MICHAEL SWEET interview transcript - 20191108.

Transcript of an interview I recorded with Michael Sweet of STRYPER about his solo acoustic shows - 20191108.
Full article here.

MAL-
On the line, Michael Sweet talking about many things, including his upcoming solo acoustic tour of Australia, Michael, thanks for taking your time.
MICHAEL-
Of course, thank you, my gosh. I'm here. I'm outside of Boston, Massachusetts, so how many hours behind you 13 or 14 hours behind you? I think. 
MAL-
Yeah, something like that, it's 11:02 a.m. here.
MICHAEL-
Yep. So I believe it's 7:30 here, I believe.
MAL-
Now you just toured Australia just recently with STRYPER and we were just about to talk about, It was a tour that Oz couldn't make it on there. How's Oz doing.
MICHAEL-
You know, Oz is at the moment in a good place, mentally, physically, too he's been on a new diet and lost some weight and feeling better and whatnot. Still a lot of unknowns. And things that we're waiting to hear and understand they haven't done a biopsy yet, or anything like, like that. But as everybody knows, he wasn't able to make it last time we came, that's right when this started. And we came as a trio, and we did our best and, you know we were just thankful that to show up and see all the support See, everybody turned out in support of the band and the situation and it was really great to see.
MAL-
It was a very good show. Of course, it was said not having Oz there but I think the band performed admirably in his absence.
MICHAEL-
You know, it's tricky with the band, because we, we rely heavily on you know, two guitars, multiple vocals, harmony vocals, and everybody knows that so it you know, when you're missing someone, especially the guitar player, and you know, one of the guitar players it's it's difficult to pull off, you know, all those harmonies and all the all the things that people expect to hear. But we gave our all we gave her best. And as I said, you know, people were just so supportive in there to, to stand behind us and we went out as a trio. And you know, we tried to give them a good show and give them their money's worth. And I think somehow, some way miraculously we accomplished that.
MAL-
I agree. Now, you're coming here very soon on a solo acoustic show. How did this tour come about?
MICHAEL-
Well, I've been doing a lot of solo acoustic shows in the States. And I really enjoy it. It's a completely different show. Nothing like a STRYPER show. You know, I walk out with an acoustic guitar. I've got a little drum box that I use on a few songs. I got a looper that I record a rhythm guitar on and play a solo over on a few songs. It's me and my voice and a guitar. I tell stories, about the songs I talked to the people I engage the people and it's much more personable and intimate. It almost feels like people are coming into my my living room and I'm sitting on a stool and performing for them in my living room and it's just a really great, great feeling a great vibe. A STRYPER show we come out it's you know, all the amps are cranked and we're loud and bombastic and we perform a set and we leave you know and that's pretty much it. With a solo acoustic show. It's much more personable, which is something that I really quite enjoy.
MAL-
Yeah, okay, now the tour poster says performing STRYPER tracks and solo material. How have you gone, getting a setlist up for this because I imagine that some songs wouldn't work acoustically if that makes sense. Yeah,
MICHAEL-
Well, most songs, haha
MAL-
You have got a lot of material to choose from. So how have you gone about organizing a setlist for this? How do you reckon you've gone? 
MICHAEL-
Well, you know, I try to choose songs that translate acoustically, and that will work acoustically. It. It's funny, sometimes I read every now and then there's a song that I don't think will work acoustically that someone shouts out and says play as a request, and I'll play it and it works acoustically. That happened with 'loud and clear'. Oz and I did it acoustically and it actually worked. But that's with Oz, now that it's just me, you know, I have to be a little more creative. And, you know, it's a little more difficult to figure out what to do and what not to do. But that being said, You know, I just try to do songs that I can play acoustically that will work. Now the great thing is, what makes it a little easier, is most of the songs that I've ever written for STRYPER ,solo, SWEET AND LYNCH, were written on an acoustic guitar. So, you know, to basically pick an acoustic guitar up 25 years later, 30 years later, 35 years later or two years later, whatever it is, and, and bring those songs to life again, on an acoustic, it just kind of works and it makes sense, and it's not, you know too far out of the box, and you know, I'm able to just figure it out. Now what I do a lot of times is I'll bypass solo sections, sometimes I'll play I'll get a loop going and I'll play a solo. Other times I'll bypass the solo section, if it's a big dual harmony solo section. Does it make any sense for me to be up there strumming you know, four or five chords. So I try to make it ..
MAL-
4 or 5?
MICHAEL-
well, two or three or six or seven or however many. I try to figure out a way to make it work.
MAL-
Now with you mentioning someone shouting out a song from the crowd. Is a setlist set or are you taking requests?
MICHAEL-
I try to at every show, you know, be in the moment. So sometimes I take request, sometimes I don't, it just depends on what I'm feeling. And not every show's the same. You know, I do have a set list that I pretty much for the most part, follow and stick to, but sometimes it changes, sometimes I'll cut a song and add a song in its place. Sometimes I'll say what do you guys want to hear? And people start, you know, yelling out songs and requests and and sometimes I don't even know them. They'll say, Hey, can you play like, you know, 'Two bodies one mind one soul'? And I'll say, Well, I would if I could, but I don't know it. I haven't played that since 1991. And then other times they'll yell out, you know, 'Lonely' or 'First love' and I'll play a little bit, a little bit and pieces of that song. But you know, it's all about having fun to me. and engaging the crowd, making it an enjoyable experience for everyone and just a fun night. So when people leave and they go home they say, Well, you know what, we really had a good time. 
