Static-X, Interview: Tony Campos Discusses the Band’s Future

2023-10-18

Image of industrial metal band Static-X.

Static-X – Story by Anne Erickson, photo by Jeremy Saffer

Static-X Interview: Tony Campos discusses the band’s future post-Wayne Static

Longstanding industrial metal band Static-X are currently on tour as part of the Machine Killer run, playing alongside Sevendust and Dope. The band is also gearing up to release their long-awaited new studio album, “Project Regeneration: Vol. 2,” due out Jan. 26, 2024. As with the first volume, this record features never-before-released vocals from late Static-X frontman Wayne Static.

On tour, Static-X is performing with the character Xer0 as their frontman. For a long time, fans were losing their minds trying to figure out the identity of Xer0. (It’s since been revealed as Dope vocalist Edsel Dope.) But, those fans were missing the point.

“That was the whole point behind having not necessarily a known figure as the frontman taking the vocal duties,” Static-X bass player Tony Campos tells Audio Ink Radio. “Because, from day one, I didn’t want to present this like, ‘There’s Static-X with their new singer.’ Opposite. I wanted the focus to remain on the anniversary of ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’ and to have the focus be on the original lineup and to have the focus be Wayne and remembering the good times we had with Wayne. I felt like, if we bring in some new guy and say, ‘Here’s the new singer,” all the focus is going to the new singer. Instead of putting a name and a face on that new singer, we just made it a character. I think the Xer0 character fills that spot of representing Wayne in a cool way without saying, ‘Here’s the new singer.'”

In the interview, Campos told Audio Ink Radio that “Project Regeneration: Vol. 2” has the very last vocals the band has from Wayne, “unless somebody presents us with some more, and I doubt that. I’m pretty sure we’ve exhausted everything.” But, he also said Static-X plan to continue to release new music with Xer0. They’ve already done it on previous releases, and it went well, so why stop the band now?

“I don’t know about making full records anymore, because records aren’t really how people listen to music anymore. But, as far as recording new music without Wayne’s vocals, there’s a couple of songs on volumes one and two that don’t have Wayne’s vocals on them. We got Xer0 to do the vocals on them, and I think they sound pretty cool. So, if we do proceed with more new recorded material, more than likely, we’ll have Xer0 singing on them.”

He added that the reason Static-X want to keep making music is because the fans seem to want it. “It seems like that’s what the fans want. The fans have been really receptive to Zer0 and how he’s approached the vocal duties. As long as the fans want us to keep doing this, I’m more than happy to do it.”

Static-X will remain on the road, on the Machine Killer tour, though early November. Then, all the focus is on the band’s upcoming album. Listen to the full interview with Tony Campos of Static-X via the player above or on Apple Podcasts here and Spotify podcasts here.

Want more podcasts? Find Audio Ink Radio’s recent interview with John Corabi here.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Interviews, Metal, Music, Rock

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