things interesting🤘
Really? Then why do so many people hate VH3, Load/Reload and The X-Factor? All of which I love to death. 😁
The fact that the band worked on it together is what made it their best album. Period
I love it , especially “ not that kind of guy” but it’s one of their best for sure
He says he doesn’t like Against the Law because it doesn’t sound like Stryper?? Like the Reborn album sounded like Stryper?
THE best album of Stryper!
Thank you for this interview clip. I was always and I’ve always been a huge Stryper fan but I was very shocked when this album came out because it was so completely different than their usual vibe. I was a teenager when they came on the scene and I was looking for meaning in life and I was looking for God and the only time I really felt connected to God was when I was listening to a striper record. When they came out with against the law I was I think 21 and had just given birth or was about to give birth to my first child and I was very confused with the type of songs on their album such as two time woman even though I liked the song. The remake of shining star made sense because it was somewhat of a godly tune and I assumed that lady was written by Michael for his wife so I could get behind that one as well as all for one. But I did struggle to understand why they changed so drastically even though I really did like the blue and black instead of the yellow and black. Wasn’t long after that that Michael left the band and I actually understood why he left the band and always felt that against the law was the reason why. It was not a very well-kept secret that the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle had started to impact them in an ungodly way and some of the members had fallen further away than others and Michael left because he wanted to continue his spiritual walk. He made the right decision and I truly believe that it really cemented the return of Stryper several years later with renewed faith and energy that they might not have had otherwise.
Against the Law is top 5 hard rock album for me. Awesome album.
One of their top 3 albums! But he’s right. It did have a VH vibe.
Yes definitely one of their best
I can see Michaels point,,, BUT I remember, I was a teenager when this album came out, I have to admit I didn’t know what to think at first. Very different from the previous albums for sure, and at first I felt like they had backslid a bit on their faith. ( a close listen to the lyrics, we see that isnt the case at all) ,And from that perspective the album was very tough for me to take in .I still bought the album and listened to it often. I think we have to also consider that rock music was changing drastically at the time ATL came out. I believe this is the time that Grunge music like Nirvana was hitting the scene. Fast Forward 30 years... There isn’t a Stryper album that I do not like. BUT honestly, I think ATL is probably my favorite Stryper album. I still listen to that album to this day and I love it. I also am digging their new stuff- I believe Oz, as well as Michael, are a couple of the best guitar players in rock, and as a drummer myself, Robert Sweet is phenomenal on the kit. I play some Stryper songs on the drums- I‘ve learned to play Metallica songs much easier than most of Roberts stuff... yeah I said it. Robert is a better, more complicated drummer than Lars.... and I love Lars. That being said with Perry coming on, Im digging that they are bringing the bass more to the front in their music- I could never hear Tims bass and that’s one thing I would change about their production... bring the bass more to the front, and back off the High High notes on the vocals-even though I love it,, we dont hear that in rock music these days.. nevertheless- Im a Jew, not a Christian, who believes that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, and Im a Stryper fan for life.
This album certainly holds up to this day. Not my #1 by them, but definitely top 5
But most of the songs had a moral and positive theme to them. Although their personal lives were not sqeaky clean at this point.
It's one of the best albums of Stryper"s creation
If you compare this to Van Halen then it is Van Halen on steroids.
But I look at it as Stryper with no rules.
Yes, Before Everything had to sound like To Hell With The Devil. Even though I love about 90% of that album. It has One too many pop songs and one too many ballads.
I do not care what people think about this album. This is one of my favourite Stryper Album. Kick ass songs with great guitar solos, high pitch vocals etc.
Not just one of Stryper's best, but musically and sonically, one of the best hard rock albums released at that time time, when grunge was starting to take over.
ALL FOR ONE a great song
"Least favorite Stryper album?" And "not Stryper?" That's the way I feel about Reborn.
"Not that Kind of Guy" was written by Oz Fox; "Two Time Woman" was written by Michael Sweet and Oz Fox. All others were written by Michael Sweet. There are some great songs on this album.
I enjoy it🤘
The Band Most probably contributed to the music more than it's mention on official credits. He said he didn't come in teaching them How to play the songs. In the band I was in we decided at one point that all who contributed got credit but in percentage. If I wrote the words and core of the music I got the majority but by others adding a cool riff or an amazing solo gets credit because without their creation the wouldn't be what it is.
