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 a good time Static-X’s legacy.
Reflecting on his historical past with Static-X, Edsel acknowledged (through Blabbermouth), “I used to be at all times an enormous 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 have been reducing our enamel, except for Ozzfest, virtually each tour that each bands did, we did collectively. It was like Static-X, Dope, Powerman 5000; Static-X, Dope, Fear Factory; 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 numerous 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 buddy and as a band that not like Static-X, who at all times had a serious label, at all times had an enormous administration agency, with out all of that, and particularly with out their foremost man, Wayne there, they, for an absence of higher phrases, have 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 will help you guys. With the 20 years of constructing my very own unbiased infrastructure, you possibly can form of simply put this by way of that very same prism. And also you guys are very near this. So I am certain you’ve got had concepts of how one can convey 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 might resonate with long-time followers. “In fact, every little thing’s gonna be obtained with skepticism and, like, ‘I don’t learn about this,’ and there was numerous that, ‘No Wayne Static, no Static-X’ at first. However, once more, in the event you’re doing it for the precise causes and you’ve got a imaginative and prescient for one thing that actually will help the music dwell 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 in all thousands and thousands of followers on the market who wished to get fucking hammered and hearken 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.’ Effectively, how can we alter that and do it in the precise solution 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 steel, one which was essential to hold ahead. “As a result of at first, it’s a mourning, it’s unhappy. However that was an enormous a part of it, was to maintain throwing as a lot constructive vitality and, for an absence 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 numerous steel bands which are critical. That wasn’t Static-X. Static-X was at all times this enjoyable, virtually smile-on-your-face steel 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 frequent method of changing iconic members or rebranding, Edsel felt Static-X deserved to take care of its unique id. “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 do this?”
He noticed Static-X’s id as extra than simply the music; the “evil disco” idea was now enhanced by technological advances that permit the band develop its visible storytelling. “So I don’t know. To me, it wasn’t exhausting. It was simply, once more, making an attempt to just be sure you actually make it enjoyable and let or not it’s in regards to the music. After which, with at present’s expertise, we have been in a position to have a look at ‘evil disco’ as one thing greater than a sound and go, ‘Effectively, how will we symbolize the visible of evil disco?’ As a result of Static-X actually checked out in, like, 2009. So 10, 12, 15 years of expertise growth for LED screens and simply large manufacturing props that didn’t actually exist again then you could put by way of the evil disco filter. And there was numerous actually cool, enjoyable shit to return out of that too. So I could not be extra proud and extra glad for my mates who’re capable of go on the market and proceed on with one thing that all of them labored very exhausting on”
Edsel praised every unique member’s function in crafting Static-X’s sound, highlighting the workforce effort behind their basic album Wisconsin Dying Journey. “Static-X was — in fact, Wayne was the pinnacle chef. He was the Gordon Ramsey of it. However in the event you 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 acquired in his automotive and moved from the Midwest out to L.A. with Wayne to start out the band. That’s your companion 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 an enormous 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 answerable for that sound, and to assume that these guys wouldn’t have the ability to exit and have a good time the anniversaries of that album that went platinum, it wouldn’t have been honest. So I’m actually glad for them as a result of it was such an achievement for all of them. And likewise for Wayne’s household who’s been a part of this with us the entire time and will get to observe 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 type 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 admire it. And I can say with probably the most purity on this 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?”
