Jump to content

Skillet (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 132.33.132.19 (talk) at 11:33, 6 April 2010. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Skillet

Skillet is a Grammy-nominated Rock band originally formed in Memphis, Tennessee. The band consists of John Cooper (lead vocalist, bassist), his wife Korey Cooper (rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist), Ben Kasica (lead guitarist), and the newest member Jen Ledger (drummer, vocalist). Skillet has released eight albums, two receiving Grammy nominations: Collide and Comatose.[1] Over the past 13 years, Skillet has spanned many different genres, including hard rock, industrial rock, and symphonic rock. As of March 2010 they have sold 1.6 million albums worldwide.[2]

Band history

Early years (1996–1999)

Skillet formed in 1996 with two members: John Cooper, former vocalist for Tennessee progressive rock band Seraph, and Ken Steorts, former guitarist for Urgent Cry. The two bands met through touring together, but those bands disbanded soon after, so John and Ken's pastor encouraged them to form their own band as a side-project. [1] Coming from different styles of rock music, they decided to name the experiment Skillet. After Trey McClurkin joined the band as a temporary drummer. Skillet was only together for a month when they received interest from major Christian record label ForeFront Records. In 1996 they released a self-titled debut Skillet. It was well-received, and the trio continued to write new material as they toured the United States. One topic that comes up often among fans and the band itself, is the name 'Skillet'. John Cooper, the lead vocalist, explains that it was a joke at first. Each starting band member was already in a separate band, and all decided to start a side project. Since each other band had a different sound and style to it, the side project was said to be like putting all of those styles in a big skillet to come up with something unique. Hence the band name 'Skillet'. The band name is still somewhat of a joke between the band members, especially Cooper, who claims to still not like the title.

Skillet recorded their follow-up album throughout 1997, titled Hey You, I Love Your Soul, which was released in April 1998. Their second effort was a change in style from the band's first release. With this release, Skillet would abandon their post-grunge approach for a lighter alternative rock and a style. His wife Korey was enlisted soon after to play keyboards live in order to alleviate John's live performance duties.

Invincible, Ardent Worship and Alien Youth (2000–2002)

Shortly before the band began recording for their third album, Invincible, Steorts left the band to be with his family, and Kevin Haaland joined the band as their new guitarist. Korey Cooper joined the band permanently and played keyboards for the recording of Invincible. Because of this change, the musical style on Invincible changed to a more electronic sound.[3] Soon after the release of Invincible in early 2000, Trey McClurkin parted ways with Skillet, and Lori Peters filled the drummer's position. Invincible would be Skillet's best selltuiting record thus far.

The band released their first worship album, and fourth album overall, Ardent Worship in Fall 2000. The band kept much of their sound from Invincible on their next album Alien Youth.[3] With little time between touring and recording, Skillet released Alien Youth on August 28, 2001, which was the first album that John Cooper took on production duties. Before the release of Alien Youth, Haaland left the band, and Ben Kasica took over on guitar. The first single, the title track, was a major hit in the Christian market and drove Skillet into their first headlining shows.

Collide (2003–2005)

In 2003, Collide was released by Ardent Records. It caught the attention of Andy Karp, the Head of A&R of Lava Records, and in 2004 the rights to Collide were bought by Lava Records, a division of Atlantic Records. On May 25, 2004, Collide was re-released under Lava Records, with an added track, "Open Wounds". Collide was yet another musical shift for the band. Citing Linkin Park and P.O.D. as inspiration for the musical shift on Collide, Cooper said "Well I’m one of these song writers, everything I hear goes through my John Cooper filter of what I like and what I don’t like... all these things... have been an influence on me."[4]

Comatose (2006–2008)

Skillet's album Comatose was released on October 3, 2006. It features the singles "Rebirthing," "Whispers In the Dark," "Comatose," "The Older I Get," "Those Nights," and "The Last Night". On September 15 of 2006 Skillet was the main event band at la Broome County church in New York. They played for a youth group opening called the Elevate Launch. they played with Decyfer Down, and the youth group band.

