In a current interview on The Adventures of Pipeman, Edsel Dope, generally known as the frontman of Dope and extensively 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 fun Static-X’s legacy.
Reflecting on his historical past with Static-X, Edsel said (through Blabbermouth), “I used to be all the time a giant Static-X fan and the 2 bands have a lot synergy. We each got here out in 1999. When you look again on the touring that the 2 bands did as we have been slicing our tooth, other than Ozzfest, virtually each tour that each bands did, we did collectively. It was like Static-X, Dope, Powerman 5000; Static-X, Dope, Worry Manufacturing facility; Static-X and Dope and Sevendust; and Static-X and Dope by ourselves. We did 250 reveals collectively within the span of our first album. That’s a variety of connectivity to those self same followers.”
Edsel defined that his years of expertise constructing an impartial infrastructure allowed him to examine 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 pal and as a band that in contrast to Static-X, who all the time had a significant label, all the time had a giant administration agency, with out all of that, and particularly with out their essential man, Wayne there, they, for a scarcity of higher phrases, have been in very unfamiliar territory. Whereas for me, I had constructed an impartial infrastructure during the last a number of years. And as a fan of Static-X, I checked out it sitting down with Tony and going, ’I believe I may help you guys. With the 20 years of constructing my very own impartial infrastructure, you may form of simply put this by that very same prism. And also you guys are very near this. So I am certain you have had concepts of how you can carry this again. However as a fan of the band, I do know what I want to see.’”
Adapting the band’s legacy was met with combined reactions at first, however Edsel remained centered on the purpose of making an expertise that will resonate with long-time followers. “In fact, every little thing’s gonna be acquired with skepticism and, like, ‘I don’t learn about this,’ and there was a variety of that, ‘No Wayne Static, no Static-X’ at first. However, once more, if you happen to’re doing it for the appropriate causes and you’ve got a imaginative and prescient for one thing that actually may help the music dwell and might actually assist individuals have these experiences… I understand how a lot I miss the band, and I do know that I’m one in every of tens of millions of followers on the market who needed to get fucking hammered and take heed to ‘I’m With Silly’ loud and dwell in a room and going, like, ‘We’re by no means gonna have these experiences once more.’ Properly, how can we modify that and do it in the appropriate option to the place individuals can’t really feel responsible once they’re smiling at a Static-X present?”
Edsel additionally famous that Static-X introduced a particular, energetic vibe to steel, one which was necessary 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 optimistic power and, for a scarcity of higher phrases, enjoyable at it, as a result of Static-X was all the time such a enjoyable band with enjoyable songs. There are a variety of steel bands which are severe. That wasn’t Static-X. Static-X was all the time this enjoyable, virtually smile-on-your-face steel band. So it was necessary for us to determine how you 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 take care of 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 attempting 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 broaden its visible storytelling. “So I don’t know. To me, it wasn’t onerous. It was simply, once more, attempting to just remember to actually make it enjoyable and let it’s concerning the music. After which, with right now’s know-how, we have been in a position to take a look at ‘evil disco’ as one thing greater than a sound and go, ‘Properly, how will 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 know-how improvement for LED screens and simply huge manufacturing props that didn’t actually exist again then which you could put by the evil disco filter. And there was a variety of actually cool, enjoyable shit to return out of that too. So I could not be extra proud and extra comfortable for my pals who’re in a position to go on the market and proceed on with one thing that all of them labored very onerous on”
Edsel praised every authentic member’s function in crafting Static-X’s sound, highlighting the workforce effort behind their traditional album Wisconsin Dying Journey. “Static-X was — after all, Wayne was the pinnacle chef. He was the Gordon Ramsey of it. However if you happen to 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 received in his automotive and moved from the Midwest out to L.A. with Wayne to begin 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 numerous 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 virtually like a techno rave evil disco album.”
Reflecting on the affect of Static-X’s revival, Edsel spoke to the band’s continued legacy and its enchantment to new followers. “So all 4 of these guys collectively are liable for that sound, and to assume that these guys wouldn’t be capable of exit and have fun the anniversaries of that album that went platinum, it wouldn’t have been honest. So I’m actually comfortable 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 degree, which — and I say this with respect, in the long run, Wayne wasn’t doing effectively and the group wasn’t actually supporting his selections anymore both. And rightfully so. So he is caught up in all of this refound success. And in some ways, it permits us to form of overlook these darker years on the finish the place he was sort of phoning it in and did not care anymore as a result of he was simply caught in one other journey.”
By way 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 probably the most purity on the earth that there is not 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?”
