After months of speculation, multi-platinum rock band Stryper has announced the addition of iconic bass player Perry Richardson to the band lineup. Richardson joins original members Michael Sweet (vocals and guitar), Robert Sweet (drums) and Oz Fox (guitar), all of whom are currently in pre-production on their upcoming album due in 2018.

Following is an excerpt from an interview with Richardson conducted by Stryper.com.

Stryper.com:  So on October 30th, a press release comes out saying that Perry Richardson is the new bass player for Stryper.  How did that come about?

Richardson: "It was fate or the hand of God, man. This old friend of mine ending up talking with Dave Rose (Stryper’s co-manager), and Dave said that they were looking for a bass player. My friend Marty said that he knew just the guy!  And Dave was familiar with me because he used to play in a band that opened for my old band Maxx Warrior!  So I meet with Dave and then after that Michael Sweet called me. Last time I saw Mike was about 5 years ago in Nashville, but we met in person maybe 3 times total.  But he remembered who I was and invited me to fly over to jam and see how it felt.  I had about a month to learn 5 songs. We all flew in and setup in a little room in his house. We played the songs, and it felt good. Then we sang some together, and the vocals sounded good. So they said that they would call me and let me know. A few days later I was about to start a game of golf when I got the call that I was in the band. I was so excited I couldn’t even play the game.  It was the worst game of golf I've played in years!  (laughs)  But that’s how it happened. When I met the band, I just felt so at home with them.  I couldn’t be more happy."

Stryper.com:  What songs did you learn for your first Stryper jam?

Richardson: "'The Way', 'Soldiers Under Command', 'Rock That Makes Me Roll', 'Calling On You', and 'No More Hell To Pay'."

Stryper.com: I can't wait to hear your vocal harmonies in Stryper. Oz and Mike both have very distinct vocals that I think will blend nicely with yours.

Richardson: "Well, thanks. I'm so looking forward to it, I can't wait to get going. I am so honored and overjoyed. I can't believe this is happening. They were one of my favorite bands. When I was in Maxx Warrior with CJ (Snare) we opened for Stryper in Charlotte in 1985. That was one of the highlights of my life! And to now be playing with them is a dream come true for me. And everybody working with them, like you, has been so nice and so organized. They've really taken me in, it's such a great feeling. And their new music… I tell you what, Fallen is my favorite Stryper album yet."

Stryper.com:  Do you have a favorite Stryper song?  

Richardson: "Right now it’s 'Heaven' off of Fallen."

Read the complete interview here.

The Stryper bass player position became available following last year's highly successful 30th Anniversary To Hell With The Devil Tour, which saw record crowds and featured Stryper’s largest sound and lighting production in nearly two decades. Perry becomes only the third bass player to fill that slot in the band’s 34 year career.

Richardson is best-known as a founding member of the multi-platinum band Firehouse, who exploded onto the scene in the early 1990s with hit singles like “Don’t Treat Me Bad,” “Love Of A Lifetime” and “When I Look Into Your Eyes.” In 1992, the band took home an American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal / Hard Rock New Artist, beating out both Nirvana and Alice In Chains. Since departing Firehouse, Richardson has remained active touring with various artists including Trace Adkins and Craig Morgan.

“The first time I met the guys in Stryper was in 1985, when my first band, Maxx Warrior opened for them in Charlotte, NC,” says Richardson. "From that first meeting, they have always been one of my favorite bands and a huge influence on me personally and musically. To have the honor of becoming a member of Stryper today, is an indescribable experience for me. I am so overwhelmed I can’t put it into words. To be asked to be a member of one of my favorite all-time bands is one of the greatest honors of my career. I’m so looking forward to being a part of this next chapter in Stryper’s legacy. I’m ready to rock the world with my new brothers!”

"Perry is a perfect fit within our band," adds Stryper frontman Michael Sweet. "He's an amazing singer, an excellent bass player and just a great human being. The moment we first rehearsed with Perry we knew that it was right. We sang harmonies and the vocals sounded awesome. He shared stories of how Stryper was one of his favorite bands and that he's always respected us. It meant a lot to hear him say that. He has brought a kind and humble spirit to the band. He is a professional and an absolute gentleman. His resume is quite extensive and as impressive as it gets. We're honored to have him on our team and we're extremely excited about the future!"

Stryper continues to dominate the hard rock/heavy metal scene. Their ninth studio album, Fallen (Frontiers Music SRL), was released in October 2015 and debuted at the top of the Billboard charts including #2 on the Top Hard Music Albums chart, #2 on the Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart, #2 on the Top Christian/Gospel Albums and #5 on the Top Current Rock Albums chart.

Rocking since 1984, Stryper is responsible for such classic '80s metal albums as Soldiers Under Command, To Hell With The Devil and In God We Trust. In fact, Stryper is the first band to ever have two songs in MTV’s Top 10 simultaneously with their hits “Free” and “Honestly”. After a sabbatical for much of the 1990s, Stryper returned strong in the early 21st century. To date, the Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated band has sold over 10 million records worldwide.