Wayne Static Q&A

Call them tough, call them fun, but don’t call them nu-metal. Static X is at it again with their third studio album, Cannibal, a trip back to their evil disco days that will have you banging your head and looking around for a mosh pit or a pretty girl to dance with, whichever comes first. Easily one of the best known rock bands in music today, Static X is also one of the most misunderstood. We caught up with front man Wayne Static to chat about the return of Koichi Fukuda, the best metal bands of all time and the importance of stage hair.

Nokia Unwired: Your previous two albums (Shadow Zone and Start a War) were generally considered a softening of your core "evil disco" sound. Does Cannibal continue in this vein?
Wayne Static: No. Cannibal is a return to the heavy rhythmic evil disco sound that put us on the map in 1999, but it’s taken a step further. I had a great time exploring new directions on the previous two records, and now it’s time to get back to our roots.

Nokia Unwired: Cannibal marks the return of original guitarist Koichi Fukuda to the studio. How has his presence on guitar impacted the Static X sound?
Wayne Static: Koichi laid down some shredding guitar solos. He’s a very talented player and his work helped bring the record to a higher level.

Nokia Unwired: I didn’t see any reference to Otsego in the track listing for Cannibal. Is the legend over? And what exactly was that legend?
Wayne Static: I decided to go out on a limb this time and omit the expected Otsego song. Sometimes you have to take chances. Seriously, I think it was played out, and we all know time travel into the past is not possible due to mass becoming infinitely dense as it approaches the speed of light.

Nokia Unwired: Does the new album’s title hold any personal significance for you as a vegetarian?
Wayne Static: The song from which the CD title is derived is about people that eat meat and have no thought about what they’re eating. I’m not one to preach about my beliefs. I just think gnawing on a big, gristly slab of bloody flesh is disgusting.

Nokia Unwired: Name the three best metal bands of all time. What makes them the best?
Wayne Static: Pantera reinvented metal [and featured the] best guitarist that ever lived. Black Sabbath introduced the world to the dark side. KISS took theatrics to the maximum level. Their work ethic in their early years should set an example for all young bands.

Nokia Unwired: Static X is often associated with the nu-metal genre. Has this been a blessing or a bane for the group?
Wayne Static: We were lumped into that genre because of the timing of our first CD. The truth is we have little in common with the "nu-metal" sound. I feel our sound has more in common with some early 90’s bands, somewhere in between Pantera, Ministry, White Zombie and Prong. Anyone who puts the nu-metal label on us has never listened to our records.

Nokia Unwired: Static X music is harsh, aggressive, some might say even pathological. Yet one thing you’ve stressed in interviews is that it’s fun. Is there a dichotomy here?
Wayne Static: Some bands scream because they’re pissed off. I scream because it’s fun. I want to entertain people and have a party, not complain about my problems.

Nokia Unwired: Do you still have the hair? If so, how long do you spend on it before a gig?
Wayne Static: Yes, I still have the big hair. I think of my hair and beard as KISS might view their makeup. It’s part of the show and part of my onstage persona. Remember when KISS took off their make up? All we could think was, "Put it back on... please!"