Metal Anarchy

Time for the next edition of Metal Anarchy’s “new music showcase,” the feature where I introduce you to artists that readers of this site may find interesting. This time I have a Q&A with Sweet Crystal.

METAL ANARCHY: Tell me a little about your band:

SWEET CRYSTAL: Thanks for having us back! I’m MarQ Andrew Speck (Q), lead vocalist and keyboard player for 26-time Detroit Music Award winning band SWEET CRYSTAL. Along with founding members guitarist Bill Blatter and drummer Steve Wieser and now joined by newest member and bass player Martin Kuchar, we have been at the forefront of the Christian rock scene here in Michigan even before this genre had its own radio and broadcast outlets. Unlike most bands that have a lifecycle of about three to five years, this band of high school buddies (myself, Bill and Steve) has been playing together for going on our 50th year together in 2024. We got together right out of high school (and actually Bill and Steve played together during high school!). To this day we get together every week to rehearse, record and just enjoy each other’s company. Does it get old after 5 decades together? Absolutely not! We just get better with age.

METAL ANARCHY: Who are your main influences?

SWEET CRYSTAL: We started out totally influenced by the progressive rock English music scene of the 60’s and 70’s: bands like Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep all left their musical marks on our writing and playing. We also listened to a lot of American bands like Kansas, Journey, Rush and Spock’s Beard to keep our creative juices flowing.

METAL ANARCHY: What is your latest release and why should readers of this site check it out?

SWEET CRYSTAL: The new single “Whatever Is Needed, Whatever It Takes’ has already garnered over 27,000-Spotify streams in it’s first four weeks online. That’s a record for us and a blessing to the band as this tune is meant to be a reminder to us all as to why we are here. The song is new and fresh but the sound remains classic Crystal, which our fans appreciate. It continues where our last release “7th HEAVEN” left off it’s a rock anthem of hope and inspiration featuring our signature guitar sounds, synth melodies, straight ahead drumming with just a few hundred chanting fans thrown in for good measure. A video for the song is in the works as well and the band is hoping that this first song from our upcoming release (slated for later in 2024) will keep both fans, followers and new listeners eagerly waiting for what Sweet Crystal has is store for this year.

METAL ANARCHY: What can people expect when they go to your live shows?

SWEET CRYSTAL: Reing a 26 time Detroit Music Award winning band here in Detroit, we intend the music, message and words we sing to make a difference in the lives of everyone who hears them. As a band and entertainer, it’s always a good idea to present your best both in performance and appearance because if you take your fans serious, then you should always want to give them the very best ‘you’ that you can. Our music is about us, but it’s also about you. We hope someone who attends a Sweet Crystal show will come away feeling better about themselves, knowing that whatever they are dealing with, chances are we’ve dealt with it as well.

METAL ANARCHY: Where do you see your band heading in 5 years?

SWEET CRYSTAL: 5 years from now? What about 50 years ago…did we know we would still be together doing what we do 5 decades later? 2024 is the band’s Golden Jubilee Celebration-5 decades of the music and message we produce and perform. Not a lot of bands can claim that, we’re thinking. Basically we plan to remain exactly who we are for as long as can. Our trademarked slogan – “Reaching The World, One Song At A Time” – pretty much says it all about our music, message, mission and ministry: we are here to reach out to a world with songs of hope and inspiration that rock!