After the Storm with Skillet

Multi-platinum achieving hard rock act Skillet recently dropped their brand new 'After the Storm' EP! (To see our review, view here). We had the opportunity to chat with the band about 'After the Storm' and all things Skillet!

There are a lot of heavy themes with this one including betrayal, grief, anger, depression, etc. But also faith, hope, and perseverance . Can you share a little bit about the thematic concept behind After the Storm?

John Cooper - “Well I think that what Skillet has done well is having two aspects we touch on (in the EP) of heartache and hope. We have always been authentic and raw. While admitting that life can be difficult and speaking about it from a perspective of I won't give up and I don't want you to give up. Life is hard and people suffer, and sometimes you get in a cycle you can’t break out of. There is a tinge of hope at the end.

You're on the road in support of After the Storm, including doing some stops internationally next year. What has been your favorite part about taking these tunes on the road?

John - "Well it's really wonderful! Right when we released "Scream" at the next show people were singing it. That doesn't always happen, because it may take a song a while to connect. “Scream” did not. I think people connected with the lyrcis and it was so aggressive. Things can be so bad and so hard, that I just want to scream. That was really cool, you get a lot of people talking about their stories or what they've been through. We hear stories of addiction or death in the family. They break your heart but make you feel that you have a lot to be grateful for. Connecting with the fans is best part of my job.”

The response to After the Storm has been pretty astounding! I read that combined the three singles ("Grave Stomper, "Scream" and "Lift Me Up") have combined for over 12 million streams already. What has it been like sharing such personal music with the world and how do you react to the immense positive feedback you're getting so far?

John - “You know we've always shared personal stories. That's been the backbone of our career. That's just who we have been since early on. It's very authentic. I started noticing eight to ten years into our career. I would start hearing people in interviews saying that we are raw and authentic. That's just an extension of who we are. Music has always helped me since my teenage years. Rock music has always helped me. I always viewed it as therapy. I think most people understand that now, but maybe twenty years ago that wasn't the case. Rock music has always been about helping people, it's not sex, drugs, and rock and roll.”

You're the first Christian artist to ever surpass one billion streams on Spotify. How has your faith played a role in your work as a band and in life in general?

John - “Yeah I mean, as I understand faith and how I experience it is that my faith defines everything else about me. That's the centerpiece. What kind of husband am I going to be? That's defined by my faith. Same with my music. I don't want to sing something I don't believe, that just feels immoral and not real. There are so many people that are different than me or have a different faith. But they connect to us because they feel that we are real.”

“I always promote the concept that music can be interpreted in all different ways. If I write a song called "Hero" about my hero Jesus Christ, that doesn't mean you have to interpret it that way. You can take it however you would want to take it. Your hero could be your wife or the firefighter down the road. I think we have so many fans that aren't christian because we are real and we are non judgmental. The one thing I never wanted to do, is only play music for christians. If that is what people mean by "christian" band then we are not that, we are a rock band. I want to write music for humans.

This is a question I normally ask those we have on the podcast, but I have to ask you! You're trapped on a deserted island, but can bring three albums with you. No greatest hits, just LPs, EPs, or live albums. What makes the cut?

John - I love the question, and I love the caveat because it's cheating if you go greatest hits. I’d have to say ACDC Back in Black, Def Leppard Hysteria, and Linkin Park Hybrid Theory.