Skillet founding member and front man John already know of Christian music and viewed it [John] To make it chronological I’ll just finish
Cooper, is not only a gifted songwriter, singer, as worse than regular rock music because it my story where I left off. My Mom passed away
and bass player, but also an articulate, candid, was “like wolves in sheep’s clothing”. when I was in ninth grade, so I was fourteen
and committed believer for the cause of Christ.
when she died from cancer. Around that time, I
The band has now become one of the best- In my youth I went to two Bill Gothard seminars started writing my own rock music. I knew that
selling bands of the 21 century, aggressively about how rock was the devil and it was the my Mom wouldn’t approve, but you know, it
touring worldwide and commanding download worst ever. All that to say, in eighth grade my was in me and I believe that it was right, and
sales and streams while remaining true to Mom was sick with cancer and dying, frankly. it was Christian music. The band that I started
their original message. We were honored Petra was coming to town, and I adored Petra, playing with introduced me to 70’s music, I had
to spend some time with John and hear his but my Mom wouldn’t let me go to the show not been aware of Classic Rock, and in that I
responses to a variety of topics, and to discuss and I threw a fit. I think feeling that she didn’t began to have a love for Prog Rock. Yes became
Skillet’s newest release, Victorious. And oh have a long time left to live she wanted to make my favorite band, and it is still my favorite band
yes, their new comic book, Eden: A Skillet things right, and she said that she would make even today. I loved Yes, and I think what I loved
Graphic Novel. a deal with me and take me to the concert, but about it was that part of the story I didn’t tell
that when Petra started playing to the devil that you. I need to rewind a bit. My Mom was a
[WM] Growing up in Memphis, you must have we were going to leave and it was going to be piano teacher and a voice teacher and a flute
certainly been exposed to numerous musical her way of showing me that she was looking teacher, so I grew up around classical music
influences. Did you have any favorite music that out for me and that Christian music was evil. my whole life, I also played the trombone. I had
your parents allowed you to listen to, and were So, we went to the show and my Mom ended a scholarship in college, and I played it pretty
there any “secret” bands that had influence up kind of becoming a Petra fan. And that’s my seriously for about twelve years. So Classical
upon you? story. Music is a big part of my background as well,
[John Cooper] Oh yeah, my story is kind So Christian music played a huge role in my life, Music with guitars and keyboard, and it was so
of funny. I was raised in Memphis which is of Petra, DeGarmo and Key, Stryper, Amy Grant, genius. The bass player, Chris Squire, played
course where Elvis was from. I was not allowed Michael W. Smith, Whitecross and all of the almost like a lead guitar player, he wasn’t just
to listen to anything with drums or guitars, and hard metal stuff, Resurrection Band, all of that playing root notes, he was playing melody and
drums were probably the worst! I was five years stuff played a huge role in my life. counter melody, and his bass tone was so
st
and when I heard Yes it sounded like Classical
old when I first heard anything outside of church
unique. He used a Rickenbacker which had
music, when I heard Michael Jackson’s “Beat Outside of that, when I was at my friends’ such a distinctive sound to it. I just fell in love
It”. I came home and sang “Beat It” to my Mom, houses, we all listened to Metallica, Bon Jovi, with that whole band, and his bass playing is
and my Mom gave me a holy butt whoopin’ for and Motley Crue and all of the metal stuff. And just a treat to listen to. So that’s just kind of
singing the devil’s music. I was like, “What do to answer your question, yes, all of that stuff finishing the story that I’d already began.
you mean the devil’s music?” I had no idea was also very influential to my music.
what she was talking about, but from that point
[WM] As a drummer, I cannot imagine the
on I knew I was never going to be able to listen [WM] I’ve read that you credit Chris Squire difficulty in playing bass and singing lead at the
to what I guess is called ‘contemporary music’. (RIP) as a big influence upon your bass playing. same time. Paul McCartney, Sting, Jack Bruce,
His bass work with the seminal progressive rock and Geddy Lee, are just a few of the very few
When I was in fifth grade, I first heard Metallica group, Yes, was nothing short of phenomenal. that have done this well. Was it difficult for you
at my friend’s house, and I had not really heard What was it in particular that drew your in learning this craft?
much of anything; no pop, no rock, nothing. attention to him?
When I heard Metallica, I was complaining to
[John] It’s a funny thing, typically if there is
my friend that there was no way my Mom would
let me listen to this because I couldn’t listen to
anything with drums in it. He said, “Well, you
know that there is Christian rock music?” And
I said I’d never heard of that, so he gave me a
Petra tape, Not of this World. I brought it home
thinking I was going to introduce my Mom to
Christian music, and as it turned out my Mom
Roundabout // Yes
September 2019
Long Distance Runaround // Yes
Subscribe for Free...
21