I really liked ATL. Mainly it was just refreshing to get away from the color scheme and see them as a rock band and not a hokey christian band trying to sell people on that!
I've ALWAYS felt AGTL was an amazing album. I still listen to it to this day.
Similar to Anthrax making the songs Efilnikufesin (N.F.L), Dallabnikufesin (N.F.B.), Chromatic Death, Pipeline, etc....they did it as a joke. To have fun and do something different. Well, the fans loved it.
Stryper wanted to try something different. Well, the fans loved it.
Their greatest record, hands down. Two Bodies is the best song, it still gives me chills
The best of the best. My favorite and my favorite song. All For One.
Here's the thing. At the time, Stryper were trying to hang on to their status as a successful commercial band, but music suddenly began moving in a grunge direction. All 80s metal/hard rock bands were changing their sound and appearance as an attempt to survive. EVERYONE was washing off the makeup and growing beards. From a business standpoint, it was the correct thing to do, but it usually doesn't work. Stryper's previous album, In God We Trust was softer and TOO commercial and only went Gold (THWTD went platinum) so they were trying to harden up everything and still appear relevant on the level they were playing at. Can't blame them.
Here was the problem. Fans of Stryper wanted them to remain pure and unflinching in their Christian message, maybe in the same way Slayer's fans wanted that band to remain evil. Imagine if Slayer softened up their sound and started singing about love and acceptance? Commercial success has peaks and valley's but I think most bands survive if they hang on to their hardcore fans. Stryper might have been fine, but it started appearing in print that they were changing and didn't want to sing about God and seen as "the choir boys of rock"
That was a mistake
Because now, not only did they alienate their christian fans (that would stick by them through thick and thin), but they also didn't connect with the secular audience that were moving on to Nirvana and Soundgarden. Against The Law has some STELLAR songs (Rock the Hell out of You left a permanent dent in my ass), but realistically, it didn't matter. Things were changing and the band came across as weak and without a solid identify. That's not only a bad thing for a metal band, but definitely for a Christian band. By the time they tried to revitalize their religious message on the next "Can't stop the Rock" it was too late. It made them look like they were back-pedaling.
As far as Michael distancing himself from the album, it's all well and good. I find him very savvy in the manner in which he does his press. But what if the album had gone triple platinum? I can't imagine he or the band would be as critical. In the end, everything worked out for the best. Although they don't sell millions of albums anymore (they would have to be some kind of hip hop hybrid to do that), they have released some of the best albums of their career, IMO.
Insanely long comment....but spot on🤘
@@80sglammetalcast hahaha. I know! It's a topic I'm a little passionate about ha
Great album! Best look they had too.
I know I enjoy it🤘
Of their 1st wave of albums it is definitely one of the best sounding. I can see the VH comparisons but as they are my favorite band I don't mind it. 😁 Sorry Michael lol.
Plus the bottom end sounds fantastic especially Robert's drum sound.
My favorite Stryper album 🤘
Different from their other albums but nevertheless great
It’s an awesome record because they did something different lol
I thought the album happened because the Christian critics would not stop ripping into Stryper, so they went with the change.
I love this album the best songs are Lady, All for One, Caught in the middle and shinning star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definitely great ones!
Yet not very many youtube sites follow Stryper now! Or even know that Stryper is still making great music since 2005.
This channel does😂🤘
Making great music since 1985!
It was an awesome lp second only to hell with the devil.
If the album would have been a massive hit i wonder if he would have a different opinion?
100% it’s like if KISS had success with The Elder. We’d be on Elder part 20 right now😂
I can still listen to ATL without skipping tracks. Not only great songs, but it brought back the bottom end that was sorely missed on In God We Trust, although that album has some of my absolute favorite Stryper songs on it. The title track, Keep The Fire Burning, Writing On the Wall, Lonely... all top shelf material. The rest is a bit cringe-y for me. Come To The Everlife? Ugh....
I like ATL and IGWT. ATL definitely has better production and more balls🤘
Yeah what did happen to IGWT? Even the CD at the time was way high in the mixing (way too high) EQ and lacked bass all over. Songs were great, did they ever remaster with proper EQ? 88 must have been just a bad year for mixing or something, with the And Justice For All controversy and all that.
IMO, it’s the only whole Stryper album I like start to finish.
