Chat with Wax Mekanix on Instagram Live to discuss his new song and skulls.
Crimson Moon: How did the band get started?
Wax: I’m primarily a solo artist, so the musicians that I play with live and in the studio are always changing. There is no static lineup.
I do two things musically:
First, I’m a founding member of American cult rock quartet NITRO (https://www.facebook.com/usanitro). We formed in 1980 and have releases on many labels over the decades. In general, we were one of many US bands of that time (like Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth) known as America’s answer to the new wave of British heavy metal. The original line up is still intact after 40 years. Dana Confer-Vocals, John Hazel-Guitars, Brad Gensimore-Bass, Tim Wilson-Drums.
Second, parallel to NITRO, I’ve been a solo artist writing, recording, and performing for decades.
Crimson Moon: What kind of music do you play?
Wax: My recent Wax Mekanix release on Electric Talon Records is called ‘Mobocracy’. It’s heavy rock with some industrial flourishes that also includes what I like to call high-velocity folk, since I enjoy infusing my solo work with delicious, exotic, and organic acoustic elements that groove mysteriously. I set out to blend the disparate characteristics of metal, rock, folk, pop, and punk.
My upcoming release coming soon from Electric Talon, is a unique sonic evolution that shows my taste for powerful, thunderous, exotic, tribal sounds. I’m trying to continue the conversation with my audience that I started in ‘Mobocracy’.
NITRO, is a strong and focused mission of a raw, searing, snarling, pounding, howling, high-energy hybrid of metal, classic rock, punk, and pop delivered with guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.
Crimson Moon: How has the band response been?
Wax: ‘Mobocracy’ has been well-received all over the planet by fans and critics. It’s considered, a heavy, unique, and interesting record that stands firmly in the present, and pays respects to its influences while looking forward. In general, it’s been called a record of and for its time.
Crimson Moon: Where did the band name come from?
Wax: I am Waxim Ulysses Mekanix.
Crimson Moon: Introduce the band members.
Wax: Waxim Ulysses Mekanix-songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, drummer, percussionist, producer.
Crimson Moon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Wax: My solo stuff:
‘Tanguska Butterfly’-2010
‘Mobocracy’-2020
‘Blunt’-coming in 2021
Crimson Moon: Tell me about some of the songs on the latest CD?
Wax: Most of my latest album, ‘Mobocracy’, was written in a passive way, with large chunks of lyrics and ideas coming directly from the angry, tumultuous, and brutally shifting that America was going through as I was writing it, starting in about 2015. There was no escaping the economic, social, and political tectonics of that time, so I was wrestling with how I could ‘be the pond reflecting the oncoming stone’, without taking a liberal or conservative posture. The easy part was accumulating all of the vivid information that defined the times. The difficult part was to assemble it in a way that was in my creative ‘voice’.
The most important aspect for me was that I wanted to make a record that was representative of the American experience of the times, that was neither red nor blue in its perspective. My goal was to make an American record, not a liberal or conservative record. I hoped that it would be less about me and more about my nation and fellow citizens. A close listen will show that it can be viewed from either perspective.
Crimson Moon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Wax: I am responsible for all things Wax.
Crimson Moon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Wax: For me, there are two ways that lyrics and songs get written.
Sometimes, a lyric idea comes fully-formed. It’s one uniform stream of notions and images that appear and demand that you do something with them. This is my idea of ‘active’ songwriting. This doesn’t happen to me often, but I have learned over the years to recognize when it’s happening. So, I posture myself creatively in a certain way when I realize that this is what is going on.
In most cases, I approach lyrics in a passive way. This appeals to me because it allows me to write in a way that feels organic and allows me to be connected to the environment that I find myself in. For me, I like the notion of art being connected to my unconscious and sub-conscious. The results are more interesting and, I think, make my work unique to me.
For as long as I can remember, I have always lived my life in a way where I’m keeping my creative channel open. I think of it as having my antenna up and ready to receive interesting things that pass by. Sometimes, even when I’m not consciously thinking of it, I’ll hear or read something that resonates with me in some way. When that happens, the creative part of me kicks in and reminds me to pay attention. The result is that I usually make a note for later consideration.
I’m constantly absorbing and saving words, phrases, and ideas that I put away in a ‘lyric bank’ that I go to and harvest things from when I’m writing.
Crimson Moon: Has the Covid Pandemic impacted the band at all?
Wax: The obvious impact is that it has snuffed out live performances for the moment. I have been busking a bit here and there. Although live performances are slowly coming back, I’m not planning anything live in a large setting until we can all gather in a verifiable safe way. I’m looking forward to that and expect it to be joyous and glorious.
Until then, I am using the time to write, record, paint, do some photography, and play safely with musician friends.
Crimson Moon: Do you have any side projects?
Wax: At this point in my career, some think that NITRO is my side project, while other think Wax Mekanix is. I treat them both equally when I’m in those situations.
Crimson Moon: What is the music scene like where you guys are from?