MAL-
That's what it's all about. 
MICHAEL-
Absolutely. It's all about that if you're not having a good time in life, just in general, then you know, you need to you need to change the scenery.
MAL-
Now, how often are you doing this solo stuff, I mean, fitting in with STRYPER?
MICHAEL-
Well, I tell you, it's, it's still tricky. I mean, I'm, I'm trying to balance and juggle, you know, STRYPER vs solo, and not just performing acoustic solo but performing with the full band. I'm planning on doing some shows with the full band next year. And it's always tricky trying to figure out how to make everything work, because STRYPER is the priority as it should be. But I also want to you know, go out and perform and you know, promote, and you know, play a lot of the solo songs for the fans as well. I just released a new album called '10'. And I want to go out with a full band and play these songs live. You know, I think it's unfair to not do so. So it's something that's very important to me. And that's going to happen next year for sure.
MAL-
Let me just ask you one question from the past. It really fascinated me and floored me when I found out about you with BOSTON. Now, how did that come about? 
MICHAEL-
Yeah. Well, I was one of many singers that was asked to perform at what was supposed to be the last BOSTON show, ever. Okay, and that was in 2007 in Boston, and Brad Delp as we all know, sadly, tragically took his life and they were going to do a one off show that was a fundraiser for Brad and I was asked along with Sammy Hagar, Anne Wilson, Mickey Thomas, and numerous other singers to come and perform. And what happened was, it went from me performing one or two songs to me performing four or five songs because they had a few of the other singers drop out and they weren't able to make it. So I went, I performed with BOSTON, and after the show, it went so well it was such an electrifying evening, that Tom Scholz was very pleased with how everything went he came in he asked me to join the band.
MAL-
What went through your head when that happened?
MICHAEL-
Well, I had to go in the bathroom and clean my shorts. Yeah, you know. And it was it was a very odd surreal moment. Because I just, BOSTON's one of my favorite bands is heavily influenced by BOSTON, that First BOSTON album changed my life and my world. And to be asked to join BOSTON's like, are you kidding me is this reality but but I Of course said yes,
MAL-
Of course.
MICHAEL-
Yeah. And it was a very tough time. I mean, my wife, Kyle was sick at the time with cancer. And I was her caretaker. And I didn't know if this was even feasible or possible. But I had her support and she really pushed me to do that. I wound up joining the band going out in 2008 in touring with the band and doing 56 shows with STYX as the opener and every night was a 'pinch me' moment on stage every single night.
MAL-
That's crazy.
MICHAEL-
Yeah, it really was. It really was, and you know, what's even more crazy people say to this day is that I left BOSTON. You know, I left the band BOSTON in 2011 to devote 100% of my time to the band STRYPER. And I have people come up to me to this day who say what are you nuts? I guess I am. I don't know.
MAL-
I guess you are. It's all good. It's all good. What's the plans going forward? You're coming here to Australia you're doing three shows Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne solo and acoustic. What happens after for Michael sweet?
MICHAEL-
Well when I get home, I'm going to take a nice day to recuperate. I'm sure I'll be all jacked up from that time change and jet lag. And then I'm going to set up shop right here where I'm sitting in my little den area, I got a fireplace here, turn on the fireplace with my computer, and my iPad, couple of little Bluetooth speakers. And I'm going to start writing the next STRYPER album, I'll work every day, one day on one song, usually a song a day and after a few weeks, three weeks tops. I'll have the whole album and then I got the holidays, Christmas time. I'm gonna take a few days off for that. The guys are coming out on January six to my house. We're going to start working doing pre production on the new STRYPER album. We start recording on January 19th.
MAL-
Awesome. And next year, you'll be solo touring with the full band. And then I'm imagining some STRYPER tours as well.
MICHAEL-
Yeah, next year, I'll be definitely touring with the full band solo, STRYPER fly dates. And you know, who knows, I never know what to expect. I never know what's coming my way. I just take it day by day. And you know, there's so many opportunities that come my way that I pass on. I say no to and so many that I say yes to. So I don't know what opportunities are going to be coming my way knocking on my door that I'm going to say yes to. I know that there's always something around the corner and I'm just thrilled to still be able to do it. I'm very blessed, very fortunate, and very thankful.
MAL-
How's Perry Richardson's going in STRYPER?
MICHAEL-
Oh my gosh, I can't even tell you how incredibly well it's going with Perry. He's a godsend to this band. We love him. I've even gone on record as to say and that's not to take away from the past or the history of the band. But I've gone on record to say that I you know, 'Where were you in 1984?' you know, and we love him that much. I mean, he's such a great person. And he's such an amazing, astonishing bass player and singer, so we love him.
MAL-
Michael, thanks so much for taking my call. Really good luck on the solo acoustic tour here in Australia. Best of luck with the new album and the new STRYPER album you haven't written yet. And wish Oz all the best from all of us.
MICHAEL-
I will man Thank you so much. God bless you. much appreciated and I look forward to getting to Australia sooner than later.