STEEL PANTHER: 'There Are Ideas Floating Around' For A New Studio Album

In a new interview with the "Iron City Rocks" podcast, drummer Stix Zadinia of California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER was asked if he and his bandmates have commenced work on material for their seventh studio album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We're always writing. I mean, it's, never a, 'Okay guys. Let's go write a record, let's go record a record, let's put it out.' It's a constant process. [STEEL PANTHER guitarist] Satchel does most of our writing, but we're always sending ideas back and forth — lyric ideas, song ideas. And if Michael [Starr, STEEL PANTHER drummer] comes up with a riff or I come up with a riff, we throw it in the pot and see what happens. So it's an evergreen process for us. And then when we feel like we have enough cool ideas, Satchel will demo some stuff up and then he'll send it over to me. I'll add my flavor. And then we send it to Michael and he adds his flavor. And then [STEEL PANTHER bassist] Spyder. And then we get to a point where the demos are really comprehensive. And then we go in, we track it, put a title on it and put it out. So I would say there are ideas floating around and we definitely would like to do another record at some point."

Asked if he thinks STEEL PANTHER would have had the  same staying power without songs that contain what some critics say are racist, misogynistic and lewd lyrics, Stix said: "No, there's no way. I think that had we come out with lyrics that were, like, typical of a band in 1983 or in 1987, I don't think it would have flown, because what we sing about, I think people latch on to the lyrics and I think lyrics matter.

"We're in a really weird time, and I think when we put our first record out, the really weird time — and I use air quotes with that — was starting around then," he explained. "But we had been grandfathered in because of what we had established since the '90s. And the '90s were not the really weird time as far as the political correctness. So we became this place for people to be able to come, have so much fun and not worry about offending people. And we just wrote songs that we wanted to write, and nothing was ever really intentional and it was all super from the heart. Now, I think an interesting question would be if we came out in 1985, how would we be viewed with the lyrics that we have? But I think it could have been insane 'cause I think our songs are just as good [as], if not better than, most of the bands back then. And I know that might sound blasphemous, but if you don't think that about your own band, then what are you doing in that band?"

Zadinia added: "I'm proud of that — I'm proud of not playing by the rules. And I'm proud of doing just what comes from the heart for us 'cause, ultimately, we get to keep playing these songs for people who wanna come see it, who listen to it, who may use it as a tool for that escapism. And I'm proud of that. I think it's more satisfying than if we were being told what to do, what can go on a record. We are our true own bosses, and it's awesome."

Earlier this month, STEEL PANTHER announced two more legs of its "Feel The Steel 15th Anniversary Tour". The first leg is scheduled for March throughout the United States and the second leg heads to Europe next summer. The U.S. leg of the tour kicks off on March 5 in Lincoln, Nebraska and wraps up on March 28 in Dubuque, Iowa. The tour will make stops in Boise, Idaho; San Francisco, California; Tempe, Arizona and Kansas City, Missouri, to name a few. The European headline leg kicks off on June 18 in Dublin, Ireland before concluding three weeks later on July 6 in Geiselwind, Germany. The band has already been announced as part of the following European festivals in 2025: Download (United Kingdon),Lisää Löylyä (Finland),Tons Of Rock (Norway) and Rockmaraton (Hungary).

Formed in 2000, STEEL PANTHER specializes in imitating and exaggerating the less flattering aspects of 1980s hair metal, with unrepentantly crude, non-PC sexual content as a favorite lyrical theme.

The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."

Sixteen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.

STEEL PANTHER's sixth studio album, "On The Prowl", was released in February 2023.

In September 2022, STEEL PANTHER announced the addition of Spyder as the band's new bassist.

Two months ago, STEEL PANTHER's debut album, "Feel The Steel", was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales in excess of 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

"Feel The Steel - 15th Anniversary Edition" was released worldwide on November 15. The 15th-anniversary edition features two tracks that were only released on the original Japanese import: "You Don't Make Me Feel Dumb" and "I Want Your Tits". The album was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, COREY TAYLOR).

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the album, STEEL PANTHER embarked on the first leg of the "Feel The Steel 15th Anniversary Tour". The trek kicked off in Huntington, New York on November 20 and ran through December 13 when it wrapped up in Orlando, Florida.

Photo credit: David Jackson