Skillet

Skillet was an American Grammy-nominated christian rock band from Memphis, Tennessee. The band formed in 1996.
Band members
Current members
John Cooper - lead vocals, bass (1996-present)
Korey Cooper - guitar, keyboard, vocals (2000-present)
Jen Ledger - drums, percussion, backing vocals, co-lead vocals (2008-present)
Seth Morrison - lead guitar (2011-present)
Tate Olsen - cello (2008-present)
Former members
Ken Steorts - guitar (1996 - 1999, founder of Visible School in Memphis, TN, a music and worship arts college)
Trey McClurkin - drums (1996 - 2000)
Kevin Haaland - guitar (1999 - 2001)
Jonathan Salas - lead guitar (2011)
Billy Dawson - rhythm and lead guitar (2000-2001)
Chris Marvin - rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2002-2003, 2005-2006)
Faith Stern - keyboards, backing vocals (2002-2003)
Andrea Winchell - keyboards (2005-2006)
Scotty Rock - bass guitar (2009-2011)
Jonathan Chu - violin (2008-2015)
Drew Griffin - violin (2017)
Lori Peters - drums (2000 - 2008)
Ben Kasica - guitar (2002 - 2011)
Career
Debut titled-album and the Gasoline music video (1996-1997)
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. 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.
Tracklist
1. Gasoline
2. Saturn
3. Promise Blender
4. I Can
5. Splinter
6. Safe With You
7. Paint
8. Boundaries
9. Shovel
10. My Beautiful Robe
11. You Thought
12. Darn Great Day
Hey You, I Love Your Soul and the More Faithful music video (1998-1999)
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 style. His wife Korey was enlisted soon after to play keyboards live in order to alleviate John's live performance duties.
Tracklist
1. Hey You, I Love Your Soul
2. Pour
3. Scarecrow
4. Whirlwind
5. Dive Over In
6. Locked in a Cage
7. More Faithful
8. Your Love (Keeps Me Alive)
9. Take
10. Deeper
11. Suspended in You
12. Coming Down
13. Last Day Of Summer
Invincible and Ardent Worship and the Best Kept Secret music video (2000-2001)
Shortly before the band began recording for their third album, Invincible, Steorts left the band to be with his family and launch Visible Music College, a modern music ministry college located in Memphis, Kevin Haaland joined the band as their new guitarist, and 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. Soon after the release of Invincible in 2000, Trey McClurkin parted ways with Skillet, and Lori Peters filled the drummer's position.
In late 2000 (several months after Invincible was released), The band released the worship album, and fourth album overall, Ardent Worship. The band kept much of their sound from Invincible on their next studio album Alien Youth. With little time between touring and recording.
Invincible Tracklist
1. Invincible
2. Best Kept Secret
3. Come On To The Future
4. You Take My Rights Away
5. Rest
6. The Fire Breathes
7. You're Powerful
8. Say It Loud
9. Always The Same
10. I Trust You
11. Each Other
12. The One
Ardent Worship Tracklist
1. You're In My Brain
2. Angels Fall Down
3. Shout to the Lord
4. Your Name Is Holy
5. Who Is Like Our God
6. Jesus Be Glorified
7. We're Thristy
8. Jesus, Jesus (Holy and Anoinated One)
9. Sing to the Lord
10. How Deep The Father's Love For Us
11. Safe With You (remix)
12. Be Thou My Vision
Alien Youth and the Alien Youth music video (2002-2003)
Skillet released Alien Youth on August 28, 2002, 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.
Tracklist
1. Alien Youth
2. Earth Invasion
3. Rippin' Me Off
4. Come My Way
5. Will You Be There
6. One Real Thing
7. The Thirst Is Taking Over
8. Eating Me Away
9. Vapor
10. Stronger
11. You Are My Hope
12. Kill Me, Heal Me
13. Heaven In My Veins
14. A Little More (originally was supposed to be on Alien Youth but didn't make the record, so he re-recorded the song and released it on Collide but there is a little clip of the original recording as a hidden track)
Collide and the Savior music video (2004-2005)
On May 25, 2004, Collide was released by Ardent Records and Lava Records. The album was nominated for "Best Rock Gospel Album" in 2005. Collide was yet another musical shift for the band.Citing 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."
