Skillet
Dec 5, 2011
Alternative rockers Skillet formed in Memphis, TN, around the nucleus of lead singer and bassist John Cooper, guitarist Ken Steorts, and drummer Trey McClurkin. Debuting in 1996 with a self-titled LP, the trio returned two years later with Hey You, I Love Your Soul. Invincible followed in early 2000, and the group contributed three tracks to the Ardent Worship: Skillet Live compilation that same year.
With a new lineup of Cooper on bass and lead vocals, his wife Korey Cooper on guitar and keyboards, Ben Kasica on guitar, and Lori Peters on drums, Skillet released Alien Youth on Ardent Records in 2001, followed by Collide, also on Ardent, in 2003. The latter album was then picked up by Lava/Atlantic and reissued the following year with a bonus track. Collide went on to be the band's best-selling album to date (even earning them a Grammy nomination), and the band supported the record on tours with bands like Saliva and Shinedown. Skillet's next effort for the label, Comatose, appeared in fall 2006, followed by Awake in 2009.
Awake charted at No. 2 on the Billboard top 200 selling around 68,000 units in its first week. "Monster" was released as a single on July 14, 2009. Awake was certified gold on July 2, 2010. Also in 2010, Ardent released The Early Years, a collection of the band's songs from 1996 to 2001. On November 12, 2010, Skillet released an iTunes sessions EP consisting of songs from Comatose and Awake. "Monster" was certified gold a day later.
Skillet announced the release of Awake and Remixed EP in early March 2011. The four-song EP was released on March 22. Awake was nominated for and won the "Top Christian Album" Award at the Billboard Music Awards 2011, and the song "Awake and Alive" was featured on the Transformers: Dark of the Moon Soundtrack in May 2011.
"It's Not Me, It's You" is the sixth and most recent single off the album. The song peaked at #10 on the US Active Rock Charts. Skillet plans to go back into the studio early 2012 to record some new material.
