Steel Panther Interview
Interview with Lexxi Foxxx from Steel Panther temperamental
Words by Brendan Monteiro / Photos by Neil Zlowzower
If you have never heard of the band called Steel Panther before now, you might possibly give them a search and in doing so come across their wikipedia page. The first thing that you’ll probably notice is that the LA metallers are a parody of the 80’s glam and hair era but what you wont read is that even though they might poke fun at the good old 80‘s, they also take their music very seriously. The whole “idea” behind Steel Panther is that it is a raging neon sex tornado back from the past to kick ass and revive metal in a world filled with…well as they put it “crap”, and all this in the controversially fashionable attire of spandex. Each member has his own character and each character has a volatile story behind it, sort of like a heart warming Walt Disney film but with strippers and drugs added in for fun. Michael Starr is the front man, Satchel is their axeman, Stix Zadinia is a pretty self explanatory name as to what his part in the band is. On the bass however is Lexxi Foxxx aka Travis Haley, and it is him that we managed to drag away from his illuminated make-up mirror during their recent run of UK performances in support of ZZ Top. This is what he had to say.
So where about in the UK are you playing tonight?
We’ve just done our sound check and we are ready to rock and right now we are in ah, I think we are in Birmingham. I think we are but I’m going to find out. It’s trippy though, I don’t worry about that crap because I normally just worry about my make-up and my hair. I don’t really wake up while we are driving because we’re usually partying the night before and then we just end up in a new town. So I will find out right now what town we are in.
Ah what town are we in?
(someone says something in the background)
Nottingham, thats where we are. Nottingham, Nottingham. Thank you sir.
Steel Panther clearly has it’s roots in the 80’s but things are looking good now, so what then is in the future for the band?
What’s in the future is this, we are trying to bring heavy metal back and by touring and doing all this stuff like interviews and having people understand what Steel Panther is all about and we are bringing that sound back because stupid bands in the 90’s killed it. So what we are trying to do is to get as many people as we can to our heavy metal gigs and it brings back a whole time and genre.
So if it all had to come to an end and you had to be propositioned for another band, what other genre would you want to revive?
You mean if I couldn’t do 80’s hair metal what other genre would I want to bring back? No, I hate everything else. I would probably just do what Kurt Cobain did and shoot myself in the head because I can’t stand all that other crap that is out there.
Is there any desire to have a Steel Panther movie or TV show?
Yeah, that is actually what is next on our agenda. Right now I can’t tell you the details because it looks like the deal will close on friday and it’s going to be something huge with a major network and we are doing a pilot for it. When they told me that I was like “I don’t want to be a pilot, I want to be a rock star” you know? And they were like “No, your going to shoot a scene for the network to look at it”. So once I found that out late last night I was like yeah because it’s going to help us bring back heavy metal and I think that’s pretty bitching.
So who do you think would be appropriate to play your part in a movie or TV series?
That’s a great question. I would have to say that it was a mix between Farrah Fawcett and Brook shields, I think that would be totally bitching but now since that sad thing happened to Farrah (after a 3 year battle with Cancer she died on June 25 2009) I don’t know now. It would have to be someone fucking totally fucking hot, and it would have to be a dude so maybe Jude Law if he was a little taller. So yeah Jude Law like but at my height with Brad Pitt’s cheek bones and Farrah Fawcett’s hair. So if you could make a person like that, that would be great.
I will put that on order for you then.
Yeah, I would love to see something like that.
Feel The Steel is your latest record, why was it released in the UK before being released in America?
That was all down to our label and I think what the label wanted to do was this. There were so many rival bands to heavy metal in the 80’s like Depeche Mode, The Cure and all that kind of shit. That was the thing back then and you either liked heavy metal in school or you liked that pussy shit. So I think because all the pussy shit came out of the UK, like Duran Duran and all those other crappy bands, we wanted to show them that heavy metal is back and that we won. I think that is what the label was trying to do by bringing it out here first.
Like a way of rubbing it in their faces?
Totally, it’s like “we win” ha ha!