I thought it was one of their best as well, but from a musicians stand point I get it. Although their new stuff kicks butt. Fallen is one of my faves also.
It’s a great album.
Amy grant did the same thing
this special album with power and sound best than before, songs good over all
According to this statement, his problem with the album is that he doesn't like collaborating with his bandmates. The normal reasoning he gives on facebook is that "it didn't sell as well".
"It's my least favorite Stryper album, because it's not Stryper." ... According to him, it's the only album in which the band actually collaborated on the songs. So, he's actually disappointed that it DOES sound like the band, and not like when everything is written by him, ie: A Michael Sweet solo album.
It's sad that he hates this great album, as it's literally the only reason I'm a fan of the band. And if you look up old interviews with him on youtube from when the album was released, he's saying it finally shows what the band can really do, instead of being trapped in a box created by the media. Interestingly enough, you can hear him say the same things today every time he releases a new album.
Best stryper slbum, no doubt about it
Possibly the very best Stryper album, even though I understand what he's saying that it doesn't have that Stryper sound. His vocals were top notch on it, too
I also believe that the reason against the law didn't do well is because of the previous album, and God we trust, which sucked. In fact, I think that the reason in God we trust sold so well is because of the previous album, to hell with the devil.
@@johno2655 they were kinda in a no win situation. They needed to do something different after IGWT - but they alienated their hardcore fans and didn’t gain many new ones.
Whether He Likes it or Not....Against the Law is the pinnacle of all the Stryper albums. It is the best and by far. Listening to MS saying this makes me think he looks down on the work of the other team members. It sounds like arrogance or clash of egos.
He said it wasn't stryper sounding he compliments the album too did he not. All he said was it was his least favorite if ego's was an issue then they wouldn't still be a band. Like is MS not allowed to voice his opinion and have his platform on it he's entitled to how he feels and they all I'm sure feel the same their guitar work was different on against the law it didn't sound like soldiers or to hell with the devil that twin guitar harmony is what against the law didn't have on it.
To hell with the devil was the pinnacle of their albums that's how they recognized was because of to hell with the devil how can you say that about a 90s album when hair metal died.
"I didn't have all of the songs ready".
"It sounded too much like Van Halen".
As far as I'm concerned, these are just excuses for the Album stalling at between 300,000-500,000 copies sold. Now that I think about it, you're right! It does indeed sound like he's trying to play the blame game...and yet, I distinctly remember that, back in early 1990, he was all hyped about the Album, stating that it was going to have a more Van Halen-ish kind of a sound and vibe! He wanted to do that... until it didn't work. In short, Stryper, or at least Michael Sweet, forgot what he was, and he forgot that the music that they'd done previously, was what brought them to the dance! Then...he wants to blame everybody but himself. How typical! This makes me wonder how he's lasted in the music business this long!
✝️ I seriously thought stryper against the law cd was perfect just the way it is kinda of. What I mean is this, they could have went with the black and yellow colors instead of what they want with. But still its a great cd. Matter of fact stryper against the law is my number 1 top favorite cd by them and my 2nd top favorite cd is in God we trust. Also the other thing about against the law cd, I think that stryper could have done a lot more videos from that album too. Oh yeah the other things missing from against the the law cd is Isaiah 53:5. But other than that I think it's perfect.
Definitely is a great album. It’s always nice to have some variety in a bands catalog.
@@80sglammetalcast 👍👍👍👍
great CD
Soldiers under command is my favorite album by stryper the yellow and black attack next and then to hell with the devil and then in god we trust
reason its my least favorite is because they took God out of the picture and made it a secular album that had no Godly influence in it.
I'm going to join in on the It was their best album bandwagon.
Are you fucking kidding? Your BEST album. I still grind the CD until it skips, man!!
I listen to it sometimes, great album and there's lots of great songs, Stryper kicks ass for about 37 years.
Well, I might be a minority but against the law is my all-time favorite Stryper album.......
Without talking about religion, I think that album was too radical a change, musically speaking. They went from doing hard rock & heavy metal to a sound closer to blues rock or even R&B. Good album, but it was definitely not Stryper.
