Former Static X Guitarist Tripp Eisen has released a statement regarding the current Static X album and reunion. You can read the statement below. Brutal Planet magazine conducted an interview with Tripp and talked about the reunion and current Static X reunion. That interview can be read here:
Below is the statement by Tripp Eisen:
TRIPP EISEN – My part of the new Static-X Album and Reunion.
My former band Static-X have delayed the release of their first new album in 10 years due, in large part, to my involvement with and legal claim to 12 songs that feature Wayne Static’s isolated vocals. They are all from my era of Static-X.
I have reached out to Tony Campos on many occasions to help the upcoming album “Project Regeneration” reach the fans but he has been inconsistent and has shown arrogance to any successful resolution of my concern that fans won’t get to hear the fantastic work Wayne and I put into our mutual compositions. I have been patient and am willing to compromise with the band and work with Tony to make things mutually acceptable.
The 12 songs with Wayne’s vocals have no songwriting from any of the other members of Static-X. I am the only person that collaborated with Wayne on these songs.
Tony told me they were altering the songs Wayne and I wrote together and I’ve actually heard the full altered songs, because I was in the loop until March of this year. This doesn’t amount to minor tweaks like bands do in the studio, which would not compromise the final product and harm a songwriters’ claim to their own music: It violates the intellectual property of a ‘joint work’, or collaboration. It amounts to band members, who had nothing to do with the songwriting, altering its composition without consent. They’ve changed not only my riffs, but also Wayne’s!
I believe this is unfair to the fans and lacks integrity. But it also violates Wayne’s memory.
My heart is heavy, since I was given hope and was excited when Tony accepted my offer to reunite in 2016. This reunion didn’t happen the way it’s been reported. I initiated this reunion. I brought the singer Xer0 to him, a.k.a. my old buddy Edsel Dope. I was involved in the writing of every one of the 15 or more songs that began this project, which includes the song “Road To Hell”. I also played all the guitars on the remade ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’ songs. I worked with Tony for a year until the project evolved into the ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’ anniversary tour and the “Project Regeneration” album.
I then continued to work behind the scenes and on the songwriting. I was the one that made Tony aware of the 3 leftover songs from the ‘Start A War’ album, ….and they were finished mastered songs, not unfinished demos. There is a lot more to the story about “newly discovered” Wayne vocals from “damaged tapes” with “little or no music” on them. It’s a lot to take in, right? It’s all true and I have it documented.
In March of this year I was invited to play on the new album but turned it down due to this controversy. Tony even told me to my face earlier this year: “you’re part of the family” and I was happy to hear that and things were moving in a positive direction. They had my back and believed in me. But now they are attempting to minimize my part and contributions. But worst of all they are altering songs that Wayne and I wrote. I told Tony when I was in California earlier this year that I am not interested in money/fame as much as the integrity of this project. I don’t care about cashing in on anything, I want it done right. Please make no mistake of my motives here. Static-X and the memory of Wayne are sacred to me.
I am happy to see the ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’ album and Wayne’s life celebrated, and do not want to take anything away from that at all. But I got this project going, and now I’m being diminished while these Wayne/Tripp songs are being bastardized. I considered Tony, Ken and Edsel/Xer0 friends. But now it feels like a bunch of guys riding on the back of Wayne’s memory and his music, as well as mine. Plus, they are revising history in an attempt to market the band and maintain control of this false narrative. Most of what they state in their press releases are out-and-out lies or distortions. It’s really unnecessary. Is it that hard to be fair and honest? The fact that I have to come out with a statement like this is sad and a result of bad choices by Mr. Campos.
Wayne once said in an interview: “Tripp’s the first person I’ve ever met in my life who’s very similar to the way I am.” I knew him better than most people; we were tight and everyone on the inside knows it. My 5 years in the band are not just anecdotal. I was there… and I know everyone involved now. I wonder what Wayne would think of this incarnation of his band and all that is going on. “Proud and honored” don’t come to mind…. Anyone can watch the singing skull in the “Hollow” video and see how inappropriate and insensitive it is. I miss Wayne and I truly wish he was here.
This is a concise version of the events. For a more complete account to anyone that is interested, please go to: http://bit.ly/2BcK9Hq
With respect,
Tripp Eisen
Guitarist / Face Without Fear
