John Cooper (musician) explained

John Cooper
Birth Name:John Landrum Cooper
Alias:John L. Cooper, Doggie
Birth Date:7 April 1975
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Instrument:Vocals, bass guitar
Occupation:Musician, singer, songwriter
Years Active:1989–present
Current Member Of:Skillet, Fight the Fury
Past Member Of:Seraph

John Landrum Cooper (born April 7, 1975) is an American musician. He is lead vocalist, bassist and a founding member of the Christian rock band Skillet.

Early life

Cooper has stated on numerous occasions that he was born and raised in a very religious family and atmosphere, and listening to rock music was not allowed in his parents' household.[1] "You couldn't wear black, you couldn't listen to anything with drums, anything with guitars, you couldn't have long hair, you couldn't do this and you couldn't do that. Everything was so lifeless. I know I'd read the Bible and be like... 'This isn't what the Bible says. I like the idea of living for Jesus, but I hate the idea of living for you.' Ya know?"[2]

Cooper came from a musical family. His mother was a piano teacher and a singer in the church that he went to. He began singing at a very young age, playing guitar at around the age of 18 and bass guitar at the age of 19.

Career

Cooper was briefly in experimental rock group Seraph from 1989 to 1995. The band released a four-song demo, titled Silence E.P., before disbanding.[3]

Cooper formed Skillet in 1996 with Ken Steorts. Both had met while touring for previous bands; Cooper as vocalist for the Tennessee progressive rock band Seraph and Steorts as guitarist for Urgent Cry. The bands disbanded soon after, so Cooper and Steorts' pastor encouraged them to form their own band as a side-project. Coming from different styles of rock music, they decided to name the experiment Skillet. Soon afterward 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 and were signed soon afterward. Ken Steorts left the band in 1999 and Trey McClurkin left the band in 2000 leaving Cooper as the only founding member of the band and primary songwriter.

Cooper provided vocals for !Hero: The Rock Opera. According to a review, Cooper did not tour with the rock opera. He only provided vocals for the Rabbi Kai on the soundtrack.[4] Cooper was the co-writer of the Decyfer Down single "Best I Can".[5]

He sang on the title track of TobyMac's album, Tonight, which peaked at No. 27 on the Christian Songs chart.[6] [7] He performed vocals on We as Human's song "Zombie",[8] which appeared on their debut self-titled album and made a cameo appearance in the music video for "Strike Back".[9] He signed them to his record label.[8]

Cooper started a side project, Fight the Fury, in September 2018. He hopes the band will meet the needs of those who enjoy Skillet's heavier music. The band released an EP on Atlantic Records later in 2018 and then went on tour in Russia in December.[10] As of October 27, 2018, They have released five songs.[11]

Personal life

As of 2024, Cooper and his wife Korey have two children.[12]

Cooper has been an outspoken critic of the "deconstruction movement", believing that many churches are neglecting to teach the gospel as written in the Bible: "It is time for the church to rediscover the preeminence of the Word. And to value the teaching of the Word. We need to value truth over feeling. Truth over emotion."[13] [14] [15]

Influences

His favorite bass guitar players are Chris Squire and Doug Pinnick.

Discography

With Seraph

With Skillet

See main article: Skillet discography.

With Fight the Fury

Singles

YearSinglePeak positionsAlbum
Christ.
Rock
[18]
2018"My Demons"25Still Breathing
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Other appearances

Year! scope="col" rowspan="2"
TitlePeak Chart PositionsArtistAlbumNotes
Christian
Rock
US Christ.
US Christ. Airplay
[19]
US
Main.
2010"Tonight"2727TobyMacTonightFeatured artist[20]
2011"Zombie"23We As HumanWe As HumanFeatured artist[21]
2018"Warrior"2
[22]
LEDGERLEDGER EPFeatured artist, writer[23]
2023"Wolf"21Saint AsoniaIntrovert/ExtrovertFeatured artist

Bibliography

Eden graphic novel series

Nonfiction

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Skillet – Interview with vocalist and bass player John Cooper . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/PrUQqEwnx6M . December 19, 2021 . live. Guitar Mania EU. November 21, 2013 . YouTube.
  2. http://www.creationfest.com/ Creation Festival
  3. Web site: Seraph | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's . Myspace.com . July 6, 2011.
  4. http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/concerts/!Hero.asp !Hero – The Rock Opera Tour
  5. Web site: Decyfer Down. HollywoodJesus.com. June 21, 2019.
  6. tobyMac Tonight Chart History. Billboard. December 31, 2017.
  7. Web site: Tonight (feat. John Cooper Of Skillet). Amazon. September 5, 2017.
  8. Web site: Justin Cordle of We As Human. HardrockHaven.net. August 6, 2013. June 21, 2019.
  9. Web site: We As Human - "Strike Back" (Official Video). Skillet.com. August 3, 2013 . June 21, 2019.
  10. Web site: SKILLET's JOHN COOPER Launches Metal Project FIGHT THE FURY. September 19, 2018. September 19, 2018.
  11. Web site: Fight The Fury - Still Breathing EP. JesusFreskHideout.com. June 21, 2019.
  12. Web site: Skillet: 5 Things to Know About the Band's Touring Family. PEOPLE.com. January 15, 2021.
  13. Web site: Skillet's John Cooper says it's time to stop putting people as Christianity's 'source of truth'. Chvnradio.com. May 21, 2023.
  14. Web site: Skillet's John Cooper is Deconstructing Deconstruction. Faithstrongtoday.com. January 28, 2021.
  15. Web site: Christian Rocker on Deconstruction Movement: Too Many Churches Not Preaching the 'True Gospel' - Michael Foust. Christianheadlines.com. May 21, 2023.
  16. Web site: Seraph (6) . 2023-03-07 . Discogs . en.
  17. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3AFight%20The%20Fury&f[1]=ss_chart_search_title%3A%2AStill%20Breathing%20%28EP%29%2A&f[2]=itm_field_chart_id%3A-&f[3]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=1&artist=Fight%20The%20Fury&title=Still%20Breathing%20%28EP%29 Chart Search Billboard]. Billboard. July 19, 2019.
  18. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3AFight%20The%20Fury&f[1]=tm_imprintlabel%3A%2AAtlantic%2A&f[2]=itm_field_chart_id%3AChristian%20Rock&f[3]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=1&artist=Fight%20The%20Fury&label=Atlantic Fight The Fury Chart History (Christian Rock)]. Billboard. July 19, 2019.
  19. tobyMac Chart History (Christian Airplay). . June 2, 2019.
  20. Web site: Open.spotify.com . Tonight . 2010-02-05 . 2023-03-07 . en.
  21. Web site: Open.spotify.com. Zombie (feat. John Cooper) . 2011-06-21 . 2023-03-07 . en.
  22. Christian Rock Week of 8 December 2018. . 16 July 2019.
  23. Web site: Open.spotify.com . Warrior (feat. John Cooper) . 2018-04-13 . 2023-03-07 . en.
  24. Web site: Wimpy, Weak and Woke w/ John Cooper – Ezra Institute . 2023-11-07 . www.ezrainstitute.com . October 18, 2023 . en-US.