Static-X Frontman Reads The Writing On The Wall

Josh Bell of Las Vegas Weekly writes: Wayne Static can read the writing on the wall. The frontman for industrial-influenced nu-metal band Static-X knows the genre that helped push him to success is on the wane. "The hard rock that MTV's playing and the radio's playing now is all that new, like, I call it happy punk shit, kind of silly melodies and stuff," he says with disdain. "It seems like that's what a lot of the kids are listening to nowadays." These are the words of a man who's losing his audience, whose brand of aggressive, dark, staccato heavy metal, topped with what some critics lovingly term "Cookie Monster vocals," is no longer in vogue.

Sanguine demeanor and declining record sales aside, though, don't expect Static to be writing any of that "happy punk shit" anytime soon. "Happy songs are boring," he says. "I just don't really ever feel that. I feel happy, but I never feel like writing a song about it. Intense emotions are what makes me want to write songs, and the most intense emotions are just like anger and hate, things like that. I'm afraid of happy people." Read more.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net.

Comments

[The1963Riffer]

Nu-Metal is losing an audience to Pop Punk?? "Intense emotions are what makes me want to write songs, and the most intense emotions are just like anger and hate, things like that. I'm afraid of happy people."
I say we all put happy face masks on and run around him laughing till he has a stroke

[Blackbullet]

His voice makes me laugh.

[sephiroth5789]

well i hope they keep making albums cause they play statix x stuff all the time in vegas

[unknownalone]

man, he must be listening to a different radio than mine, cause all i hear is crap like fuel, modest mouse, franz ferdinand, three doors down, etc. and i dont think that is pop punk

[unknownalone]

radio should play more emo..like thursday, taking back sunday, glasseater, hawthorne heights, a static lullaby, now that would just be awesome

[thebassmaster]

they better keep going, i will miss them

[SOAtwaD]

static-x has a b-sides album coming out tomorrow (July 20th).... The sad thing is I used to concider myself a huge static-x fan, I mean, I've seen 'em like 5 times now... and I'd be lying if I said that I knew they had this new album coming out

[FLESH_INTO_GEAR]

Static X rule and i don't think they will ever lower themselves to playing "Happy Punk" music.

[RoCkEr4LyFe]

what is this world coming to huh.....what ever happened to metallica, ac dc, van halen, korn, staind, chevelle, and more...that stuff had balls man...not this crappy punk music like yellowcard and story of the queer that is crap oh and afi...i hate punk music...stupid fags...we need to bring back the days when it was rock baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!screw punk

[RoCkEr4LyFe]

dont forget....cky, slayer, def leppard, and tenacious d they rock.....let punk die!!! all you punk rockers suck!!! im in a local band in Texas and we usually blow the other bands we play with away.....ya know why ......cuz their all punk and were the only ones who are different ......punk all sounds the same and will nonexistent in a few years so all you faggy punks out there wearing your pink clothing and faggy clothes and your hats turned to the side can disappear......you think your all bad and ya know what rock is.....you dont know...if ya whine about what i said punks then you can just go and suck on yo mommas tit cuz i dont wanna hear it.......to all you rockers out there.........ROCK FOREVER BABY!!!!!!!!!

[Scruufer]

First off, Static X is an amazing band with some pretty intense guitar work, amongst other highlights, in their music. Im tired of great bands like this getting packaged, shipped, and parcelled under a crap title such as " Nu - Metal ". Can any one define Nu - Metal? I doubt it. Hard rock is hard rock, whether its papa roach, korn, or all the way down to Static X. Secondly, This pop punk genre is another cookie cutter excuse to push as many crap bands out there as possible. Ban selling records to any one under 16 and youd have no more Pop - Punk. Pretty cool when your fan base isnt even old enough to drive to your concerts eh?

[Embryodead]

nah they don't have alot of intense guitar work, but their simplicity is whati love about them, you can goto their shows and just have a good time

[PsychoWolfD]

Static-X is a great band, even though its industrial nu-metal. Maybe the thing Static is complaining about 'happy punk shit' is because its all whiny and all fruity/gay. That I agree with.

[Awesome_Will]

Music is going down hill. The only rock band left is Black Label Society goddamnit! Zakk wylde is the man.

[noops]

to the guy who said radio should play more "emo"...no.

[CkY freak]

Nu metal makes me cry.



Because it sucks.

god yes

[PopRxcksandCoke]

Well I'm a fan of punk, emo, metal, ska, metalcore, psycobilly and all that. I don't think there is anything wrong with any of these types of music. As long as it isnt rap or hip-hop, it's all fine.

[ndat]

don't count your apples before their in tha basket, you never know whats going to take popularity. In many cases I've been completely dumb founded at what becomes popular, so I wont count nu-metal out just yet.

That however was a horriblew interview, he said some really really stupid things. I hope he was drunk so he at least has an excuse.

[DR132]

well I'm under 16 and I think pop, punk music sucks ass. I listen to slayer, metallica, megadeth, ac/dc, BLS, and yes static x and it all kicks ass.

[soadlp02]

I say we all ban together and kick every little new found glory,simple plan kids ass. They won't fight back "Hey guys, can't we just go to the mall?" So I say, why not? It'd be fun.

