In a recent interview, John Cooper, the lead vocalist and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, was asked to name his favorite 1980s Christian metal band. He responded by expressing his admiration for PETRA, noting that while he sees them more as rock than metal, they are his all-time favorite Christian rock band. However, when it comes to Christian metal, he mentioned BARREN CROSS as a favorite, describing them as reminiscent of IRON MAIDEN with an impressive vocalist. Cooper also expressed his love for other Christian metal bands like WHITECROSS and STRYPER, emphasizing that without STRYPER, bands like SKILLET might not exist. He mentioned being a fan of Christian metal in general, including the Christian thrash band DELIVERANCE.
In September 2021, STRYPER’s Michael Sweet posed a question on social media about the possibility of SKILLET and STRYPER touring together, encouraging shares and comments as a show of interest. The post received varied reactions from other musicians. QUEENSRŸCHE’s Todd La Torre, an atheist, dismissed the idea, while FOZZY’s Chris Jericho and former SALIVA vocalist Josey Scott were supportive. Sweet’s post followed SKILLET and STRYPER’s joint performance at the Rocktember Music Festival in Minnesota.
Throughout various interviews, Cooper has expressed his strong faith in God, influenced by his mother, whom he described as a “Jesus fanatic.” He has stated his willingness to risk his career to stand for Christ and believes that music, created by God, should not be seen as belonging to the Devil. Instead, he advocates for reclaiming music for the Lord. Three years ago, STRYPER and SKILLET were featured in “The Jesus Music,” a Lionsgate documentary that explored the rise of Christian contemporary music and its roots, highlighting the power of music to convey messages of passion, sacrifice, and redemption.