In a current interview on The Adventures of Pipeman, Edsel Dope, often known as the frontman of Dope and broadly rumored to be the masked vocalist Xer0 for Static-X, shared his ideas on serving to bassist Tony Campos, drummer Ken Jay, and guitarist Koichi Fukuda protect and have a good time Static-X’s legacy.
Reflecting on his historical past with Static-X, Edsel acknowledged (by way of Blabbermouth), “I used to be at all times a giant Static-X fan and the 2 bands have a lot synergy. We each got here out in 1999. In case you look again on the touring that the 2 bands did as we had been chopping our enamel, other than Ozzfest, virtually each tour that each bands did, we did collectively. It was like Static-X, Dope, Powerman 5000; Static-X, Dope, Concern Manufacturing unit; Static-X and Dope and Sevendust; and Static-X and Dope by ourselves. We did 250 exhibits collectively within the span of our first album. That’s a whole lot of connectivity to those self same followers.”
Edsel defined that his years of expertise constructing an unbiased infrastructure allowed him to ascertain a brand new chapter for Static-X, particularly within the absence of Wayne Static. “I felt like I had an actual clear imaginative and prescient as a fan and as a good friend and as a band that not like Static-X, who at all times had a serious label, at all times had a giant administration agency, with out all of that, and particularly with out their primary man, Wayne there, they, for a scarcity of higher phrases, had been in very unfamiliar territory. Whereas for me, I had constructed an unbiased infrastructure over the past a number of years. And as a fan of Static-X, I checked out it sitting down with Tony and going, ’I feel I can assist you guys. With the 20 years of constructing my very own unbiased infrastructure, you may kind of simply put this by that very same prism. And also you guys are very near this. So I am positive you’ve got had concepts of how one can deliver this again. However as a fan of the band, I do know what I wish to see.’”
Adapting the band’s legacy was met with blended reactions at first, however Edsel remained centered on the aim of making an expertise that will resonate with long-time followers. “In fact, all the pieces’s gonna be obtained with skepticism and, like, ‘I don’t learn about this,’ and there was a whole lot of that, ‘No Wayne Static, no Static-X’ at first. However, once more, for those who’re doing it for the fitting causes and you’ve got a imaginative and prescient for one thing that basically can assist the music stay and may actually assist individuals have these experiences… I understand how a lot I miss the band, and I do know that I’m one among hundreds of thousands of followers on the market who wished to get fucking hammered and take heed to ‘I’m With Silly’ loud and stay in a room and going, like, ‘We’re by no means gonna have these experiences once more.’ Nicely, how can we modify that and do it in the fitting option to the place individuals cannot really feel responsible once they’re smiling at a Static-X present?”
Edsel additionally famous that Static-X introduced a particular, energetic vibe to metallic, one which was essential to hold ahead. “As a result of at first, it’s a mourning, it’s unhappy. However that was a giant a part of it, was to maintain throwing as a lot constructive vitality and, for a scarcity of higher phrases, enjoyable at it, as a result of Static-X was at all times such a enjoyable band with enjoyable songs. There are a whole lot of metallic bands which are critical. That wasn’t Static-X. Static-X was at all times this enjoyable, nearly smile-on-your-face metallic band. So it was essential for us to determine how one can reconnect followers to that and permit them to take part in a Static-X expertise with out feeling responsible about it.”
Addressing the widespread strategy of changing iconic members or rebranding, Edsel felt Static-X deserved to keep up its authentic identification. “Or they attempt to transfer on. They attempt to rebrand it as one thing new. And it was, like, Static-X is a legacy band, bro. You attempt to take the legacy out, what the [expletive] are you doing? You’re making an attempt to take the Wayne Static out of Static-X, what are you doing? Why would you try this?”
He noticed Static-X’s identification as extra than simply the music; the “evil disco” idea was now enhanced by technological advances that permit the band increase its visible storytelling. “So I don’t know. To me, it wasn’t onerous. It was simply, once more, making an attempt to just remember to actually make it enjoyable and let or not it’s concerning the music. After which, with at this time’s expertise, we had been ready to have a look at ‘evil disco’ as one thing greater than a sound and go, ‘Nicely, how can we characterize the visible of evil disco?’ As a result of Static-X actually checked out in, like, 2009. So 10, 12, 15 years of expertise improvement for LED screens and simply massive manufacturing props that didn’t actually exist again then that you may put by the evil disco filter. And there was a whole lot of actually cool, enjoyable shit to come back out of that too. So I could not be extra proud and extra joyful for my pals who’re capable of go on the market and proceed on with one thing that all of them labored very onerous on”
Edsel praised every authentic member’s position in crafting Static-X’s sound, highlighting the group effort behind their traditional album Wisconsin Dying Journey. “Static-X was — after all, Wayne was the top chef. He was the Gordon Ramsey of it. However for those who take any a kind of guys away from that first album when the band was actually defining their sound, it’s not the identical band. Think about Wisconsin Dying Journey with out Tony Campos’s voice and with out his low-end thunder. It was an enormous a part of the sound. Kenny was the man who bought in his automotive and moved from the Midwest out to L.A. with Wayne to start out the band. That’s your accomplice in crime, dude. It doesn’t occur with out that. After which Koichi got here in on the finish and was, like, ‘Oh, I play guitar, however I do plenty of programming.’ And he was a giant a part of that digital techno rave sound that made Wisconsin Dying Journey not simply an industrial album, however nearly like a techno rave evil disco album.”
Reflecting on the impression of Static-X’s revival, Edsel spoke to the band’s continued legacy and its attraction to new followers. “So all 4 of these guys collectively are accountable for that sound, and to assume that these guys wouldn’t be capable of exit and have a good time the anniversaries of that album that went platinum, it wouldn’t have been truthful. So I’m actually joyful for them as a result of it was such an achievement for all of them. And in addition for Wayne’s household who’s been a part of this with us the entire time and will get to look at their son’s band go to a different stage, which — and I say this with respect, ultimately, Wayne wasn’t doing effectively and the neighborhood wasn’t actually supporting his decisions anymore both. And rightfully so. So he is caught up in all of this refound success. And in some ways, it permits us to kind of overlook these darker years on the finish the place he was form of phoning it in and did not care anymore as a result of he was simply caught in one other journey.”
By means of this journey, Edsel believes that Wayne’s spirit and music stay as highly effective as ever. “So it is very nice for the legacy of the entire thing that the band has been so profitable in bringing it again and bringing it to a brand new era of followers that may recognize it. And I can say with essentially the most purity on the planet that there isn’t any doubt in my thoughts Wayne Static is extra on the minds and within the hearts of the followers than he is ever been. And what extra are you able to ask for than that?”