Tracklist
1. Collide
2. Fingernails
3. Open Wounds
4. Imperfection
5. My Obsession
6. Energy
7. Under My Skin
8. A Little More (originally recorded for Alien Youth but didn't get released on the record, so he re-recorded it and released it on Collide)
9. Savior
10. Cycle Down
11. Forsaken
12. Stand
13. Smile Again (never released)
Comatose and the Rebirthing music video (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," "The Last Night", and "Better Than Drugs". The album debuted at No. 55 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the US Top Christian Albums chart.[7]
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."[8] Peters' last concert with Skillet was on December 31, 2007.[9] However, during the 2007 Christmas season, she took the time to train Skillet's next drummer, Jen Ledger.[9]
On October 21, 2008, Comatose Comes Alive was released; a CD/DVD combo featuring live recordings of the band's concert of May 9, 2008 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 purchasers could download by inserting the CD in their computer.[10]
Tracklist
1. Comatose
2. Rebirthing
3. The Older I Get
4. Better than Drugs
5. Whispers In The Dark
6. Falling Inside The Black
7. Yours to Hold
8. Say Goodbye
9. Those Nights
10. Live Free Or Let Me Die
11. Looking For Angels
12. The Last Night
Awake and the Monster video music (2009-2011)
Skillet's eighth album, Awake,[11] contains twelve songs and was released on August 25, 2009.[12] It charted at No. 2 on the Billboard top 200 selling around 68,000 units in its first week.[13] "Monster" was released as a single on July 14, 2009. Contrary to popular belief, John Cooper stated that "Hero" was not the album's lead single. It was, however, released as a single in March 2010.[14] They also released a deluxe version with the 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. A remix on "Monster" was featured on one of their popular podcasts.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" would also become the theme song for the AHL team the Lake Erie Monsters in Cleveland, Ohio, being played in the player intros and after a Lake Erie goal, and 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. In the first week of April 2010, "Monster" was released for the Rock band music store in Rock Band 2[15] 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 No. 2.[16]
Skillet was nominated for six Dove Awards for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards.[17][18] Awake was certified gold July 2, 2010.[19][20] Also in 2010, Ardent released The Early Years, a collection of their songs from 1996 to 2003. On November 12, Skillet released an iTunes sessions EP consisting of songs from Comatose and Awake.[21] "Monster" was certified gold a day later.[22]
On February 14, 2011, Skillet officially announced that longtime lead guitarist Ben Kasica would be leaving the band. Kasica was with the band for 9 years, contributing to the albums Alien Youth, Collide, Comatose, and Awake as well as the live album Comatose Comes Alive. He played what was planned to be his last concert with the band on March 20 [23] but returned and continued touring until a new guitarist was trained.[24] On April 16, Seth Morrison replaced Kasica as the lead guitarist, and now tours full-time with Skillet.[25][unreliable source?]
Skillet announced the release of Awake and Remixed EP in early March 2011. The remixes were mainly done by Korey Cooper and Ben Kasica. On March 2, 2011, Skillet unveiled the album artwork for the album. John Cooper says the idea was conceived when Korey Cooper and Ben Kasica remixed the song Monster for their popular podcast. The four-song EP was released on March 22.[26]
"Awake" was nominated for and won the "Top Christian Album" Award at the Billboard Music Awards 2011, and the song "Awake and Alive" was announced to be on the Transformers: Dark of the Moon Soundtrack in May 2011.[27]
Tracklist
1. Awake and Alive
2. Monster
3. Hero
4. Lucy
5. One Day Too Late
6. Would It Matter
7. Never Surrender
8. It's Not Me, It's You
9. Don't Wake Me
10. Should've When You Could've
11. Sometimes
12. Dead Inside
Rise with the Sick Of It music video (2011-2015)
On June 21, 2011 John posted to his Twitter account that the band rehearsed new music for the first time and that they are getting ready for a new album.[28] At a question and answer session before a concert, John Cooper said that they would be recording a new record in January/February 2012. However, the band was then scheduled to headline the WinterJam Tour. They planned to enter the studio at the conclusion of the Winter Jam eastern tour, approximately in May, for a release in late 2012.[29]
In an interview with CCM Magazine, John Cooper described the new album as "a roller coaster ride". He states: "We have aggressive tracks, artsy and musical tracks, which is new territory for Skillet. A couple songs are classic American heartland anthems, and a couple songs are signature symphonic-classical rock Skillet. Guitars are dirty and edgier, with absolute shredding solos by Seth." One of the songs mentioned in the interview was titled "Salvation".[30]
