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.

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 also 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.

His 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, 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 had been 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 pescatarian. 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.

On January 13, 2016, Static's widow, Tera Wray, died in her friend's Joshua Tree, California apartment from an apparent suicide. Her body was discovered January 14, 2016.

Death

Static died on November 1, 2014 in Landers, California, 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. His family 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. However, 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 Koichi Fukuda and Tony 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 (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 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.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]