In January 2008, Skillet announced that their drummer, Lori Peters, was retiring from the band, feeling that "it's time for her to come off of the road and start a new chapter in her life."[citation needed] Peters' last concert with Skillet was on December 31, 2007.[5] However, during the 2007 Christmas season, she took the time to train Skillet's next drummer, Jen Ledger.[5]

On October 21, 2008, Comatose Comes Alive was released; a CD/DVD combo featuring live recordings of the band's May 9, 2008 concert in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was shown on the Gospel Music Channel on December 5, 2008. Skillet's Comatose Comes Alive CD also had a B-side with ("Live Free or Let Me Die") as a single, also with five acoustic tracks which you get by putting the Comatose Comes Alive CD in your computer.[6]

The Comatose album was certified Gold in sales by the RIAA on November 3, 2009.[7]

Awake (2009 - present)

Skillet announced that they went into the studio January 12 to finalize the new record with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson. They added two songs ("Hero" and "Monster") from the new record to their setlist on April 2, 2009 in Evansville, Indiana as part of their Comatose Tour 2009.[citation needed]

The title of Skillet's next studio album, Awake, was announced on April 17, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana.[citation needed] The album contains 12 songs and was released on August 25, 2009.[8] "Hero" was released to radio on May 19, 2009 as the album's first single, and "Monster" was released on July 14, 2009. They also released a deluxe version with two extra songs "Dead Inside" and "Would It Matter", along with the original, radio edit of "Monster" that does not have the distorted growl as in the single and in the CD. The song Hero was used in the publicizing of the first football game of the 2009 NFL season between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, and the song "Monster" was used in the episode "Jason: The Pretty-Boy Bully" on MTV's Bully Beatdown. "Monster" was the theme song for the WWE event WWE Hell in a Cell while the song "Hero" was the theme song for WWE Tribute to the Troops and Royal Rumble 2010, as well as both songs being included on the official soundtrack for the WWE video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010.

"Monster" is also the opening theme song for the AHL team "The Lake Erie Monsters" in Cleveland, Ohio. And it also serves as the opening theme of "The Fresno Monsters" of Fresno, California.

"Monster" was aired at the beginning of several ACC football games on Raycom Sports during the 2009 season.

The album was released on August 25, 2009. It charted at #2 on the Billboard top 200 selling around 68,000 units in its first week.[9]

It also tied the record for highest-charting Christian album on The Billboard 200 with Underoath's 2006 release Define the Great Line and Casting Crowns' 2007 release The Altar and the Door, as all three albums debuted at #2.[10]

On February 18 Skillet was nominated for 6 Dove Awards for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards.[11][12]

Tours

Skillet performing live on April 12, 2008 at Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana.

In the middle of 2006, Korey Cooper took a break from performing, due to her pregnancy with their second child. Her back-up guitar and keyboard role was temporarily filled by two people: Andrea Winchell (who would later become the Cooper's nanny) on keys, and Chris Marvin of The Spark on guitar.

Skillet teamed up with Ron Luce & Teen Mania Ministries on their Acquire The Fire Tour across the United States & Canada in 2007. When they returned Skillet teamed up with Flyleaf to co-headline the Justice & Mercy Tour,the tour was postponed/canceled after a number of shows due to Flyleaf's lead singer, Lacey Mosley's vocal problem. They will team up with Luce's Global Expeditions program on a missions trip with teens this summer on a trip to Mexico. In 2008 they joined up with Teen Mania Ministries and toured Acquire the Fire.

Skillet joined Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, and Seether on the first half of their tour in fall 2007.[13] Then Skillet headlined their own Comatose Tour alongside Thousand Foot Krutch, and traveled to approximately 30 cities. The tour started on March 28 and ran through May 11, 2008.[14] Skillet toured again from April 2009 through June 2009 with Decyfer Down and Disciple. This tour was called Comatose Tour 2009 (essentially a second branch of the 2008 Comatose Tour). In fall of 2009, Skillet began touring with Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down, and The Letter Black to promote Skillet's album Awake. The Awake & Alive Tour will encompass 52 cities from October through January. Skillet appeared at the 2009 Night of Joy Christian Rock festival at Disney Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.[15] This marks the band's first absence from Universal Studios Orlando's Rock the Universe in five years. Rock the Universe, which Skillet has often commented as their favorite show each year, is on the same nights as Night of Joy. On September 26, 2009, Skillet appeared at Awakening Music Festival in Leesburg, Virginia, alongside Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, Disciple, Decyfer Down, and others. Skillet also played at the Super Dome in New Orleans for the ELCA National Youth Gathering in 2009.

Skillet has announced that in January of 2010 they will be Touring with Puddle of Mudd and Shinedown through the East Coast of the USA.[16][17] They also announced on their live chat with fans on December 5th that they will be touring with TobyMac in March and April of 2010. This was later expanded upon as the "Awake Tonight Tour" named after both artists new albums.[18] House of Heroes will join the bands on that tour as well.

