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Steel Panther is excited to come to Medicine Hat on it’s Sunset Strip Live Canada tour tonight at the Cypress Centre Auditorium. “Canada — you guys got it going on,” said bassist Lexxi Foxxx (Travis Haley) recently.
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Steel Panther could be considered Spinal Tap’s ugly stepsister or the bastard love child of Poison, Warrant, Ratt, Cinderella, Slaughter, Stryper and even Winger – all rolled up into one cheesy rock ‘n’ roll burrito. Long live hair metal! Steel Panther graces the Cypress Centre Auditorium stage this Friday with special guest Striker.
On the phone from Jacksonville, Fla. – prior to returning to Canada for the band’s Sunset Strip Live Canada tour – bassist Lexxi Foxxx (Travis Haley) said it was pouring rain, which was wreaking havoc on his flowing luxurious locks.
“My hair is a friggin’ mess. I didn’t get to the phone right away because I was blow drying it. It is just a disaster. It’s not sexy. It really isn’t. It is so hard to maintain a beautiful head of hair when it’s pouring rain outside,” Foxxx said in a tizzy.
“But the women are hot, so that’s kinda bitchin,'” he admitted.
From California, Steel Panther satirically pretends to be a hair metal band that missed its big break in the 1980s. The band consists of Foxxx, singer Michael Starr, drummer Stix Zadinia and guitarist Satchel. The band’s latest album “Lower the Bar” was released in 2017. Prior to that, the band released their first concert LP entitled, “Live from Lexxi’s Mom’s Garage” in 2016. In 2008, the band signed to Universal Republic. Steel Panther’s first full-length album “Feel the Steel” was released in 2009 and then other albums followed.
This isn’t SP’s first foray into Canada, but the band is bringing a new show for those not of the faint of heart. “It’s cool because what we’re doing now is we’re doing something totally different than what we’ve done in Canada before. We want to switch it up because we’ve been there a bunch and whether it be on the east or west side of Canada, we always do really well,” he said.
“We love the Canadian fans. What’s most important to us is the women. And the women are bananas,” he said, adding Canadians are super duper nice. “But, the women are extra nice. That’s why we love playing in Canada. Everybody there is so friendly.”
“Canada – you guys got it going on,” he noted.
As for Steel Panther’s upcoming Medicine Hat gig, Foxxx said fans can expect monkeys and snakes that bite, but the snakes are not venomous. “So everybody should be fine,” he joked.
Foxxx explained the band has a whole different set and fans can expect a lot of hairspray. “I just got botox, so I look a little bit better than I did last time I was there. Michael looks great. Satchel’s been working out more. We’re both endorsed by Jackson now. Satchel has his own model guitar, so Satchel will be able to show that off and announce where you can buy that and I have a whole new outfit,” he said, adding there’s also new material and songs the band hasn’t played for a while in the Great White North.
According to Foxxx, the band is close to the finish line recording a new album and a tour overseas will follow, once the record is complete. “Once we finish that we’re going to head over there and for next year we’re going to promote this new record. We’re super excited about that. Going to do another Europe run. Europe has been so good to us, as well as Canada has. We’re exited to go there.”
Live rock ‘n’ roll, these days, is pretty crazy – Foxxx said. “The music scene has changed so much. But, we still stay the same. We always have. I think that’s why we do so well.”
To keep up with the Joneses anymore, Foxxx added, these poor kids – they come and they go and they all look the same. “Nobody does what we do,” he noted.
Steel Panther, Foxxx explained, is one of a kind. “Nobody dresses like us. We’re bringing back a time and a period where metal was metal.”
Even though there’s metal in 2019, Foxxx said it’s not the kind of metal he personally likes, which is glam metal. “I grew up with a lot of glam. A lot of Bowie,” he said, but also music with a lot of screeching guitars too.
“A lot of kids don’t know what that is about. It’s cool we stay the same and we will never change. A lot of bands just try to keep up with the Joneses. It’s got to be tough to do be an up and coming band now. The whole record business has changed too,” he said.
Sadly, these days a person can just go online and see live shows. “Why buy a ticket to see it live when you can just watch it from your phone? A lot has changed since I was a young buck. We’re all old now, but we’re still doing our show,” said Foxxx.
When asked if he or Steel Panther has any advice for an up and coming artist, Foxxx said to just be yourself. “Don’t try and be like any band. They can influence you, but don’t dress like anybody. Come up with your own thing – do your own thing.”
“We get made fun of a lot for looking the way we do and I get called a bunch of names, but that doesn’t matter. That keeps me going and that just fuels me more. And I will continue to do and be me. As long as you’re true to yourself and true to your music then you can be successful, then you can make a stand and other people will be influenced by what you do,” Foxxx added.
“And always look bitchin’ – then you will be fine.”
Foxxx said he and his fellow band members are old men wearing spandex and it can be silly sometimes. “But for the most part, we’re still going to do it until the wheels fall off.”
105.3 Rock and Crabby Productions proudly present Steel Panther live. Show starts at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Rush Seating. For tickets and more information visit online at tickets.mhstampede.com
