INDUSTRIAL MUSIC ICONS STATIC-X TAP INTO
WAYNE STATIC’S DEMONS WITH MUSIC VIDEO
FOR THE DRUG FUELED TRACK “STAY ALIVE”
Song Comes From The Band’s Upcoming Album
Project Regeneration: Vol. 2 Out November 3rd –
Now Available for Pre-Order at http://www.static-x.com/
Band to Co-Headline The Machine Killer Tour Alongside
Sevendust Kicking Off in October
On the heels of the excitement about the recent announcement of the upcoming Fall co- headline tour, industrial music icons Static-X are releasing a music video for the first original track from the upcoming album Project Regeneration: Vol. 2. The song “Stay Alive” is one of the last original compositions Wayne Static was working on before his passing in 2014. The song’s lyrics echo Wayne’s state of mind during this tragic time, as he professes himself to be a “professional addict” and screams the words: “I just need you to survive – Cut you up to stay alive.” The track features Wayne Static on lead vocals, along with the original Wisconsin Death Trip lineup of Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda and Ken Jay. The video was directed by Static-X producer/creative director/longtime friend Edsel Dope and co-directed by Matt Zane. Outtakes from the Wayne Static “Assassins of Youth” video – originally directed by Matt Zane – were added to help fully portray Wayne’s disturbing vision for the song. According to the bands former sound engineer Eddie Ortel: “Wayne was working on this track the night that he passed away.”
“We knew that if we were going to release this song, we wouldn’t be able to tip toe around this tragic subject,” says Tony Campos. “The first draft of the video was really hard for all of us to watch, so we ended up removing many of the more graphic scenes. As dark as this piece of art may be, it is also a very honest representation of where Wayne was at during this controversial time. My hope is that when people see this, that they understand the cautionary tale that Wayne’s life ultimately became and can avoid some of those pitfalls.”
“We always want to remember Wayne as the intelligent, funny, Star Trek loving, rock star,” adds Aimee Pittman – Wayne’s younger sister. “It makes his family sad and angry to see Wayne depicting himself in a way that we understand to be a realistic portrayal of his life and the choices that ultimately ended it. If one person watching this video can benefit or make better choices related to drugs and alcohol, then we are grateful for the reminder.”
With the success of their last release Project Regeneration: Vol 1 and on the heels of their recent multiple city sold-out Rise Of The Machine tour, Static-X have reinvigorated their fan base and brought Evil Disco back to the masses. The original lineup of Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda and Ken Jay backed by frontman Xer0 have proven that Static-X is back and better than ever. The Rise Of The Machine tour sold out 37 of its 42 dates, while showcasing the largest stage production that Static-X has ever put together. The band promises that the production on The Machine Killer Tour is going to be even bigger and more impressive this time around. Continuing to create new music, Static-X announced Proj
A tour reunion that is over two decades in the making will return this Fall. In 1999, metal legends Sevendust, Static-X, & DOPE were each exploding onto the scene, while pairing up to create one of the most memorable tours of the year. Fast forward to 2023 and this incredible tour package is primed to deliver a super-charged evening of unforgettable music for newfound and lifelong fans of this resurging genre. The Machine Killer Tour co-headlined byStatic-X & Sevendust is named after the GOLD certified sophomore album Machine by Static-X and their recently acclaimed Rise Of The Machine tour, along with the upcoming fourteenth studio album from Sevendust, Truth Killer. The 21-city tour will kick off on October 6th in Houston, TX. Along the way, the tour will make stops in the Sevendusthometown of Atlanta, GA (October 10), Detroit, MI (October 17), Kansas City, MO (October 23) and others before wrapping up in the Static-X hometown of Los Angeles, CA (November 1). Rockers DOPE (who also participated in the 1999 tour) and newcomers Lines of Loyalty will act as support for The Machine Killer Tour. More information on tickets and VIP packages can be found HERE.
The Machine Killer 2023 Tour Dates
October 6 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
October 7 – Dallas, TX – The Factory Deep Ellum
October 8 – Little Rock AK – The Hall
October 10 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
October 11 – Murfreesboro, TN – Outside at Hop Springs
October 13 – Greensboro, NC – Piedmont Hall
October 14 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
October 15 – Lancaster, PA – Freedom Hall
October 17 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
October 18 – Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde
October 19 – Gary, IN – The Hard Rock
October 20 – Clive, IA – Horizon Event Center
October 22 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
October 23 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre
October 24 – Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Theatre
October 26 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium
October 27 – Albuquerque, NM – REVEL
October 28 – El Paso, TX – Speaking Rock
October 30 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
October 31 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
November 1 – Los Angeles – The Wiltern
L to R: Ken Jay, Koichi Fukuda, Xer0, Tony Campos
Photo Credit: Jeremy Saffer
About Static-X
One of the genre-defining bands of the late 90s, Static-X was founded in Los Angeles CA in 1994 by lead vocalist/guitarist Wayne Static and drummer Ken Jay. The band lineup was rounded out by bassist Tony Campos and guitarist/programmer Koichi Fukuda, who collectively inked a deal with Warner Bros records. Static-X rose to fame with their 1999 platinum selling debut album Wisconsin Death Trip and went on to release five more albums over the course of the next decade: Machine in 2001, Shadow Zone in 2003, Start A War in 2005, Cannibal in 2007, and Cult Of Static in 2009. The band has sold more than 3-million albums in the US alone and has had multiple chart-topping radio singles. They have toured the world extensively, and to this day, maintain a reputation for being one of the best live acts in heavy music. In 2012, the band took a break to pursue outside creative interests and on Nov. 1, 2014 Wayne Static unexpectedly passed away. In 2018, the band announced that they were reforming to celebrate Wayne Static, and in 2019 embarked on a world tour to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their debut album. The reformed lineup of original members Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda, Ken Jay and backed by frontman Xer0 delivered acclaimed performances by fans and critics alike. The tour was a massive success, with sold-out shows around the world , proving that Static-X fans remain as committed to the band as ever before. The revitalized Static-X continue to make headlines with their sold-out touring and new music while keeping their signature Evil Disco sound alive.
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.
