In a new Facebook post, Stryper’s Michael Sweet criticized the belief that rock stars have rich lives.
The singer started his words by saying:
“Music is an extremely tough business. If you’re not tough, you’ll never make it in this business. Or at least, you won’t go far. It takes hard work, discipline and determination. Relentless. Even then, it’s not easy. A constant up-and-down battle of trying to balance everything. Spending money to make money, making money to spend money.”
Sweet Advises To Be Careful About Their Expenses
Sweet continued to give advice to the young musicians who want to jump into the rock scene:
“Balancing budgets and trying to constantly and continuously makes things work financially. And even if you are very successful, you must still be very cautious and smart. Invest, save, budget. Don’t make the mistake of ‘living like a rock star.’ Live modestly and think about the future. Success in the music business is seasonal. On and off.”
He talked about the importance of working with good managing professionals:
“This is why you must have great management. People who know how to direct you on your path but more importantly, keep you from going bankrupt. Most musicians don’t think about finances. They overspend and under save. Eventually you’ll find yourself in a disastrous situation. You have to be smart with your success.”
Not All Rock Stars Are Rich
Michael addressed one misconception about being a rock star:
“There is also a huge misconception that all rock stars are rich and wealthy. It’s all relative to what you invest (time, effort, labor) back into it but it’s really not a ‘big return’ business. The payoff for me is to get to do what I love! That’s my return! Regarding finances? I’m blessed to have a smart wife and great management so I don’t spend all my money on guitars and amps. But at the same time, we don’t make a lot comparatively. For the time and effort we put into everything it’s probably less than minimum wage, to be honest.”
The vocalist finished his post with the following statements:
“What’s my point? If you’re in music or getting into music – Be smart. Be wise. Be frugal. It won’t be an easy journey or a smooth road. You will feel bumps along the way and even fall into some deep holes (wondering how you will get out). If you have a calling on your life and you know that you’re put on this earth to bless people with music, never give up. Never stop. Keep investing back into that calling and you will be blessed for doing so.”
Last month, Stryper released a new single called ‘End of Days.’ It was their first new music since the 2022 album ‘The Final Battle.’ They will start their 40th-anniversary tour on September 11 in Greenville, Tennessee, and wrap up on November 16 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.