In an Interview on January 26, 2013 in Beaumont TX, John Cooper announced that the new album, Rise, would be coming out in May 2013,[31][32] but was later scheduled for a June 25, 2013 release.[33][34] In an interview with NoiseCreep, John Cooper stated the first single and music video is scheduled to be released by late April.[35] The first single from the album, "Sick of It", will be released to US Rock radio on April 23, 2013.[36] It was later confirmed that the first single, "Sick of It", would be released on April 9, 2013.[37] The album debuted at No.4 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Top Rock Chart and Christian Album charts selling 60,000 copies in US alone during the first week of the release.[38] On July 12, 2016, Rise was certified Gold by the RIAA.[39]
The band performed the title track off Rise on the July 11, 2013 airing of Conan.[40]
Skillet was nominated and won a Dove Award for Rock Song of the Year for their song "Sick of It".[41]
Vital Signs, a compilation album released exclusively in Europe, was released October 13, 2014.[42][43]
Tracklist
1. Rise
2. Not Gonna Die
3. Sick Of It
4. Madness In Me
5. Circus For A Physco
6. Freakshow
7. Fire and Fury
8. Salvation
9. What I Believe
10. Hard to Find
11. My Religion
12. American Noise
Unleashed with the Feel Invincible music video (2015-present)
On February 16, 2015 Skillet announced they were writing material for a new album with recording to begin in June with a potential release in the late half of 2015 or early 2016.[44] On April 8, Skillet released a preview of a new song, later revealed to be called "Out of Hell", on their social media pages.[45] On May 20, 2016 the album's title, Unleashed, was announced and later was released on August 5, 2016 on Atlantic Records.[46] A lyric video, "Feel Invincible", was also made available.[47] On May 26, the lyric video and digital single "Stars" was released, along with a preview for another song titled "Back From the Dead".[48] On June 6, it was announced that "Feel Invincible" was the theme song for TBS' E-League, the live video game tournament.[49] WWE announced on July 7 that it had chosen "Feel Invincible" as an official theme for WWE Battleground.[50] On July 8, the full version of "Back From the Dead" was made available for purchase online.[51] On January 27, 2017 the band released a new recording of "Stars" with an acoustic style, which was included in the film, The Shack.[52] On November 17, 2017, they released a deluxe edition, Unleashed Beyond, containing new material such as "Breaking Free", featuring Lacey Sturm and remixes of "Feel Invincible" and "The Resistance".[53]
Tracklist
1. Feel Invincible
2. Back From The Dead
3. Stars
4. Lions
5. Undefeated
6. Breaking Free
7. Famous
8. Burn It Down
9. Out Of Hell
10. The Resistance
11. Saviors Of The World
12. Watching For Comets
13. I Want To Live
Discography
Studio albums
1996: Skillet (Grunge)
1998: Hey You, I Love Your Soul (Industrial)
2000: Invincible (Industrial)
2002: Alien Youth (Industrial)
2004: Collide (Nu metal)
2006: Comatose (Symphonic rock)
2009: Awake (Symphonic rock)
2013: Rise (Symphonic rock)
2016: Unleashed (Symphonic rock)
Worship albums
2000: Ardent Worship
Singles
Late 1990s
1997: I Can, Gasoline, My Beautiful Robe, Saturn (Skillet)
1998: Hey You, I Love Your Soul, More Faithful, Locked in a Cage, Suspended in You (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
1999: Take, Whirlwind (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Early 2000s
2000: Invincible, Best Kept Secret, You're Powerful, Rest, The One, Each Other, The Fire Breathes (Invincible)
2001: You're In My Brain, Angels Fall Down, Always The Same (Invincible)
2002: Alien Youth, Stronger, Rippin' Me Off, You Are My Hope (Alien Youth)
2003: Vapor, Kill Me, Heal Me, Eating Me Away, One Real Thing (Alien Youth)
Mid 2000s
2004: Forsaken, My Obsession, Savior, Open Wounds (Collide)
2005: Collide, Under My Skin, A Little More (Collide)
2006: Comatose, Rebirthing (Comatose)
Late 2000s
2007: Whispers In The Dark, The Older I Get (Comatose)
2008: Better Than Drugs, Yours To Hold, Falling Inside The Black, Those Nights (Comatose)
2009: The Last Night (Comatose), Hero, Monster (Awake)
Early 2010s
2010: Awake and Alive, Dead Inside (Awake)
2011: It's Not Me, It's You, Lucy, Forgiven, One Day Too Late (Awake)
2012: Should've When You Could've (Awake)
2013: Sick Of It, Rise, Not Gonna Die, Fire and Fury (Rise)
Mid 2010s
2014: What I Believe, Madness In Me, American Noise, Circus For A Physco (Rise)
2015: Salvation (Rise)
2016: Feel Invincible, Back From The Dead, Stars, The Resistance (Unleashed)
Late 2010s
2017: Breaking Free, Out Of Hell, Lions, Burn It Down (Unleashed)
2018: I Want To Live (Unleashed)
Tours
Skillet Tour (1996-97)
Setlist
Gasoline
Saturn
My Beautiful Robe
Safe With You
I Can
The Skillet Tour was a Skillet tour promoting their album, Skillet, It went from 1996 to 1997.
Hey You, I Love Your Soul Tour (1998-99)
Setlist
Gasoline (Skillet)
Dive Over In (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Hey You, I Love Your Soul (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Locked in a Cage (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
My Beautiful Robe (Skillet)
Saturn (Skillet)
More Faithful (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Safe With You (Skillet)
Your Love (Keeps Me Alive) (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Take (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Scarecrow (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
I Can (Skillet)
The Hey You, I Love Your Soul Tour was a Skillet tour that promoted their album, Hey You, I Love Your Soul, It went from 1998 to 1999.