Wax: I’m an American. I was born, raised, and still live in the mid-Atlantic region of the US. Because I’ve always been located near New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington DC, the cultural and creative influences have been broad, deep, and wide. Given my personal tastes, I gravitated toward rock, pop, folk, country, R&B, soul, and punk music.
Currently, I work in and around Philadelphia. The amount of musical history in the city is mind-boggling, so there is that pedigree that infuses every part of the music scene here. Additionally, the availability of world-class dedicated musicians in every genre can be found in Philly, so I have taken advantage of that at every opportunity when writing, playing live, or making records. It’s wonderfully bountiful and diverse. A real treat to be here now, doing what I do.
Crimson Moon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Wax: A better question might be, ‘who is not’!
Although the list of artists and styles is really long, the main influences fall into two categories:
- Live performance
- Writing/recording
Live performers that I admire are AC/DC, KISS, Prince, Queen, Van Halen, Crobot, Neil Young, Bob Dylan.
Songwriters that I most admire are Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Queen, Prince, and Brian Wilson.
Crimson Moon: What is the band like when you play live?
Wax: Live performances fall into two categories:
- Solo
- Band
Solo performances are usually acoustic and in a busking context. Just me, a guitar, and my wits. It’s always a bit of a commando mission by definition. It’s the most unpredictable, pure, and unadorned approach to seeing if songs are strong and can stand on their own. The cliché that applies is that it feel like being naked on a high-wire without a net. Free-form, nerve-wracking, and exhilarating simultaneously. There is a lot of spontaneity and danger that permeates this activity. That usually influences the performances.
Band performances are highly structured events with staff, technicians, money at stake, technology brought to bear, press alerted, advertising, merchandise poised, etc. This makes it a safer place that is more comfortable and predictable, so the anxiety is really low. Since people are there because they have chosen to be there, it’s a confidence builder and enables the musicians to really push themselves in a ‘safe-zone’. This translates to some really interesting results that border on magical sometimes.
Crimson Moon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Wax: I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to travel world-wide. In my travels, I think I have played just about everywhere with the exception of Antarctica, Australia, and Greenland.
Crimson Moon: How has the fan response been to the band?
Wax: Amazingly enough, the majority of the response has been really positive and supportive from all part of the world. This includes critics and music lovers. I think the real measure is that I’m being asked when new music is coming from me and when I’ll be playing live. I take this as some kind of acceptance and approval that I’m doing work that resonates with others. Give the massive amount of new music being released daily around the world, I feel really fortunate and am grateful for all of it.
Crimson Moon: What made you want to be in this band?
Wax: I have been making music since I was in my early teens, so it is part of who I am and how I live my life. I don’t do it for any specific goal other than the enjoyment of doing it. This can take the form of me solo busking somewhere, recording for a release or other project, or playing live with friends.
Crimson Moon: If you weren’t in this band would you still be involved in the music industry?
Wax: Frankly, being in the music industry was never the goal for me. It was an obvious and logical step that was presented, so I embraced it. Being part of the industry is a vehicle for me to continue to do it in a focused way that results in releases. Those releases then result in the need to play live for audiences in a typical way. There have been times when I was not obligated to release music or play live. Even then, I had a healthy diet of writing and playing simply for my own enjoyment. It was something that I did naturally in an organic way even when nobody was listening. I try to retain that posture regardless of if I’m doing anything commercial or not. It’s my way of doing things creatively and I like to think that it results in my audience getting honest and authentic work from me in a way that I like to receive work from artists I admire.
Crimson Moon: As a musician what advice can you give to fellow musician just starting out?
Wax: I’d never presume to know what is best for someone else. Especially since art is so personal and unique to the artist.
If I were to offer anything, I’d say to follow your joy, inspiration, and instincts wherever they take you, regardless of what anyone else says or does. I try to enjoy as much of the process as I can because it’s a fun journey that’s independent of the destination. I find that it’s important to never lose sight of why I started any of this in the first place. Since life is short, I try to find love, kindness, happiness, and beauty wherever I can, as often as I can.
Crimson Moon: What does the future hold for the band?
Wax: In general, I plan to do what I have always done. Look around at what interests me creatively, absorb those things as much as I can. Continue to paint, photograph, write songs, record them with friends, play them live, rinse and repeat!
Specifically, coming in the fall of 2021 is a new record from me. Electric Talon Records asked me to be part of a split with a label mate, Troll Teeth. We are calling the record, ‘Blunt’. I have just recently delivered to the mighty ‘Talon, master recordings for three new songs, ‘HEAD’, ‘MANCHESTER STRAWBERRY BLONDE’, and “FREAK BOUTIQUE’. If all goes as planned, the first thing my audience will see from ‘Blunt’ is a video for ‘HEAD’.
Contact him at:
https://www.facebook.com/WaximMekanix
https://waxmekanix.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.instagram.com/waxmekanix/
https://twitter.com/waxmekanix