Before this album even came out, I distinctly remember one of the guys in Stryper, possibly either Michael or Robert Sweet, saying that some of the songs on the Album were going to sound more Van Halen-ish. Sounds like that that's what they wanted to do at that time, possibly in an effort to sell more Albums than their previous Album, called "In God We Trust" had sold. That Album, "In God We Trust" had some material on it, that was Hard Rock/Heavy Metal, such as the Title Track called In God We Trust, Always There For You, The Writing's On the Wall, and The Reign. The rest of it? No way, Jose! Some of the rest of the songs on that particular Album were so poppy, and so bad, that, while that Album sold almost 900,000 Copies, at least initially, it never went Platinum, which is, of course, 1,000,000+ Copies sold.
Against The Law was an attempt to toughen up their appearance and sound...but Michael is right here-It truly wasn't a true Stryper Album... simply because they wanted to be accepted by a larger fan base. It failed...miserably! It only sold 300,000-500,000 Copies. Now, that's still some fair Album selling...but, in terms of Album sales, it was the worst Album, sales-wise, that they'd ever had, at least up until that point. Now, many years later, Michael wants to say that it sounds like a Van Halen Album. Come on!!! That's what they (seemingly) wanted to do... until it didn't work for them!
The only one that Michael Sweet can blame for that entire fiasco, is himself. I like Michael Sweet, and I also like Stryper. The only thing that I'll say, is this:Next time, don't go trying to sound like somebody else. Be yourself!!!
Michael Sweet is very egocentric according to a lot of people and I have known the guy in the past.. Michael Sweet needs to incorporate everybody's talent and you would have a totally different striper. I want that is much better than this
Love All for One, one of my favorite songs!
best Stryper album, yes sonically perfect, musically, lyrically, as image ... everything, just perfect, sorry Michael (you're a phenomenon yourself but you say these for die hard fans of the 80's) ! but I love it, I love all Stryper albums except reborn and murder ... ATL will always be in my Top 3 albums ever along Hardline's Double Eclipse and Damn Yankees Don't Tread (actually my first 3 cds back in '96) and it is very collectable too
Now I understand. I completly agree that album sounds fake from what i've heard. some people just dont write good songs... that was probably why.
I totally understand what Michael is saying. But I think Reborn is their worst album.
What's wrong with him? He is Afraid of Losing his Target audience their label markets to. Meanwhile now they have a song called "Middle Finger Messiah"
On ATL Every song is great except for 1 and that is the Van Hallen wanna be song "I'm not that kind of guy".
The rest is badass melodic metal. It's my favorite next to Yellow & Black EP.
It is indeed a killer album, but I don’t think “Not That Kinda Guy” sounds like a Van Halen wanna be. Sure, the overall feel of the song sort of has a Hot For Teacher feel to it, but that’s mostly because Robert plays a shuffle pattern on the double bass drums similar to what Alex Van Halen played on Hot For Teacher, but so have a ton of other drummers over the years, and Alex didn’t invent the shuffle pattern or own a copyright on it lol. Plus the vocals don’t sound like David Lee Roth, and Oz’s tone and playing don’t really sound like Eddie, and the solo is great! Just my 2 cents…personally I love the song! But I do agree, the album as a whole is killer!
@@gtdrummer6429 You made a lot of Excellent points regarding the the sound but at that time era HOT FOR TEACHER was still in everyone's face. When I first heard it i thought Alex Van Halen. I didn't hear the album until after i saw this tour live. They ended the show with Van Helen's "On Fire". So I thought it was more of a paying homage song.
@@Rock4UNow I also agree with your comment “What’s wrong with him?” It’s almost like Michael says ATL is his least favorite Stryper album just to please all the Stryper fans that had a problem with ATL. I’ve been a Stryper fan since hearing them for the first time on Soldiers Under Command, but when ATL came out I loved the change in their sound and look! Plus, the guitar work on it is easily the best of any Stryper album. In my opinion they never sounded better or looked cooler than on ATL!
@@gtdrummer6429 He is obviously on a different wave length. I met him in person and know one his friends who has helped the band in 1985. He never returns e-mails or DMs. Kinda of a Snob.
Tone deaf statement. The album still stands up.
Lyrically kinda weak but the musicianship and hooks are amazing. Lose the acoustic set and play this one live instead.
Michael "Arrogance" Sweet
How
Losing the yellow and black was a big mistake in my opinion. All they did by dropping it was to make themselves look like all the other bands. They could have changed up their clothing style without dropping the colors. Much like they have done the last 10 years.
Actually, Black and Gray or Black and Blue were more suitable colors, because this version of Stryper was like their alter ego. I thought it was really cool.
