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"cause_of_death" is not recognized Wayne Richard Wells, known
professionally as Wayne Static, was an American musician, best known as the
lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and music sequencer for metal band
Static-X. He released his only solo studio album, Pighammer, on October 4,
2011. Early life
Wayne was born in Muskegon, Michigan, to Richard and Darlene Wells. He grew up in
Shelby, Michigan before moving to Chicago, Illinois and California. He was
three years old when he received his first toy guitar. His parents decided at
age seven to get him his first real guitar, an S12 beginner model. He was
given lessons, which paid off a year later when he won a talent contest
playing "Skip to My Lou". He later played in his first band at the age of
12 and decided he wanted to be a musician. In high school, he played in a
band for the dances with classmates. He attended Shelby High School and had
summer jobs which included working as an asparagus picker and in a cherry canning
factory. Career
After moving to Chicago, Wells created the band Deep Blue Dream in 1987 with
Ken Jay, bass player Eric Harris, and Billy Corgan. The group was short lived
as they relocated to California and Static-X was formed along with Tony
Campos and Koichi Fukuda. Static was recognizable for his unusual
hairstyle; his hair was held up in a vertical position, a process that took
about 20 minutes to complete. He was known for his signature "chintail"
beard. Static announced in July 2007 that he
would begin a side project, Pighammer, but in a December 2007 interview with
Ultimate-Guitar.com, Static stated: "The Pighammer thing will happen when I have
time. At the moment though, Static-X will remain my main priority." Static
appears on the cover of the 2009 Static-X release, Cult of Static.
Static's solo album Pighammer was released on October 4, 2011. As part of
his Pighammer solo-project, Static formed a new line-up consisting of Brent
Ashley on bass, Sean Davidson on drums, and Ashes on guitar. In 2012, this
line-up went under the name Static-X for the Noise Revolution tour. However, in
October 2012, the remainder of the tour was cancelled due to Static requiring
medical treatment. In an interview done on November 26 of
2013, it was confirmed that Static-X disbanded on June 2013. According to
Static, the disputes between himself and the band's former bassist Tony Campos
over the rights to the band name had gone too far, forcing him to disband the
four-piece. He was set to play a co-headlining tour
in the US with Powerman 5000 in November 2014 with American Head Charge
supporting them. Personal life
Static was an atheist and vegetarian. After a brief courtship, he married
adult film actress Tera Wray in Las Vegas on January 10, 2008. They lived in
Joshua Tree, California. Static appeared as a mystery guest on an adult film Wray
hosted called Radium Vol 2. Death
Static died on November 1, 2014, three days before his 49th birthday. He had
consumed half of an oxycodone pill as well as alcohol that morning before
going to bed with his wife Tera Wray. She woke up later that day to find that
he had died in his sleep. Static's family later issued a statement stating
that rumors of his death being drug-related were false, noting that he
and Wray had stopped using illicit drugs in 2009. An autopsy later confirmed that
Static had died of multiple drug toxicity, consisting of oxycodone,
hydromorphone, alprazolam and alcohol, though the report also noted that years
of past "chronic prescription drug and alcohol abuse" was a contributing
factor. Former Static-X Members Fukuda and
Campos paid tribute to Static Static was cremated in California. A memorial
rock show followed in Los Angeles, and a family service followed in Kentucky.
Discography = Solo=
Studio albums Singles
2011 – "Assassins of Youth" = Collaborations=
2001 – Mephisto Odyssey & Wayne Static – Crash
2002 – Jonathan Davis & Richard Gibbs featuring Wayne Static – Not Meant for
Me 2003 – Godhead & Wayne Static – The
Giveaway 2004 – Skinny Puppy & Wayne Static –
UseLess 2006 – Soil & Wayne Static – Give It Up
2008 – Opiate for the Masses & Wayne Static – 21st Century Time Bomb
2009 – My Evolution & Wayne Static – So Happy
2009 – Dirge Within & Wayne Static – Inhuman
2010 – Raymond Herrera & Wayne Static – Decimator
2011 – 9 Electric & Wayne Static – Destroy As You Go
2013 – Run DMC & Wayne Static – Noise Revolution
= Appearances= 2002 – Static appeared in The
X-Ecutioners music video "It's Goin' Down", along with Mike Shinoda and Mr.
Hahn of Linkin Park. 2006 – Static appeared in Silent
Civilian's video "Rebirth of The Temple".
2009 – Static appeared in 98 Rockfest in Tampa, Fl
2010 – Static appeared as a villain in Issue 4 of the Eternal Descent Comic
Book series. = Equipment=
Dean "Modifier" ML, a satin black Dean ML with a contoured top, chrome hardware
and chrome covered EMG Pickups and block inlays. This was Static's first endorsed
Dean after leaving ESP in 2010 – 2011. ESP Wayne Static Signature ESP
STATIC-600 EX and V with Gun Metal Blue w/ diamond plate finish.
Static used Epiphone Wayne Static Signature Flying Vs before being
endorsed by ESP in early 2007. Before getting his Epiphone signature,
Static used different Gibson models. During the early eras of Static-X, his
main guitar was a 1982 Flying V in tobacco sunburst. Sometime after the
release of Wisconsin Death Trip, Static began endorsing the Gothic Series V and
Explorer, which would be his main guitars until the release of his
Epiphone signature model in 2003. Static's main amplifiers, until his
death, were the Marshall MG series, which he began using in 2002 - 2003.
They can be heard on every Static-X release since Shadow Zone, and on
Static's solo album Pighammer. Before he used the MG series, Static used the
Marshall Valvestate 8100, which can be heard on Wisconsin Death Trip and
Machine. References
External links Static-X's official website
Wayne Static at the Internet Movie Database
ESP Guitars Wayne Static's official website
Wayne Static Playlist on wave.cat