BREAKING NEWS: Wayne Static Of Static-X DEAD At Age 48
Static-X Founder Wayne Static
Passed Away At Age 48
November 1, 2014 – Platinum selling musician Wayne Richard Wells, better known as WAYNE STATIC, passed away at the age of 48.
WAYNE STATIC was the enigmatic former frontman and namesake of Static-X, who later forged a successful solo career. Wayne was scheduled to co-headline tours with Powerman 5000 and Drowning Pool over the next several months.
Wayne Static (born Wayne Richard Wells, November 4, 1965 in Muskegon, Michigan, USA – November 1, 2014) was an American musician, and the former lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and music sequencer for the metal band Static-X. He released his first solo studio album, Pighammer, on October 4, 2011. Static died on November 1, 2014 with a cause of death yet to be released
Static grew up in Shelby, Michigan before moving to Chicago and eventually California. He was three years old when he received his first toy guitar. His parents decided at age seven to get him his first real guitar, an S12 beginner model. He was given lessons, which paid off a year later when he won a talent contest playing “Skip to My Lou” Wayne later played in his first band at the age of 12 and at that point he decided he wanted to be a musician. In High School he played in a band for the dances with classmates. Wayne attended Shelby High School and had summer jobs which included working as an asparagus picker and in a cherry canning factory.
Career
After moving to Chicago, Static created the band Deep Blue Dream with Ken Jay and Bass player Eric Harris. The group was short lived as they relocated to California and Static-X was formed along with Tony Campos and Koichi Fukuda.
Static is well known for his unusual hairstyle; his hair is held up in a vertical position, a process that takes about 20 minutes to complete. He is also known for his signature “chintail” beard.
Static announced in July 2007 that he will begin a side project, Pighammer, but in a December 2007 interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, Static stated: “The Pighammer thing will happen when I have time. At the moment though, Static-X will remain my main priority.”
Static appears on the cover of the 2009 Static-X release, Cult of Static. This is the final album released under the original lineup.
Static’s solo album Pighammer was released on October 4, 2011. As part of his Pighammer solo-project, Static formed a new lineup consisting of Brent Ashley on Bass, Sean Davidson on Drums and Ashes on Guitar. In 2012, this lineup went under the name Static-X for the Noise Revolution tour. However in October 2012 the remainder of the tour was cancelled due to Static requiring medical treatment
Wayne confirmed that Static-X had disbanded in June 2013. According to Static, the disputes between himself and the band’s former bassist Tony Campos over the rights to the use of Static-X name have gone way too far, forcing him to disband the four-piece.
He was set to play a co-headlining tour in the US with Powerman 5000 in November with American Head Charge supporting them.
Collaborations
- 2001 – Mephisto Odyssey & Wayne Static (and Koichi Fukuda) – Crash
- 2002 – Jonathan Davis & Richard Gibbs featuring Wayne Static – Not Meant for Me
- 2003 – Godhead & Wayne Static – The Giveaway
- 2004 – Skinny Puppy & Wayne Static – UseLess
- 2006 – Soil & Wayne Static – Give It Up
- 2008 – Opiate for the Masses & Wayne Static – 21st Century Time Bomb
- 2009 – My Evolution & Wayne Static – So Happy
- 2009 – Dirge Within & Wayne Static – Inhuman
- 2010 – Raymond Herrera & Wayne Static – Decimator (originally recorded in 2005, released on the nail’d soundtrack)
- 2011 – 9 Electric & Wayne Static – Destroy As You Go
- 2013 – Run DMC & Wayne Static – Noise Revolution (Recorded in 2011)
Appearances
- 2002 – Static appears in The X-Ecutioners music video “It’s Goin’ Down“, along with Mike Shinoda and Mr. Hahn of Linkin Park.
- 2006 – Static appeared in Silent Civilian‘s video “Rebirth of The Temple“.
- 2009 – Static appeared in 98 Rockfest in Tampa, Fl
- 2010 – Static appeared as a villain in Issue 4 of the Eternal Descent Comic Book series.
Equipment
- Dean “Modifier” ML,a satin black Dean ML with a contoured top, chrome hardware and chrome covered EMG Pickups (Wayne’s first use of active pickups publicly) and block inlays. This is Wayne’s first endorsed Dean after leaving ESP in 2010 – 2011.
- ESP Wayne Static Signature ESP STATIC-600 EX and V with Gun Metal Blue w/ diamond plate finish (equipped with a single Seymour Duncan Distortion at the bridge)
- Static used Epiphone Wayne Static Signature Flying Vs (with neck pickups and toggle switches removed and using Seymor Duncan Distortion pickups) before being endorsed by ESP in early 2007.
Personal life
Static was an atheist and vegetarian. After a brief courtship, he married adult film actress Tera Wray in Las Vegas on January 10, 2008. He appears as a mystery guest on an adult film Wray hosted called Radium Vol 2. They lived together in the high desert in Joshua Tree, California.
