The band's debut album, Wisconsin Death Trip, was released March 23, 1999. Notable songs from the album include Push It, I'm With Stupid, Bled For Days, and Fix. Static-X's touring schedule in support of the album included two Ozzfest stints. The following year saw the release of the little-known EP The Death Trip Continues, and the band contributed the song "Otsegolation" to the PlayStation video game Omega Boost. Push It also appeared on the Playstation video games Street Skater 2 & Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes.
After recording their follow-up album Machine, guitarist Koichi Fukuda left the band to spend time with his family and pursue other musical opportunities. Tripp Eisen, formerly of Dope, stepped in as Fukuda's replacement. Machine was released May 22, 2001.
Static-X quickly began work on their third album Shadow Zone, this time with Eisen performing and writing on the album. Before they started recording, however, Ken Jay left the band due to "political differences." Josh Freese of A Perfect Circle was brought in to drum on the album, and Nick Oshiro, formerly of Seether, was later selected as Jay's replacement. Shadow Zone was released October 7, 2003, and July 20, 2004 saw the release of Beneath... Between... Beyond..., a collection of rarities and demos. Later that year, Wayne did guest vocals on the Skinny Puppy song Use Less.
Shortly after the release of Beneath... Between... Beyond..., the band commenced work on their fourth studio album, Start a War. In February of 2005, Tripp Eisen was arrested in a sex scandal involving minors, and was fired from Static-X shortly after. Former guitarist Koichi Fukuda, who had been mixing the new album, rejoined Static-X to fill the vacancy left by Eisen. Start a War was released June 14, 2005.
Cannibal, released on April 3, 2007, marked the studio return of their original guitarist, Koichi Fukuda. One of the new tracks called "No Submission" is available on the Saw III soundtrack. The full track has also been released on Static-X's MySpace page. "Cannibal" was released as a digital download single at iTunes. "Destroyer" was released as a lead off radio single, before the album was released. Videos for the singles were supposed to be taken at the same time.
On March 20, the upcoming album was preceded with an exclusive Destroyer EP. The video for "Destroyer" has also been produced and is available now at headbangersball.com. The album itself debuted at #36 in the U.S. with sales of over 30,000.
On May 10, 2007 it was announced that the band would be playing on the main stage at Ozzfest 2007. Additionally, in a recent interview, Wayne Static announced his side-project called "Pighammer". The chorus of the song "Destroyer" was used in an advertisement promoting the latest video game in the WWE franchise, Smackdown vs. Raw 2008.
In November 2007, Tony Campos joined legendary industrial act Ministry as a temporary touring bassist for Ministry's C U LaTour in the wake of Paul Raven's death.
The band began their sixth studio album, Cult of Static, in January 2008 after returning from the Operation Annihilation tour in Australia. In a posting at the Static-X message boards Wayne Static said that this time around he is focusing on longer buildups and break downs like in the Wisconsin Death Trip days of the band, however the album still maintains the heaviness that was present on Cannibal.
On October 14, 2008 Static-X released their much anticipated live CD/DVD, Cannibal Killers Live. On December 11, 2008 Wayne Static confirmed on the Static-X Message Board the new album's release date and name saying "I had hoped to announce it here first, but my publicist beat me to the punch! The new record is indeed entitled "Cult of Static" and will be released March 17. The "cult" part of the title is not to be taken in any religious manner, I am referring to and giving respect to the loyalty of all you good people that have supported us through the years. This record is definitely darker than Cannibal and has more synths and loops as well. And this is also the most crushing guitar tone I have ever had. There are 11 songs instead of our usual 12, and they are mostly longer and more epic than ever before." The album debut at #16 on the Billboard 200 chart, the highest a Static-X album has ever been since their second studio album, Machine. A new Static-X song called "Lunatic" appeared on soundtrack to the movie Punisher: War Zone.
