John Landrum Cooper (born April 7, 1975) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, bassist, and co-founder of Christian rock band Skillet. In addition, Cooper is the frontman of nu metal side project Fight the Fury.
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. "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?"Creation Festival 2010, YLO Interview
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 in experimental rock group Seraph from 1989 to 1995. The band released a four-song demo, titled Silence E.P., before disbanding.
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.!Hero – The Rock Opera Tour. Jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved January 9, 2012. Cooper was the co-writer of the Decyfer Down single "Best I Can".
He sang on the title track of TobyMac's album, Tonight, which peaked at No. 27 on the Christian Songs chart. He performed vocals on We as Human's song "Zombie", which appeared on their debut self-titled album and made a cameo appearance in the music video for "Strike Back". He signed them to his record label.
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. As of October 27, 2018, they have released five songs.
Personal life
As of 2024, Cooper and his wife Korey have two children.
Cooper is the author of Wimpy, Weak and Woke: How Truth Can Save America From Utopian Destruction and Awake & Alive to Truth: Finding Truth in the Chaos of a Relativistic World.
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."
Influences His favorite bass guitar players are Chris Squire and Doug Pinnick.
Discography With Seraph Silence EP (1994)
With Skillet
Skillet (1996) Hey You, I Love Your Soul (1998) Invincible (2000) Alien Youth (2001) Collide (2003) Comatose (2006) Awake (2009) Rise (2013) Unleashed (2016) Victorious (2019) Dominion (2022) Revolution (2024)
With Fight the Fury Extended plays Year Details Peak chart positions US USHeat. USRock US Hard Rock 2018 Still Breathing Released: October 26, 2018 Label: Atlantic Records Formats: CD, digital download — 1 37 12
Singles Year Single Peak positions AlbumChrist.Rock 2018 "My Demons" 25 Still Breathing "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Other appearances + Year Title Peak Chart Positions Artist Album NotesChristianRock US Christ. US Christ. AirplayUSMain.2010"Tonight" — 27 27 —TobyMacTonightFeatured artist2011"Zombie" 23 — — —We As HumanWe As HumanFeatured artist2018"Warrior" 2 — — —LEDGERLEDGER EPFeatured artist, writer2023"Wolf" — — — 21Saint AsoniaIntrovert/ExtrovertFeatured artist2024"American Horse" — — — —Black Stone Cherry Featured Artist
Producer Year Artist AlbumProducer1998SkilletHey You, I Love Your SoulAdditional Producer2000SkilletInvincibleAdditional Producer2001SkilletAlien YouthProducer2003Jonah33Jonah33Producer/Bass/Guitar2003SkilletCollide Producer2006SkilletComatoseProducer2013We as HumanWe as HumanExecutive ProducerSkilletRiseAdditional Production (Interludes)2016SkilletUnleashedProducer "Breaking Free & You Get Me High"2018Fight The FuryStill BreathingProducer/Engineering2019SkilletVictoriousProducer/ Engineering/Editing2025SkilletO Come, O Come, EmmanuelProducer
Bibliography Eden graphic novel series
Nonfiction
Cooper, John (2023). Wimpy, Weak and Woke.
Notes
References
External links