Metal Panther vocalist Michael Starr stated it wasn’t simple to be a member of the band after they revealed the substitute for former bassist Lexxi Foxx.
The group introduced his departure a 12 months in the past, however solely lately named Joe “Spyder” Lester – a longtime collaborator who’s stood in for Foxx up to now – as a everlasting member of the lineup.
“He’s doing good, man,” Starr stated of Foxx in a brand new episode of the Everblack Podcast (video beneath). “He did precisely what he wished to do. He began a household. He’s residing in Chicago. Him and his spouse simply had a child.”
“We had been collectively for 27 years, 26 years, and we all know every others’ mothers and dads and all of our cousins,” the frontman added. “We all know the whole lot about each other. So it’s been actually, actually unhappy not having him within the band – however I perceive why he’s doing what he is doing. And he was one of many sensible guys: he saved up all his cash. Not me – I’m nonetheless residing at my mother’s.”
Describing Spyder as a “super-close good friend of the band,” Starr famous his lengthy historical past with Metal Panther’s latest member. “As a matter of reality, [guitarist] Satchel and I had been in a Van Halen tribute band for some time, and Spyder was the bass participant in that. We’ve got a wealthy historical past with him… He did all of Europe with us and he did an incredible job.”
In keeping with Starr, the challenges of hiring a brand new bandmate included “looking for someone that has the power to make someone giggle, do choreography strikes from 40 years in the past, bounce round on stage and know what to put on… And never solely that – most individuals assume that Metal Panther’s music is tremendous simple to play, and it’s not. Satchel’s an unbelievable author and the stuff he writes? Not simple to play. So that you’ve actually received to have the ability to play bass, you’ve received to have the ability to sing, you’ve received to have the ability to have interaction the viewers, you’ve received to have the ability to speak to them. There’s so much that goes into it.”
In the end, Starr stated the choice got here right down to chemistry, each on and off the stage. “Critically, it’s actually arduous to seek out somebody that has all these qualities and you’ll hang around with them,” he defined. “The present is an hour and a half. The opposite 22 and a half hours we’re collectively… sleeping or hanging out, soundchecking or no matter. So it’s a variety of time to spend collectively offstage. So that you’d higher be cool with him.”
Metal Panther return to the street with a tour of New Zealand and Australia beginning on Oct. 17, with North America dates commencing on Oct. 28.
Watch Michael Starr’s Interview