I understand Michael’s point. Stryper has a unique sound (which he masterminded) and when they became a “democracy” they lost that sound. He unhappy about that. It’s that simple.
I understand it as it's not all about him. That's it. The 1st time I heard this album was live and I loved the new songs. Went out and bought the cassette the next day. It's unanimous, how many people love it. He wanted to be Bon Jovi back then, that's why he went Solo.
I’m gonna have to disagree with Michael here big time! Against The Law is easily one of Stryper’s best albums! So what if it doesn’t have the classic Stryper sound? I’ve been a Stryper fan since I first heard Soldiers Under Command but when ATL came out I was so glad they finally ditched the bumblebee look and I loved the new sound and guitar tone! Oz’s guitar playing on ATL is the best guitar work of any Stryper album before or after and the production/sonic quality of it is absolutely great! Stryper never sounded better or looked cooler than on ATL!
I thought it was better than In God We Trust imho
My personal feeling is a lot of people think it's one of the best albums and that kind of annoyed Michael because it shouldn't have been, they were kinda rebelling but that's really what rock is all about isn't it ? even so called Christian rock it's a rebellion against the norm. I don't think you can really make rock Christian it's too wild you can add Christian lyrics until its nauseating but it's still not going to change the sensual style and makeup of the music.
I thought this was supposed to be a solo Michael album
Doesn’t sound like it.....
This lead to his Bon Jovi dream of being a solo sell out..lol
@@ivansalas6914 Would it made a difference? He writes everything anyway.
🤨 It's his least favorite because he didn't write all of it and have all the credit on it. Couldn't hog up the publishing profits.🙄
Only one song is an obvious Van Halen Hot for Teacher Rip off, To me it came off more of a homage to Van Halen, so if the intent wasn't that it means it was meant to be ripped off..lol Me personally, that's the only song I always skip. Lyrical I think it's supposed to be comical or he's using reverse psychology on getting the girl but goes against a man's natural state. Probably better if a chick sang it...lol
His least favorite LP is my all time favorite LP from them 😅..lol.. 😂. Doesn't sound like Stryper to him, How could it Not with his voice, Oz playing?
So he didn't write the whole Album there for it's a bad Album 🤔?
Least favorite album of mine. Tried to become secular and didn’t work. Regardless of your beliefs that’s what happened. Every album sine has been amazing and they only keep getting better. Caught in the middle and All for one are the only 2 good songs, in my opinion, from that album. . And that’s all this is... my opinion. Lol
IN GOD WE TRUST is my least fav Stryper album to date
It’s an amazing record. I have to disagree with Michael here.
I hate the Against the Law album
“This album was a group effort”. .... and that’s why you dislike this album??? Michael, I love you bro and maybe I misunderstood you.... but that’s a pretty crappy statement. I thought this was the best Stryper album (of the time)...... you hadn’t captured the raw power of that album again until Even the devil believes.
I re watched this and didnt catch the part where he said that he disliked it because it was a group effort. To me its pretty clear he said he didnt like it because it wasn't up to par with their prior material when they did away with the methods that worked for them, and in that case it just happened to be that what worked for them was Michael Sweet writing the stuff. I hope this explanation helps!
Its pretty well known to stryper fans why Michael. Sweet doesn't like against the law. Because that album doesn't sound like Stryper.
A VH comparison was quite a stretch, I would say you guys wanted to be like VH as the bros had to have control and to say it didn't sound like Stryper because you didn't write all the songs was what I feel is the problem with stryper now. When you guys cam e out with this lp you actually were confessing to be secular band and lost alot of fans, unfortuantely now Styrper is all about money
It's Michael Sweets least favorite album because he has a need to shove religion down our throats every chance he gets.. What Michael doesn't understand is trying something new is always a good thing musically or you just become a parody of yourself. Against The Law was just a great "Rock" Album, what's wrong with that? It all boils down to Michael Sweet, he proved to everybody what he was made of during that tour when he bailed out of his own band. Totally left them mid-tour with show obligations coming up and he simply didn't care. It's his way or the highway. Why do you think his older brother Robert Sweet for the last 3 tours looks bored out of his mind back there. And yes, I've seen ALL of Strypers tours. Michael will continue to be self righteous and beat you to death with ever single song being about god!!! There is more to life Michael.. WAKE UP!