Stryper Parts Ways With Timothy Gaines
Longtime Stryper bassist Timothy Gaines is no longer in the band, he confirmed in a recent interview. Rumors had been swirling for the past year, but Gaines told KNAC.com that the split is true.
“The Stryper thing is a touchy subject right now,” Gaines said. “I can’t really elaborate on too much of it. You would probably be the first person that I would say to that I am officially no longer a member of the band. It’s been out there for about a year now that things have been going sour. It hasn’t been officially said by either myself or the band, but, yeah, I’m no longer working with them.”
He went on to say that part of the division came from his recent divorce. As an openly Christian band, it didn’t sit well with the other members. “Nobody bothered to look into why I got a divorce. It was 20 years of a bad marriage, but nobody bothers to look into the abuse and all the stuff that went along with it,” he said. “They just see me getting a divorce and getting remarried and come to their conclusions. So whatever. People will be the way that they are. There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not the only guy in Stryper to have gotten a divorce. Everybody in the band is married to divorced people. And I’m the bad guy, but everybody else has done it too, so? Whatever. Live in glass houses and everything will be exposed at some point or another.”
The band did not comment on the bassist’s departure, though frontman Michael Sweet tweeted, “Oz, Robert & I are so excited to move forward and make the best album of our 34 year history! God is good and positivity prevails.”
Gaines opened up further in a Facebook post. “I want to thank the many fans over the years who have rallied behind THIS bass player. For me, playing the bass is all I am. Whether it be in front of a crowd of 30,000 or to a few in a living room. I just enjoy playing and making music. I have several projects that I am working on. First, another solo album. I have been writing music over the last several months in preparation. Second, I am getting ready to record another album with Faithsedge. We are hoping to tour Europe and Japan in 2018/2019. Third, I am playing in a “supergroup” of sorts, with several 80s MTV rockers. I can’t really say much at the moment, but we will be making an announcement soon. Fourth, It’s time to write a book… and that’s all I gotta say about that.”
Gaines spent 34 years in the band and is featured on 17 of their albums. A replacement bassist has not been named.