In 2009, the band performed at the Download Festival. It also was the first time the band made an appearance at Rock on the Range.After finishing their final tour dates in Australia at the end of 2009, Wayne Static announced on the band's official X-Boards that he will now be focusing on his side project Pighammer. In a follow up post he was quoted "It's doubtful I will do anything with Static-X for the next couple years" leading fans to interpret that the band is still together and just on hiatus.
Later, he revealed that Tony Campos had left the band, and Campos has since joined the metal band Soulfly, taking over from Bobby Burns. Koichi Fukuda went on to join industrial metal / ambient band Drugstore Fanatics.
In 2010, Wayne Static has been confirmed for Graspop Metal Meeting 2011 as part of his 'Pighammer' solo project. He released his debut solo album "Pighammer on October 4, 2011.
In 2012 Wayne Static decided to reform Static-X, but none of the original members will join him. Instead his solo band will tour under the name Static-X.
The band's musical styles are industrial metal, alternative metal, and occasionally nu metal. But the band rejected the nu metal label and they also call their music as "evil disco". The band are influenced by metal and industrial bands like Ministry and Fear Factory.
On 1st of November 2014, news surfaced of Wayne Static's death. At this point no formal reason has been published for his passing.
Static died on November 1, 2014 in Landers, California, three days before his 49th birthday. He had consumed half of an oxycodone pill as well as alcohol that morning before going to bed with his wife Tera Wray. She woke up later that day to find that he had died in his sleep. His family issued a statement stating that rumors of his death being drug-related were false, noting that he and Wray had stopped using illicit drugs in 2009. An autopsy later confirmed that Static had died of multiple prescription drug toxicity, consisting of the painkillers oxycodone, hydromorphone, and the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam combined with alcohol, though the report also noted that years of past "chronic prescription drug and alcohol abuse" was a contributing factor.
Former Static-X members Koichi Fukuda and Tony Campos paid tribute to Static. Static was cremated in California. A memorial rock show followed in Los Angeles, and a family service followed in Illinois. In 2019 it was announced that a new Static-X album would be coming out with a new lead singer named "Xer0", who is rumored to be Edsel Dope from the band Dope.
Static-X released an album titled “Project Regeneration Vol. 1” on July 10, 2020 that features completed tracks that use demos of Wayne’s voice. The original band lineup, minus Wayne Static, contributed to this album as a tribute to Wayne. There are a few songs with the entity, Xer0, involved and one featuring Al Jourgensen from the industrial metal band Ministry. Ulrich Wild returned to produce this album along with Edsel Dope.
After multiple pushed back dates, another album called “Project Regeneration Vol. 2” was released on January 26, 2024. It features the last of Wayne’s unfinished vocal demos as well as some Xer0 original tracks. This is the final volume of Project Regeneration.
Members
Xero – vocals, lead guitar (2019-present)
Tony Campos – bass, backing vocals (1994–present)
Koichi Fukuda – lead guitars (1994–2000, 2005–present)
Ken Jay – drums, percussion (1994–2002, 2019-present)
Former
Wayne Static – lead vocals, rhythm guitars, keyboards, programming (1994–2014)
Ashes – lead guitars (2012–2014)
Brent Ashley – bass (2012–2014)
Sean Davidson – drums, percussion (2012–2014)
Tripp Eisen – lead guitars (2001–2005)
Nick Oshiro – drums, percussion (2003–2012)
Control It
Static-X Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All this sickness, you lost control
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Look within me, am I evil though
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Life, you take it
Lies, you fake it
Suffer, within me
Torn, you you break it
Life, Control it
Lies, withhold it
Suffer, you're skinny
Torn, you're wasted
Kids with defects
We're all rejects, so
Don't forget it, cold inside
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Break this take control
Take this I control it
Break this take control
Take this I control it