In February of 2010 Skillet has been confirmed as one of the groups to perform at the fourth annual "Rock on the Range" 2-day event in Columbus, OH alongside acts such as Godsmack, Rob Zombie and Three Days Grace.[19] The Band announced also in February 2010 that for the second leg of their "Awake and Alive Tour" they will be touring with Red and The Letter Black.[20][21]

In April 2010, Skillet has confirmed that they will perform in Richmond, VA alongside Papa Roach and Chevelle.

In May 2010 Skillet will be performing at "Rockfest" in Omaha, NE along side Godsmack, Rob Zombie, Papa Roach, and Alice Cooper.[22]

Band members

Current
Former
  • Ken Steorts – guitar (1996–1999) founder of Visible School in Memphis, TN, a music and worship arts college)
  • Trey McClurkin – drums, backing vocals (1996–2000)
  • Kevin Haaland – guitar (1999–2001)
  • Lori Peters – drums (2000–2007)
Touring
  • Billy Dawson - guitar (2000)
  • Faith Stern – keyboards, backing vocals (2002–2003)
  • Chris Marvin – guitar, backing vocals (2002–2003, 2005–2006)
  • Andrea Winchell – keyboard (2005–2006)
  • Tate Olsen – cello (2008–present)
  • Jonathan Chu – violin (2008–present)
  • Scotty Rock — backing bass (2009–present)

Discography

Main article: Skillet discography

Albums

In the media

Television

Video games

Films

Awards and recognition

Grammy Award nominations
  • 2005 nominee, Best Rock Gospel Album: Collide[27]
  • 2007 nominee, Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album: Comatose[28]
GMA Dove Awards
  • 2003 nominee, Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year: "Vapor"
  • 2008 Rock Recorded Song of the Year: "Comatose" at the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards on April 23, 2008.[29]
  • 2008 nominee, Artist of the Year
  • 2009 nominee, Group of the Year
  • 2009 nominee, Rock Album of the Year: Comatose Comes Alive
  • 2009 nominee, Long Form Music Video of the Year: Comatose Comes Alive
  • 2010 nominee, Artist of the Year
  • 2010 nominee, Group of the Year
  • 2010 nominee, Rock Album of the Year: Awake
  • 2010 nominee, Rock Song of the Year: "Hero"

References

  1. ^ CCMMagazine.com: Skillet Closes Out 2007 With Grammy Nomination. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  2. ^ http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=351476243540
  3. ^ a b Skillet - a Review of The Phantom Tollbooth
  4. ^ Interview at MusicFaith
  5. ^ a b Skillet News
  6. ^ Skillet News
  7. ^ RIAA official site. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  8. ^ "CCM - April 2009 [4 - 5]". Nxtbook.com. April 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  9. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/skillet/awake/1277421
  10. ^ http://www.billboard.com/album/skillet/awake/1277421#/album/underoath/define-the-great-line/785760
  11. ^ http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/02/18/41st-annual-gma-dove-awards-nominees-announced/
  12. ^ http://ardentrecords.com/520/
  13. ^ IGN: Breaking Benjamin Fall Tour Schedule
  14. ^ CCMMagazine.com, Skillet Announces Spring Comatose Tour
  15. ^ "Awake & Alive Tour". skillet.com. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
  16. ^ http://tunelab.com/2009/11/14/skillet-announce-new-tour-with-shinedown-and-puddle-of-mudd/
  17. ^ http://www.wmmr.com/music/news/story.aspx?ID=1165921
  18. ^ http://tobymac.com/awaketonight/
  19. ^ http://rockontherange.com/lineup.html
  20. ^ http://www.itickets.com/tours/887.html
  21. ^ http://ardentrecords.com/tour/?14c77b60
  22. ^ http://www.897theriver.com/concert.asp
  23. ^ http://www.cbs.com/primetime/joan_of_arcadia/tunes/index.shtml
  24. ^ http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/sdvsraw2010/exclusives/music
  25. ^ http://www.rockband.com/zine/skillet-superchick-dlc
  26. ^ http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=247611843540
  27. ^ Skillet News January 06, 2005. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  28. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2007 grammy nomination was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  29. ^ 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards Recap at Gospel Music Channel
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Skillet_(band)&oldid=354297407"