John Cooper, frontman of American Christian rock band Skillet, says he is “surprised” by the “backlash” he has received from many internet users regarding the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
In a new interview with Rock Feed (see below), Cooper is asked about the “backlash” he faced during the pandemic when he spoke out against mask and vaccination protocols for concerts.
He replies: “Yes, it’s very funny. It's funny because I never wanted to be someone who talked about it [ces choses] ; I just wanted to make music. But I felt we had reached a critical point…”
He continues: “I don't know much about the history, but I like it – and I was reading about Leninism in Russia when people said, 'Well, I know something's wrong, but I'll get through it.' ' I'll go with the flow'. I also read about a Christian theologian named [Dietrich] Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was in Germany in the 1940s, [et il] was one of the first to speak out against this madman called Hitler, who everyone followed – including Christians. He had a radio show and said: “Churches, this guy is dangerous. 'You have to stop'. And they kept yelling at Bonhoeffer, saying, “Why are you so confrontational?”…Our founding fathers [aux États-Unis] doesn't want us to just follow everything the state tells people; That’s not what America is about.”
He adds: “It cost me a lot. I was very surprised. For me it was the most “punk rock” thing I could do: shake up the established order a little.”
Skillet's latest album, titled Dominion, was released in January 2022 via Atlantic Records.
Additionally, Cooper released another book titled Wimpy, Weak And Woke on November 14, 2023.