Michael Sweet of Stryper Thinks Backing Tracks Are “Fine If Used Sparingly”
The debate over backing tracks rages on, and it seems like every metal musician is being asked in interviews if they support backing tracks. Blackie Lawless thinks they’re fine, Tracii Guns says they’re acceptable for industrial and other electronic-based acts, Sebastian Bach thinks it’s acceptable for really old people, and meanwhile Mötley Crüe are just desperately trying to convince people that they don’t use backing tracks when it looks like they probably do. Opinions are all over the place, but what does Stryper’s Michael Sweet think?
Despite the fact that Sweet has previously made a lot of dumbass statements as one of the most prominent conservative Christians in metal—including his claim that women taking abortion pills in public as protest are “a whole new level of evil” and his concern that the Bible will someday be canceled—his opinion on matters relating to music are a bit more sensible. And his opinion on backing tracks is downright reasonable: he thinks they’re fine if used sparingly.
In a lengthy Facebook post that Sweet made on Tuesday, he had this to say about the subject of backing tracks:
“It’s a bit odd when bands speak out against tracks when they actually use tracks isn’t it?
“The truth is many bands use tracks. Even if you think they don’t. Most musicians can hear when tracks are being used verses (sic) when they’re not. What’s really odd is when some people say adamantly that it’s live when tracks are actually running.
“We’ve always used some tracks. I’ve always spoken about that and been pretty transparent about it. We also don’t rely on tracks. We can still play if our computer goes down or gets lost. We certainly wouldn’t cancel any shows based on that. We have 2 guitar players in the band and we have 3 vocals going live at all times, on all songs.
“We only use tracks (very limited) for certain songs. Songs like Yahweh, Honestly and so on. Songs that have huge production with choir like choruses and or keys/piano. We don’t typically travel with a keyboardist or a choir;-)
“Queen was using tracks back in the 70’s to pull off songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Can you imagine if they tried to perform such an epic song with just 4 guys? It probably would have sounded nothing like the recording.
“Regardless, it seems to be quite the controversial topic these days but I think there’s a lot of miscommunication and confusion based on the subject.
“Some saying ‘if it’s not 100% live then you’re talentless and a joke’. Really? Some bands have much bigger productions than other bands and I think it’s perfectly acceptable and respectable to use a few tracks here and there to make the same statement live as you did in the studio. As long as you’re performing live and using tracks sparingly, it’s totally fine.
“To the guys out there who disrespect any band for using tracks – some of your favorite bands do! And have done so for years. That doesn’t make them any less of a band. If they’re miming and faking it completely (often the term ‘Milli Vanilli’ is used) and or didn’t even play on the recordings and or can’t play the parts recorded, then I get the frustration.
“I just think it’s a dead horse that some people so often beat”
That’s actually a perfectly reasonable stance to take. While nobody wants to go to a show and see a band lip sync and mime, it’s certainly reasonable to use backing tracks sparingly. Granted, most of us want to hear Sweet’s opinions sparingly, too, but one battle at a time.
