Steel Panther Drummer Talks America’s Got Talent Competition: “It’s Just Too Good an Opportunity”
Though it’s usually reserved for newcomers to the entertainment world, glam revivalists Steel Panther wowed the audience on May 30 when they appeared on America’s Got Talent. Though it came as a surprise to some given the subject matter of their lyrics, Steel Panther drummer Stix Zadinia told Metal Edge they had a great time and are looking forward to round two.
“Well, I feel like the question of whether they’re going to take us seriously is off the table. We know that they do. And we know that they obviously get it. So, look, we’re very confident in our abilities. It just comes down to the context of the show. Is there anyone else who does what we do? Is there someone who is gonna sing a song by someone who passed away and tug on some heartstrings? We’re up against all sorts of variables, so we take nothing for granted.
“And not to be super cliché, but all we can control is what we do. And I’m ultra-confident in what we do. So, the results will be whatever they are, but I know we’re going to bring it. We hope it touches people emotionally and gets them going enough for us to keep advancing. But because of our history, maybe more people will call in and show support. Who knows? We’ll have to wait and see.”
Ultimately, Steel Panther impressed judge Simon Cowell, which isn’t an easy thing to do, as you’re surely aware if you’ve watched America’s Got Talent or American Idol before. Zadinia says that he’s glad they impressed the critical judge, even if Steel Panther were already confident in themselves.
“It meant a lot. We’ve been playing since forever, right? From the very start, we’ve been a band that gets onstage and says, ‘We’re here to have fun and bring heavy metal back.’ I mean… we’ve done what we’ve done over the years, and it’s been an amazing ride. But when you get on a network like NBC, or any of the big networks, it’s a different world. So, to get the stamp of approval from a guy like Simon meant a lot. But that doesn’t mean it changes the way I see this band because it doesn’t. But it might change a lot of people’s minds perception-wise.”
And, lastly, if you were wondering if Steel Panther would be willing to tone their lyrics down in order to win, the answer is “absolutely.”
“We’re going to do what we have to do to play within the sandbox of this situation. It’s just too good an opportunity for us to go, ‘We’re not going to do it because we don’t want to change this lyric.’ So, if there are minor changes in lyrics that we have to make, none of us have a problem with it. I don’t want to give it away, but we’re down to three songs we might play. You’ll have to see what we choose once we’re out for the second round.”
Check out the AGT audition below.