The lyrics of Static-X's song Control It speak about the feeling of losing control and being powerless. The opening lines "Everybody, soul and body cold, all this sickness, you lost control" paint a picture of despair and hopelessness. The song seems to address mental illness with references to memories bringing tears of years old and the suffering within oneself. The lines "Look within me, am I evil though" suggest a sense of self-doubt and guilt. The lyrics go on to mention the need to take control and break free from the feeling of being powerless, "Break this take control, take this I control it". The song is an anthem for those feeling lost and powerless, offering a sense of power and control over one's own life.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody, soul and body cold
Everyone, including their soul and physical being, is emotionally distant and unresponsive
All this sickness, you lost control
Various problems and instability have caused you to lose authority over your life
You can't get it
You remain oblivious to the situation and matters at hand
You just don't get it, no
Despite explanation or clarification, you refuse to comprehend the situation
You got zero
You lack the required skills and intelligence to handle the situation successfully
Look within me, am I evil though
Examining oneself to determine if they are immoral or wicked
Memories bring tears of years old
Recalling past events and occurrences leads to a flood of aged weeping
Life, you take it
Experience, one must face its trials and tribulations
Lies, you fake it
Deceitfulness can be used to conceal oneself
Suffer, within me
Intense torment and agony exist within oneself
Torn, you break it
Being severely damaged causes the person to break or crumble
Life Control it
Taking hold of one's life and directing it according to one's own will
Lies, withhold it
One may suppress actuality by not revealing it to others
Suffer, you're skinny
Being starved or deprived of important necessities can cause suffering
Torn, you're wasted
When something is shattered, it is unusable or turned into waste; e.g., energy, resource
Kids with defects
Young individuals with problems, disabilities, or abnormalities
We're all rejects, so
Everyone is unwanted or discarded
Don't forget it, cold inside
Remember that internally you are unfeeling and indifferent
Break this take control
Altering the situation and grasping it by force or abruptly
Take this I control it
I seize power or authority over the situation
Break this take control
Interrupting the status quo and establish a new hierarchy
Take this I control it
I now hold power over proceedings
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO CAMPOS, KENNETH LACEY, KENNETH JAY LACEY, TRIPP EISEN, WAYNE WELLS, WAYNE R. (STATIC-X) WELLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The American Forester
Everybody, soul and body cold
All this sickness, you lost control
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Look within me, am I evil though
Memories bring tears of years old
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Life, you take it
Lies, you fake it
Suffer, within me
Torn, you you break it
Life, Control it
Lies, withhold it
Suffer, you're skinny
Torn, you're wasted
Kids with defects
We're all rejects, so
Don't forget it, cold inside
You can't get it
You just don't get it, no
You can't get it
You got zero
Break this take control
Take this I control it
Break this take control
Take this I control it
Songwriters: Antonio Campos / Kenneth Lacey / Kenneth Jay Lacey / Tripp Eisen / Wayne Wells / Wayne R. (static-X) Wells
Filipe Borges
Todos frios de corpo e alma
toda essa loucura, fora de controle
você não entende
você não consegue entender, não
você não entende
não entende nada
olhe comigo, eu sou mal o bastante
para trazer as memorias que te fizeram chorar anos atras.
você não entende
você não consegue entender, não
você não entende
não entende nada
vida - tome conta
mentiras - as finja
sofra - divida
rasgue - parta
vida - controle-a
mentiras - guarde-as
sofrimento - miserável
rasgado - perdido
crianças com defeitos
todos somos rejeitados, então
não esqueça, esse frio interior
você não entende
você não consegue entender, não
você não entende
não entende nada
quebre isso tome controle
pegue isso eu o controlo
quebre isso tome controle
pegue isso eu o controlo
rioux18
Underrated band, awesome music. RIP Wayne
J M
This band's music NEVER gets old... EVER...
Tim Palmer
Couldn’t agree with this comment more
DraculaXHunter101
RIP Wayne... My favorite Static-X song. Such an amazing vocalist.
Carl Peant
+DraculaXHunter101 Same :) he made enuf good for us. RIP wayne
J M
Could have made more... :'(
Angela Cheng
Wayne died?! Fuck, all my idols are going.
XouZ
@Angela Cheng It was just 6 years ago
Steve C
He was just too much of a rockstar to be an old man.
Chris Yarborough
Rest in Peace, brother Wayne. Your album Shadow Zone will ALWAYS be my favorite. Every single song is so excellent!