Writer: Nick Dicocco
Static-X front-man Wayne Static passed away in 2014 at the age of 48. Static was a larger than life performer and personality. Most fans believed that the band died with Wayne. In 2019 something special happened. A spark was relit. Original band members Bassist Tony Campos, Guitarist Koichi Fukuda and Drummer Ken Jay decided to reunite with a new singer as a way to express their love and respect or Wayne and to keep his memory alive.
The announcement of the reunion was met with mixed emotions. Some fans were incredibly excited to hear the band live again, while others thought it was in poor taste to tour without the band’s namesake. Detractors wrote the tour off as a “money grab” but the truth was simpler than that. The band members loved Wayne and the music that they created together. They wanted to give the fans a chance to hear the music live and to perform those songs together.
I was lucky enough to attend three of the dates on the 2019 reunion tour and they were incredible. From the first note I had goosebumps. Tony Campos really took charge of reuniting the band and recruiting a singer who would handle Wayne’s duties, no small task. The new singer wears a mask and goes by the name “Xer0.” Together with the other three members, they brought the “Evil Disco” back to life. Xer0 looks and sounds like Wayne in so many ways. Hiding his identity keeps the focus on Wayne’s legacy. The show isn’t about Xer0, it is about the music that Static-X made together. Xer0’s stage presence is electric. The man is a fantastic performer and he is very aware of the legacy that he is continuing. He clearly has love for Wayne Static and respect for the music and fans. There has been rampant speculation online about his identity. Campos has said that Xer0 was the first and most obvious choice when talks of reuniting began.
In 2020 the band released their first album of new material in eleven years. The record, entitled “Project Regeneration Volume 1” was made using previously unreleased vocals from Wayne Static. Production on the album was handled by Uhlrich Wild who had worked with the band on several of their previous releases. Listening to the new tracks, you can tell that a lot of love, care and work went into bringing these songs to life. A music video for the track “Terminator Oscillator” was directed by Static’s friend and fellow musician Edsel Dope of the band Dope. Many Static-X fans believe that Edsel is in fact the man known as Xer0, but he has repeatedly denied being the mystery man.
Static-X will be releasing “Project Regeneration Volume 2” later this year. The record will use the last of the unreleased Wayne Static material, making up thirteen brand new songs. Among these tracks is a stellar cover of the Nine Inch Nails classic “Terrible Lie.” The band recently released a video for this as a sneak peek at the upcoming record.
Static-X toured with Rob Zombie last summer as part of Zombie’s annual “Freaks on Parade Tour” with fellow Nu-Metal legends Mudvayne and Powerman 5000. The band will embark on their “Rise of the Machines” tour with co-headliners Fear Factory. Support acts Dope, Mushroomhead and Twiztid will join them for the tour which kicks off February 25 in San Francisco. The tour will bring them fairly close to the Capital District. In March they will play New York City, Boston and New Haven, CT. All three cities are within a three hour drive, well worth it to celebrate the life, legacy and music of Wayne Static.
Wayne may be gone, but he will live forever in the hearts of his fans and bandmates. His music will never die, the Evil Disco will live forever.
