STATIC-X Metal group started 'as a joke,' founder says

The group's 1999 debut disc coincided with metal's growing popularity.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Stupid is a word Wayne Static uses a lot, not when only describing Static-X's music but also when explaining the metal band's approach to songwriting and recording.
In fact, Static will tell you this aggressive group shouldn't even exist.
"It was all a joke for us in the beginning," said Static, calling from a tour stop in Denver. "We never thought we'd get signed. We sat in a room with my $60 drum machine and turned it up as fast as it would go and started laughing. We were drunk when we wrote the whole first album ['Wisconsin Death Trip']. Literally, the whole first album was meant to be a joke. And then it turned into something else. Everyone loved it."
Timing played a key role in the emergence of Static-X, with its 1999 debut disc arriving just as metal -- and specifically nu-metal -- was gaining steam nationwide. Though decidedly not nu-metal, Static-X's sound is hard and heavy without any hint of hip-hop. Static and company's brutality fit into the scene.
Considering the outfit's superficial beginnings, its early success must have been a weird or surreal experience.
Stopped being serious
"Obviously we know how to play our instruments but we had spent all of our careers trying to write these serious, crafty songs, technical guitar solos and that kind of stuff," Static said. "So we just threw it all out the window and said, 'Let's copy some old disco songs, like Donna Summer and crap like that, and turn it up really fast and change the keyboard part to a guitar part.'"
He quickly added, "And do something stupid."
Throughout its career, the thrash metal outfit has continually embraced modern industrial noises. Though breakthrough mainstream success has eluded the band, it does boast a loyal fan base. Static-X is touring its latest album, "Start A War," with a Youngstown-area date Friday at The Cellar in Struthers.
Earlier this year, the group was associated with a serious and dark situation when guitarist Tripp Eisen was arrested on charges of sexually molesting a 14-year-old girl. Soon after, he was dismissed from the band but Static worried the damage was done.
"It didn't slow us down a bit but it got to my head for a couple of weeks," said Static. "I was really worried. The main thing for me is I wanted the world to know it had nothing to do with the band and this was stuff this guy did on his own time and I think everybody saw it that way."
Recapturing origins
He added, "Ultimately, we're in a better place. We got [original guitarist] Koichi Fukada back, and a lot of people are excited about that. It's kind of the goal we were going for on this new record, to recapture some of the old spirit, so why not have the old guy back in the band, too?"
With Static-X feeling rejuvenated musically, Static said the band is already looking ahead and feeling, well, stupid.
"We're talking about getting heavier, crazier, stupider," Static said. "I've been talking with [bassist] Tony [Campos] about doing some heavy death metal riffs and some dumb disco beats, just trying to have a good time and kind of take the approach we did on the first album but just put it even further."