STEEL PANTHER To Begin Mixing New Studio Album In June

California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER are completing the recording process for their new studio album. The band, which has not yet secured a permanent replacement for its original bassist Lexxi Foxx, has been working on the effort for the last few months and is planning to enter the mix phase in June.

On Wednesday (May 11),STEEL PANTHER issued the following update via its social media: "To all Fanthers, metal heads and clickbait enthusiasts around the globe: We wanted to give you an update on all things happening in STEEL PANTHER land.

"The bass player search continues!!! We have been road testing several different people to date and so far we still haven't found the Poontang to our Boomerang. We have spoken to a bunch of people – some you have seen and some you haven't – and we won't rest until we find the next STEEL PANTHER low-end maestro to complete us like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Until then, our good friend Spyder is going to be filling in for us in Europe. We cannot wait to see you guys on the Res-Erections tour next month.

"Also – if you have come to any of our shows over the past few weeks, the rumors are totally true!!! Not only is Stix [Zadinia, drums] STD free, but we are working hard on finishing the new album. We are planning to enter the mix phase in June. We will be sharing more exciting news on that in the near future.

"We can't wait to see you on the road and on our tour bus!!"

Seven months ago, Lexxi — whose real name is Travis Haley — told Rocking With Jam Man that he hadn't spoken with his former bandmates since his exit. "I still talk to the singer a little bit; I have in the past," he said. "But I think that those scars and I think that the departure, the way that it went down, I think there's some sore spots. But that's tough for me to talk about.

"That was something that I'm very proud of — to be that character for such a long period of time, and to play with those cats," he continued. "They're all amazing musicians. And I just think that it is different to not have that [in my life] — I'd been in character for so long — but I have to say it's a little refreshing as well."

When STEEL PANTHER first announced Lexxi's exit in July 2021, the band jokingly said that Foxx "started his side business, 'Sexy Lexxi's Prettiest Pets,' to bring in money for Botox during the lockdown." After realizing that "his love for making pets pretty was greater than his love for being pretty himself," he chose "to hang up his mirror and focus on his newfound passion: making ugly dogs pretty," the group wrote in a statement.

Back in December 2018, Lexxi sat out a STEEL PANTHER tour after being admitted to "sex rehab." The real reason for his absence was never officially disclosed.

During an appearance on an episode of the "2020'd" podcast, guitarist Satchel stated about Lexxi's departure: "We didn't want him to quit. Nobody wanted him to quit, including a lot of fans. I'm sure a lot of fans are very sad that he left. But he's the guy who left the band. I think he's got his own things he's dealing with, and he just wanted to go and do that. So, I don't know… I can't answer for Lexxi Foxx. But we will all miss Lexxi Foxx, and we all wish him the best in everything that he does. But we didn't fire him; he quit the band. So we're gonna have to move on and get somebody else who's younger and foxier and doesn't need as much Botox," referencing the drug doctors have been using for years to treat wrinkles and facial creases.

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."

Fourteen 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.

Haley, who was an original member of STEEL PANTHER, recently announced the formation of his new band HOLLYWOOD GODS N' MONSTERS with longtime friend and television celebrity from MTV's "Pimp My Ride", Diggity Dave.