STATIC-X On Former Guitarist TRIPP EISEN: 'His Issues Have Nothing To Do With Us'

STATIC-X has accused its guitarist Tripp Eisen of "attempting to gain credibility through his past association" with the band.

STATIC-X's comments come two days after BLABBERMOUTH.NETpublished an interviewEisen gave to "Totally Driven Radio" in which he revealed that he was involved in the making of the band's upcoming album. Titled "Project Regeneration", the disc will feature the last recordings of the group's late frontman Wayne Static, who passed away more than four years ago. The rest of the band's original lineup — bassist Tony Campos, drummer Ken Jay and guitarist Koichi Fukuda — will also be featured on the album and in the music videos.

The news of Eisen's involvement with "Project Regeneration" did not sit well with many of STATIC-X's fans who objected to the fact that a convicted sex offender was collaborating with the group on new music. (More than a decade ago, Eisen served time for meeting and sexually assaulting two underage females in January and February 2005.)

Asked by a fan on Instagram if it's true that "a known sex offender" was working with STATIC-X on the band's new album, the group responded: "Listen! Let me make this very clear. Wayne, Tony, Ken and Koichi are the ORIGINAL line up of the band and we are celebrating our 20th anniversary & memorializing our friend Wayne!!! The 3 of us and Wayne are the TOTAL focus of this album and this tour. That guy was in static x for a couple years prior to HIS OWN personal troubles. His issues have NOTHING TO DO WITH US!!! ... He was a co-writer on songs with Wayne & the band in the past. Some of those old songs ended up being tracks that Tony and the producers recovered some of Wayne's unreleased, isolated vocals on. Those isolated vocals have never been heard and they are very special and some of the final pieces of art that Wayne left behind. Clearly, the guy you mentioned is promoting his new band by mentioning his PAST involvement with Static-X and he is attempting to gain credibility through his PAST association. Tony, Koichi and ken entered the studio together, along with their touring vocalist 'xer0' and they have been working diligently to craft some amazing music underneath Wayne's unreleased vocal tracks. Tony, Koichi, Kenny, and xer0 are the only people participating In the recording of this new album. Aside from Wayne's vocals and a couple guest vocalists, NOBODY ELSE is involved in the recording and production of his album. Tony, Ken, Koichi and touring vocalist 'Xer0' are the only people that have been in the studio recording and working with the bands original producer Ulrich Wild on this incredibly special new album. End of story."

Tripp — whose real name is Tod Rex Salvador — joined STATIC-X in 1999 and recorded three albums with the platinum-selling band.

Eisen's new group, FACE WITHOUT FEAR, also features Ken "Mantis" Hoyt (CRUSHPILE) on vocals, TJ Cooke (METHODICAL) on drums, and Dante on guitar.

FACE WITHOUT FEAR will make its live debut on August 25 at QXT's in Newark, New Jersey. An EP is tentatively due this summer.

Two years ago, Eisen told "Totally Driven Radio" that his arrest and prison sentence was "a difficult time of my life" and insisted that he has "learned from it" and "grown. What happened to me was really bad judgment, terrible mistakes that I made, and I paid a price for 'em," he said.

Thanks: bennythemoose1979