TONY CAMPOS: 'It's Really Up To The Fans' If STATIC-X Will Continue Making New Music

STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos has once again said that he is not opposed to making new music with the group's current lineup once he and his bandmates have finished touring in support of the "Project Regeneration" albums.

STATIC-X's latest LP "Project Regeneration Vol. 1", came out in July 2020. The first of two volumes, it featured 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of Campos, drummer Ken Jay and guitarist Koichi Fukuda. A follow-up album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2", is scheduled for release on November 3. A collection of 13 brand-new songs, the upcoming LP was produced by frontman Xer0 — who is believed to be DOPE singer Edsel Dope — and mixed/mastered by longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.

Asked in a new interview with The Underground Australia if there are plans for STATIC-X to create fresh music from scratch after the completion of the "Project Regeneration" touring cycle, Tony said: "It's a possibility. It's really up to the fans, if the fans want us to keep making more music and keep playing shows. We're certainly all enjoying our time playing together. And if the fans want it, we'll be there."

All of the music associated with "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is the result of collaborations between the four founding members along with their new vocalist/guitarist/producer Xer0. No additional guests appear on the album and there were no outside contributions to the songwriting, musical compositions, or the performances on "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Between the two releases, STATIC-X fans around the globe have been treated to over two dozen brand new songs — most of which feature Static on lead vocals — and all released after his untimely passing.

STATIC-X — featuring the lineup of Campos, Jay, Fukuda and Xer0 — is headlining the "Rise Of The Machine" tour with FEAR FACTORY alongside DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID. The 42-date trek kicked off February 25 in San Francisco, California and will wrap up April 15, in Los Angeles, California.

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Dope recently told Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio that the reason Xer0's identity has not been officially revealed is that he wants to make sure that STATIC-X is "properly represented, because I would never be interested in looking at a photo of STATIC-X or reading a liner note that mentions me as being the singer of STATIC-X. Edsel Dope has no interest in being the singer of STATIC-X," he clarified. "There's one living, breathing singer of STATIC-X, and that's Wayne Static. And then there's a character, an entity, for lack of better words, that was created in order to allow STATIC-X to have a future and to continue and be the legacy act that they are and tour and perform, and we gave that character a name that is respective to STATIC-X and fits the branding of what STATIC-X is, and that's what the importance is. It's the importance of recognizing the character as opposed to recognizing the person behind the character."

Back in October 2019, a photo was posted online clearly showing that Dope and Xer0 shared the same neck tattoo. However, Edsel later posted a lengthy statement on his band's Facebook page attempting to quash the rumors, implying Xer0's distinctive body ink was in fact a Photoshop job. Dope even provided a photograph of himself supposedly observing a STATIC-X performance sidestage to prove he and Xer0 were not the same person.