[Scruufer]

Popularity, and genres are not a musicians word. They are the corporate lackies word. Nu - metal and pop punk and all that are just names. Like i said earlier, try defining either or. Wayne here said what he said because its exactly what he thinks, and thats that. Your opinions on his comments are pointless. And i missed something in my earlier post. I forgot to mention about the declining Cd sales. When you buy a CD, your not supporting the band persay, you are telling the companies what music the general populace wants. Thats nice to bitch and complain about simple plan and all that, but if you keep ripping stuff off of kazaa and what not, and the only people who buy cds are the so called " pop - punkers ", then guess what, your gonig to be hearing it everywhere beacause thats what the companies think sells. Get smart. Dont buy punk / pop / rap what ever...buy your artist that you like, support them through sales, and youll see them come back. The consumer runs the industry, the industry does not run the consumers.

[realiztik]

Scruufer : I think you had a few good points, but I think there is a MAJOR point you missed. I think everybody should stop watching MTV. That's what is telling kids what's "cool". If one band comes out with a hit song, you'll hear 20 more new similar songs within a month. One MTV goes away, you'll have the underground scene prevail. That's where to real music is.

[Twilight]

Don't worry MTV is killing itself. All you see on MTV now is reality shows anyway. It's just a matter of time.

[Hostile87]

I ***ing hate punks.. whenever I see one i want to rip thier hearts out. I find it hard to believe that more people actually listen to whiny music with no talent than rock and metal classics. I mean c'mon... how the hell can somebody think an idiot playing powerchords repitively in the same fret and cant play a solo on top of it is good and the "best band in the world". Any band that has mostly teenage girls and cross dressing gender confused guys as thier fanbase is an absolute pile of crap and deserves to be playing on the street begging for money. Rock and metal used to be great and original but MTV has ***ed that up with thier publicity and videos.

[Fender_Guy]

screw pop punk, screw nu-metal, screw MTV, im starting a neo-psychadellic movement. WHOS WITH ME!

[ooda]

death to punk rock. METAL FUKING RULES.

[Scruufer]

*sighs* again, didnt ANY one bother to read? Are most of you that brainwashed as to label music by a genre instead of giving each group theyr due? " pop punk bitches "... whos to say your not one to someone else?.. jeesh.. i give up, and realiztik : THANKS. i did miss that. You atl east caught on to what im saying.

ssssspppppppaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmm deleted.

[Necronomicon]

I agree, punks are sh*t. Metal is THE sh*t. I hate it when I see some stupid punk kid that listens to like Blink 182 or something and thinks they're hard or buys a nice guitar like a BC Rich or something to play little powerchords on thinking they're better than me. Strange that the bands you don't see are the bands that everyone listens to.

[riffer_raffer]

old metal kicked ass... nu-metal sucks it

[RoCkEr4LyFe]

THANK ALL YOU ROCKERS OUT THERE FOR YOUR LOVELY WORDS OF HATE TO PUNK ROCK...IM GLAD IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WISHES PUNK WOULD DIE.......

[ozzy_master]

Don't worry MTV is killing itself. All you see on MTV now is reality shows anyway. It's just a matter of time.

amen to that. also the little time they DO play music, its like yellowcard, simple plan, or g-unit(lol they make me laugh). they've forgotten REAL music. METALLICA, OZZY, SABBETH, AND ALL METAL F UCKIN RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shea3Blink]

"Awesome_Will:
Music is going down hill. The only rock band left is Black Label Society goddamnit! Zakk wylde is the man."

ever heard of velvet revolver or metallica?? idiot

[tyler larsen]

BLS sucks and they arent rock anyway,their THRASH ya' idiot.

[Ember Ellusion]

Static X rules they got sweet guitar work and i like the digital intro in their song "the only" keep up da gd work yo

[mudmonkey]

They got a new album?? and its out??

[Xeno]

Everyone stop generalising punk as all these shitty bands like Simple Plan and Blink 182. Punk was when we had stuff like The Clash, The Ramones and Bad Religion, they were good bands, the new genre is pop-punk. They think punk is about whining about relationships.

[Detra_J]

I've noticed on several topics, ppl mention MTV 4 bein the reason the state of rock is shitty, but ne 1 seen kerrang? It pretends 2 b a rock station and does play sum good music occasionaly, but regularly plays hip-hop, pop punk, etc Kerrang is worse than MTV, coz at least MTV dusnt pretend 2 b a rock station

[Night_Soul]

I saw Static-X in June and it rocked! pop Punk sucks...

[PopRxcksandCoke]

Pop punk sucks like Simple Plan, Good Charlotte and Yellowcard. But punk still rocks, like Dillinger Four, Pennywise, Bad Religion, Sex Pistols and the rest of em. Pop Punk makes everyone think that all punk sucks, goddammit.

[franksciante]

static x are heavy and all... BUT EVERY SOBG IS BASED AROUND A BIG LOW C POWER CHORD!I mean c'mon... how the hell can somebody think an idiot playing powerchords repitively in the same fret and cant play a solo on top of it is good *holds head and sighs*

[franksciante]

i quoted the "i mean c'mon" bit from hostile87 by the way.

[StrcturalDfekt]

necron- i cudnt agree more. i hate punk bands that think they are hard. static-x is sick. but wayne needs to return to the voice he used in WDT and somewhat in machine. if static-x goes happy punk then i will give up on music.