STRYPER Frontman Michael Sweet - "I've Been Called The Dennis DeYoung Of Heavy Metal"
March 2, 2011, 13 years ago
In a recent interview about STRYPER's new album, The Covering, frontman Michael Sweet discussed getting back to the band's signature guitar shred and high-end vocals. An excerpt from the interview is available below:
“I get good and bad comments about my vocals,” says Sweet. “Some people like it and some don’t. I’ve been called the Dennis DeYoung of heavy metal (laughs), my voice is too high, too operatic, I’ve gotten it all. I just do what I do and give my best, and the one thing I try to do is sing with conviction and emotion because that’s what’s going to move the listener. That’s my take on a track whenever I sing it.”On a purely personal note (no pun intended), Sweet’s high-end vocals have always been on par with Rob Halford at the top of his game. With today’s technological crutches a singer can fake everyone out, but he was outperforming the vast majority of his peers long before Microsoft and Pro-Tools started marketing Get Out Of Work Free cards. The fanboy is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I do a few of those notes live, but there are so many that I don’t,” Sweet admits. “Night after night of doing those high notes, it’ll kill you. Try to do that when your voice isn’t feeling too good and it’s done, you’re not singing. When you’ve got three or four shows in a row you have to be careful because you’ll blow your voice out. I’m very fortunate and blessed to have something of a voice left.”Click here for the complete interview. Go to this location for BW&BK;'s recent interview with Sweet.
Check out full-length versions of the band covering KISS' 'Shout It Out Loud', LED ZEPPELIN' 'Immigrant Song', SWEET's 'Set Me Free', UFO's 'Lights Out', VAN HALEN's 'On Fire', SCORPIONS' 'Blackout', OZZY OSBOURNE's 'Over The Mountain' and the new song 'God' below:
KISS' 'Shout It Out Loud':
LED ZEPPELIN' 'Immigrant Song':
SWEET's 'Set Me Free':
UFO's 'Lights Out':
VAN HALEN's 'On Fire':
SCORPIONS' 'Blackout':
OZZY OSBOURNE's 'Over The Mountain':
'God':