What is the LA scene like these days compared to back in it’s hey day’s?
Well you know what, it’s weird because I think it’s cool that we are ruling the sunset strip right now, it’s bitching. It would be cool if there were more hot chicks dressing in fishnets and high heels and navy skirts, that’s the main difference is that we are lacking hot girls on the sunset strip. I mean I want to see girls in mini skirts and when one of our songs comes on they get on top of the car and start dancing, that’s the sunset strip that we are trying to bring back.
Would the movie Rock Star (which features a short appearance by Micheal Starr) depict the LA scene well, especially for people not from that scene or is it just another movie?
A little bit kind of, that movie is ten years old or so and LA has changed a little bit now. We’re doing the best that we can to make it what LA is about and Los Angeles is about Heavy metal, rock n roll, strippers and blow which is all bitching.
What would be your ultimate super group?
I would have a mixture between Steve Perry (Journey) and Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) on vocals. I mean Steve Perry wasn’t heavy metal but he was really bad ass, you can not deny that. So Steve Perry and Sebastian Bach with a little bit of David Coverdale (Whitesnake). No doubt at all I would have (unfortunately due to muffled sounds on the recording of this interview the name of the bassist was not heard but will be updated as soon as possible) on bass guitar, no question about that because he is just so awesome. Then on guitar I would have a little bit of Steve Vai and I would have a little teeny teeny bit of Eddie Van Halen, no actually think I would take him because he wasn’t that bitching. I want Andy Timmons from Danger Danger and I would want Doug Aldrich from Whitsnake because he looks cool, that was a while ago so I don’t know how he is looking now. Then on drums, uh I couldn’t give a fuck, anyone can play drums.
Have any of the people that you abuse on the song ‘Death To All But Metal’ ever contacted yourselves at all?
No, but you know what, the guy from Blink 182 put it on his webpage.
If Steel Panther was a drink what drink would it be and how strong would it be?
It would have to be a shot of whiskey, so a shot of Jack Daniel’s with some pink and purple colouring mixed in to make it look bitching like our logo.
What is the most serious conversation you have ever had with one of your band mates?
The most serious conversation I have had has been with Micheal. There was this one time and Micheal had a sty in his eye and the doctor told to not wear any make-up which meant no eye liner. So he spoke to me and I said just because you have a sty in your eye guy doesn’t mean you have to listen to that doctor guy try and scare you with that sty in your eye. So I was like Dude you have to put eye liner on for those people out there, I don’t care if your eye goes bright red but you have to wear that eye liner. So he decided to take my advice and he used the eye liner and yes his eye got really infected and there was puss everywhere but our fans totally respected him for it. They were like “yeah you rule for wearing eye liner in your sty”. So that would be the most serious conversation I have ever had.
If you had to pick a preferred STD, what would it be and why?
Oh shit, to be honest with you I have had every single one of them except for syphilis, I haven’t had that yet. I have had gonorrhea, I have had crabs and I have herpes. I guess because I have herpes and I can’t get it twice so I would just keep my herpes.
So you wouldn’t go with the clap?
That is not funny, it’s nothing to clap about.
Have you ever been in a conker fight?
What’s that?
(Along explanation entails)
Oh my, I have never done anything like that. Holy shit! No is going to have to be the answer to that question. I will go check it out on our computer thing.
What are your views on chastity belts?
Chastity belts are bitching. Those are the sexy things that bitches wear, I like them on but I like them better off if you know what I’m talking about.
Well thats it, thanks for taking the time out to speak to us, it has been an honour.
That’s awesome, I really appreciate the interview and thank you so much.
November 10th, 2009
brilliant!!!!
November 21st, 2009
[...] Is there any desire to have a Steel Panther movie or TV show? Yeah, that is actually what is next on our agenda. Right now I can’t tell you the details because it looks like the deal will close on friday and it’s going to be something … There was this one time and Micheal had a sty in his eye and the doctor told to not wear any make-up which meant no eye liner. So he spoke to me and I said just because you have a sty in your eye guy doesn’t mean you have to listen to …More [...]