Static X

The band Static X began in Los Angeles in 1994. Wayne Static formed the band after his former band Deep Blue Dream disbanded, along with fellow band member Ken Jay. Together, Wayne and Ken started looking for new band members in Chicago, Illinois but soon moved to Los Angeles to continue searching. There, they met bassist Tony Campos and guitarist Koichi Fukuda and Static X was born.

The band signed with Warner Brothers in 1998 and released their first album Wisconsin Death Trip the following year. From that album came several hit singles, including Push it, I'm With Stupid and Bled For Days. The group toured extensively to promote the album and even played twice for Ozzfest.

Wisconsin Death Trip Hits Platinum

The very next year, Static X released The Death Trip Continues. They also released a few songs to be added to Playstation games, including one for Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes and Omega Boost. By 2001, Wisconsin Death Trip hit platinum. It is, to date, the only album by Static X to reach that status.

Their next album, Machine, was released in May of 2001. It was a major success for the band, but hard times soon followed. Koichi Fukuda left the band after the album's release to spend more time with his family and to pursue other musical interests. He was replaced by Tripp Eisen, formerly of the band Dope.

With Tripp onboard, Static X began work on their next album, Shadow Zone. Eisen both wrote and performed on the album. Before they could begin recording, however, Ken Jay left the band. He stated his reasons as personal as well as political. Josh Freese from A Perfect Circle and The Vandals replaced Jay as drummer. Soon, however, Nick Oshiro, formerly of the band Seether, was brought in as a permanent replacement for Ken Jay. Shadow Zone was finally released in October of 2003.

Static X released their next album, Beneath…Between…Beyond, but it didn't do as well as the other albums. It was a collection of rarities and demos and fans as well as critics thought it spelled the end for the band.

The band proved everyone wrong, however, when they started recording Start A War. The album was put on hold temporarily when Eisen was arrested for a scandal involving sex with minors in February 2005. The band fired Eisen and Koichi Fukuda rejoined the band. Koichi was already in the studio, helping to mix the album. The songs "I'm The One" and "Dirthouse" were released from Start A War and a third single, "Skinnyman", was used in the popular street racing game Need For Speed: Most Wanted.

In April of 2007, Static X released the album Cannibal, which marked the studio return of Koichi as lead guitar. The single No Submission from that album was included on the Saw III soundtrack and the single was also made available on the band's Myspace page. The Cannibal track from the album of the same name was also made available for download on iTunes. The album did well and sold thirty thousand copies, making it to #36 in the charts.

Static X states that it got its influence from such bands as Ministry, Pantera and Type O Negative, and they are often compared to other bands, such as Nine Inch Nails, Danzig, White Zombie and Cold Chamber. Their sound is self described as Evil Disco or Rhythmic Hardcore, using distortion, pounding bass riffs and angry vocals, they are perfect for the stage at Ozzfest, which the band states they'll be playing in the summer of 2007.