Static-X Say Tripp Eisen “Is Attempting to Gain Credibility Through His PAST Association” with Their Band
It will probably not shock you to learn that Static-X have distanced themselves from former guitarist Tripp Eisen.
To review: earlier this week, Eisen — who also used to be a member of Dope and the Murderdolls — claimed in an interview that he and the other surviving members of Static-X have been “working together… for a couple of years” on the band’s new album, Project Regeneration, which the guitarist said has “a lot of my material” on it. Eisen, of course, has been convicted of multiple sex crimes against underage girls. In my infinite cynicism, I predicted that most fans probably wouldn’t care one way or the other if Eisen was involved, but I also said that “I can’t imagine Static-X being thrilled to have this news out there.”
Well, I was half-right. At least one fan was offended enough by Eisen’s involvement with the record to hop on on Instagram and ask the band to respond. Which they did, unsurprisingly, by trying to deemphasize Eisen’s contribution to the album:
“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..”
So it would seem that there is actually kind of two truths here. Eisen does have material on the album, because he was fortunate enough to have co-written some previously-unreleased material with Wayne Static… but he likely has not been actively “working together” with the band on Project Regeneration in any capacity other than possibly signing off on the release of that material (honestly, I’m not even sure they’d need Tripp’s permission to release that stuff — it likely depends on whatever business arrangement he had with Wayne Static during his tenure in the band).
So, put another way: No, Tripp Eisen really has no involvement in the current reunion goings-on, but yes, Tripp Eisen may make money from Project Regeneration because that is the deal with the devil that had to be made to let fans hear the final Wayne Static recordings. You, as Static-X fans, will have decide to what degree that bargain bothers you.
[via The PRP]
