Stryper

alldatndensum wrote:

Are you having a seizure?

You could say that....

Bottom line is that this is not a real band at all, it is a Mike Sweet solo record that features former members of Stryper and has the name because it will sell more records. If that sounds cynical, so be it, but that's really what it is. It seems likely that Stryper was that way from the very beginning, but ignorance is bliss, and I still enjoy the old Stryper albums.

If you are someone who is comfortable with this setup, and like the songs, then enjoy it. I'm not at all comfortable with that setup and did not care that much for Reborn anyways. I've heard clips of the new one, and while it sounded better, it's a far cry from the sound I want from a Stryper record. I'm passing.

And I am well able to separate Mike Sweet's status as an artist and the man himself. I wish him only the best personally and will be praying for him and his family in the loss of his wife.

MetalFRO wrote:

^^ Perhaps, but we need to be cutting them some slack. Plenty of "bands" have been one or two guys doing most of the work, and the other "band" members just touring & sharing the spotlight. People need to get over themselves. Robert is a solid drummer, but not so great that someone else couldn't emulate his style and he pick it up for the tour. He has lots going on, and if he had commitments already, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I am not an "insider" in any way, but from my understanding, Robert wanted to play on the record, but was not allowed to do so because Mike felt he wasn't ready.

Robert's work ethic and talent should be beyond question at this point. Menchen's Red Rock album is just brilliant, IMO, and I'll stack his work on that album up against MBP without having properly heard it at all, confident that it will be at least as good and probably better (no slight intended against Kenny Arnoff, who is awesome).

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Robert's work ethic and talent should be beyond question at this point.

What work ethic? He lost the demo CD, didn't say anything for months and he doesn't practice at all. Then everyone else in the band is just suppose to put up with it? Com'on people... everyone is an adult (40+) they not teenagers any more. I'm not saying that Robert isn't one of the most talented drummers of his time, he is, when he applies himself.
Stryper is not a guitar solo driven band like IMPELLITTERI, or for that matter a drum based band. If you listen to most of Robert's recent projects he might sound great but it sounds like a drum based album. There are way to many runs, off beats etc... almost sounds like a drum solo in every song.

Big3, Stryper & management didn't have the time or money to spend on extra studio time or worse yet spend extra time in post production trying to fix everything. So what did they do they hired arguably the best studio drummer available (Kenny Aronoff). I actually applaud them for getting the best available person at the time. They could have just brought in some smuck to get it done and save a few $$ but they wanted to insure that they put out the best possible album they could. I'm sure it was a very hard and sorrowful decision by all the band members. This wasn't Michael decision alone, Oz has said publicly it was a band decision.
They must have worked a few of the issues out because a year after it was recorded they did a mini tour in Spain and guess who was behind the kit, Robert.
We can all speculated till Jesus comes back but in the end it was the bands choice and it ain't going to change.

Stryped Forever wrote:

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Robert's work ethic and talent should be beyond question at this point.

What work ethic? He lost the demo CD, didn't say anything for months and he doesn't practice at all.

That's one side of the story....

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We can all speculated till Jesus comes back but in the end it was the bands choice and it ain't going to change.

And my opinion still won't change, and I still won't buy it. That's my decision to make.

I'll buy it. 'cause I'm a completeist! And it also sounds good. It's a shame that Robert didn't get to play on it, but hey ho these things happen.

Fundy

Im sorry Robert didn't get to play in it either, but I don't think that's any reason not to buy the album and support the band. They know a lot more behind the scenes stuff and Im sure there's probably a lot more to the story than they're not telling us. But there's NO WAY Im about to let something like that stop me from buying the latest album of one of the best Christian Metal bands in time!!