Wayne Richard Wells (November 4, 1965 – November 1, 2014), known professionally as Wayne Static, was an American musician, and the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and music sequencer for the industrial metal band Static-X. He released his first solo studio album, Pighammer, on October 4, 2011. Static died on November 1, 2014 with a cause of death yet to be released.

Early life

He was born as Wayne Richard Wells in 1965 at Muskegon, Michigan. Static grew up in Shelby, Michigan before moving to Chicago and eventually 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".[citation needed] Wayne later played in his first band at the age of 12 and at that point he decided he wanted to be a musician. In High School he played in a band for the dances with classmates. Wayne 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, Static created the band Deep Blue Dream with Ken Jay and Bass player Eric Harris. 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. This was the final album released under the original lineup.

Static's solo album Pighammer was released on October 4, 2011. As part of his Pighammer solo-project, Static formed a new lineup consisting of Brent Ashley on Bass, Sean Davidson on Drums and Ashes on Guitar. In 2012, this lineup 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

Wayne confirmed that Static-X had disbanded in June 2013. According to Static, the disputes between himself and the band's former bassist Tony Campos over the rights to the use of Static-X name have gone way 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 with American Head Charge supporting them.

Discography

Solo

Studio albums

• Pighammer

Singles

• 2011 - Assassins of Youth

Collaborations

• 2001 – Mephisto Odyssey & Wayne Static (and Koichi Fukuda) – 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 (originally recorded in 2005, released on the nail'd soundtrack)
• 2011 – 9 Electric & Wayne Static – Destroy As You Go
• 2013 - Run DMC & Wayne Static - Noise Revolution (Recorded in 2011)

Appearances

• 2002 – Static appears 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 (Wayne's first use of active pickups publicly) and block inlays. This is Wayne'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 (equipped with a single Seymour Duncan Distortion at the bridge)
• Static used Epiphone Wayne Static Signature Flying Vs (with neck pickups and toggle switches removed and using Seymor Duncan Distortion pickups) before being endorsed by ESP in early 2007.

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. He appears as a mystery guest on an adult film Wray hosted called Radium Vol 2. They lived together in the high desert in Joshua Tree, California.

Death

Static died on November 1, 2014 with a cause of death yet to be released.

According to the same Blabbermouth article, some of Static's associates claim that his passing may have been the result of a drug overdose.

***

Wayne Richard Wells (November 4, 1965 – November 1, 2014), 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. Static died on November 1, 2014, in his sleep, according to family.

Early life

Wells was born in Muskegon, Michigan. 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, Static 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. This was the final album released under the original line-up.

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.

Wayne confirmed that Static-X had disbanded in 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 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 in his sleep on November 1, 2014 at age 48, three days before his 49th birthday.

***

Wayne Richard Wells (November 4, 1965 – November 1, 2014), known professionally as Wayne Static, was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and music sequencer for industrial metal band Static-X.

He released his first solo studio album, Pighammer, on October 4, 2011. Static died on November 1, 2014, with a cause of death yet to be released.

Early life

Wells was born in Muskegon, Michigan. 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 Schooland had summer jobs which included working as an asparagus picker and in a cherry canning factory.[9]

Career

After moving to Chicago, Static created the band Deep Blue Dream withKen Jay and Bass player Eric Harris. 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,[13] 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. This was the final album released under the original lineup.

Static's solo album Pighammer was released on October 4, 2011. As part of his Pighammer solo-project, Static formed a new lineup consisting of Brent Ashley on Bass, Sean Davidson on Drums and Ashes on Guitar. In 2012, this lineup 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

Wayne confirmed that Static-X had disbanded in June 2013. According to Static, the disputes between himself and the band's former bassist Tony Campos over the rights to the use of Static-X name have gone way 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 with American Head Charge supporting them.