Invincible Tour (2000-01)
2000 Setlist
You're Powerful (Invincible)
Dive Over In (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Hey You, I Love Your Soul (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Saturn (Skillet)
Invincible (Invincible)
Angels Fall Down (Ardent Worship)
Rest (Invincible)
Locked in a Cage (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Always The Same (Invincible)
More Faithful (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Your Love (Keeps Me Alive) (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
The Fire Breathes (Invincible)
Safe With You (Skillet)
Come On To The Future (Invincible)
You Take My Rights Away (Invincible)
Best Kept Secret (Invincible)
I Can (Skillet)
Gasoline (Skillet)
2001 Setlist
You're Powerful (Invincible)
Rest (Invincible)
Always The Same (Invincible)
Dive Over In (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Invincible (Invincible)
Saturn (Skillet)
Locked in a Cage (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
More Faithful (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
You Take My Rights Away (Invincible)
Angels Fall Down (Ardent Worship)
Best Kept Secret (Invincible)
I Can (Skillet)
Gasoline (Skillet)
The Invincible Tour was a Skillet tour that promoted the album, Invincible, It went on from February 4, 2000 to July 6, 2000 and April 25, 2001 to June 30, 2001.
Alien Youth Tour (2002-03)
Setlist
You're Powerful (Invincible)
Vapor (Alien Youth)
Gasoline (Skillet)
Stronger (Alien Youth)
Invincible (Invincible)
Locked in a Cage (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
One Real Thing (Alien Youth)
Angels Fall Down (Ardent Worship)
The Thirst Is Taking Over (Alien Youth)
Saturn (Skillet)
Always The Same (Invincible)
You Are My Hope (Alien Youth)
Earth Invasion (Alien Youth)
Kill Me, Heal Me (Alien Youth)
Will You Be There (Alien Youth)
Heaven In My Veins (Alien Youth)
More Faithful (Hey You, I Love Your Soul)
Best Kept Secret (Invincible)
Alien Youth (Alien Youth)
I Can (Skillet)
The Alien Youth Tour was a Skillet tour that promoted their album, Alien Youth, It went from June 15, 2002 to September 13, 2003.
Collide Tour (2004-05)
June 2004 to February 2005 Setlist
My Obsession
Energy
Best Kept Secret
Collide
Forsaken
Always The Same
A Little More
You're Powerful
Alien Youth
Fingernails
Locked in a Cage
Kill Me, Heal Me
Heaven In My Veins
Invincible
Angels Fall Down
Open Wounds
Saturn
More Faithful
Imperfection
Under My Skin
Will You Be There
Savior
I Can
July to September 2005 Setlist
Energy
My Obsession
Best Kept Secret
Always The Same
Kill Me, Heal Me
Saturn
Alien Youth
Locked in a Cage
More Faithful
Collide
Forsaken
A Little More
Heaven In My Veins
Be Thou My Vision
Angels Fall Down
Savior
I Can
The Collide Tour was a Skillet tour promoting their album, Collide, It went from June 6, 2004 to September 23, 2005.
Comatose Tour (2006-09)
Setlist
Whispers In The Dark
Forsaken
The Older I Get
Energy
Collide
Rebirthing
Angels Fall Down
Open Wounds
My Obsession
Better than Drugs
Comatose
Yours To Hold
Those Nights
The Last Night
Savior
Best Kept Secret
Awake and Alive Tour (2009-11)
Setlist
Hero
Whispers In The Dark
Collide
Forsaken
Comatose
Angels Fall Down
Monster
The Last Night
The Older I Get
Awake and Alive
My Obsession
Yours To Hold
Dead Inside
Rebirthing
Angels Fall Down
Savior
Best Kept Secret
Rise Tour (2013-15)
Setlist
Rise
Hero
Monster
Not Gonna Die
Sick Of It
Whispers In The Dark
Open Wounds
Forsaken
My Obsession
Savior
Rebirthing
Collide
Comatose
Madness In Me
Dead Inside
American Noise
The Last Night
Unleashed Tour (2017-18)
Setlist
Feel Invincible
Whispers In The Dark
Not Gonna Die
Hero
Monster
Stars
Lions
Comatose
Awake and Alive
Back From The Dead
Rise
Dead Inside
Sick Of It
The Last Night
The Resistance
References
Other websites
Official site
Skillet at Facebook
Atlantic Records
Ardent Records
SRE Recordings
Skillet at MyPraize
Skillet Channel
Prof. of Coolness Robert Ross
1996 establishments in the United States
Christian rock bands
American hard rock bands
Musical groups from Tennessee
Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee