During this pandemic Empire Extreme has been able to connect with some amazing artists and just recently added another name to that list. Lord Matt Zane of Society 1.

EE: I know you’re out in California, are you safe from the fires?

MZ: Ya I live in the west end of the valley. Where I live the fires never came this close before. The worst we get is the smoke.

EE: So Society 1 has a new album coming out called Black Level 6?

MZ: Yeah not sure if the album will be coming out this year. We have been releasing videos for the album. Most of the videos we release are from that album or just stuff that we made during this pandemic. It’s looking like we are going to release it next year backing it with a tour.

EE: Is there a tour planned for next year?

MZ: I talked to my manager. He has the tour already thought of, and told me the name of the band it will be with, but since we don’t know what’s going to happen next year so we don’t want to let that out yet.

EE: How was it like doing that last little leg of the Static X tour?

MZ: It was really emotional, I knew Wayne and worked with him many times. I’ve hung out with the guys a few times before the shows. I directed five music videos for the project and did some photo shoots as well. Seeing them play and was amazing. I’ve known them for over 20 years. The fact that Wayne wasn’t there was difficult. I was grateful for it. A lot of people don’t know but the last time Wayne played in the states I opened up for that show. It was weird It was weird I played his last show and it was the last time I seen him in person and got to talk to him, and then here I am on the memorial tour. The way that they did it was amazing and I would say it was the best rock tribute to anyone. I know that’s a bold statement. But have you ever seen anything that paid tribute to Anyone like that before.

EE: I got to see the first tour with Gwar after ODERUS died and that was a great tribute, but yeah this one with the album and the memorial show, I have to agree with you.

EE: I know that you’ve never been to shy to voice your opinion and tell it like it is. Did you want to talk about the whole Tripp debacle with static x project regeneration?

MZ: I don’t care you can ask me anything, is there something in particular you want to know?

EE: Just the whole thing with him saying that the whole idea for that project was his idea and bringing everyone back together to the whole Mask idea being his.

MZ: I’ll tell you this first and foremost he didn’t come up with idea. I know that for the fact. The guy who produced the album Zero, I talked to him before it was made public and years before and even before Tony was called. I’m sure Tripp doesn’t know that I was there from the beginning sitting in a studio talking about this possible project. The mask being his idea was total bullshit. I was on the music video set when we were discussing what to do and there was multiple things we were going to do. At one point they were talking about a robot and another time was a mask that had Wayne face projected onto it, and the mask with the hair. So there was many routes they were going to go. For the music part he repeatedly tried to say that he wrote music for the album, the only thing he did rightfully so was 3 songs that they pulled Wayne’s vocals off of wrapped around Tripp’s guitars. They took Tripp’s guitars off and just used Wayne’s vocals. The guitar parts on any of those songs, they trashed all that music, so he never had anything what so ever on the album that was his. I was there in the studio and with the band since day one and I never seen Tripp once.

EE: How was it like working with DMC of Run-DMC?

MZ: The first time I heard his voice in the studio on the tracks he did why the Society 1 album, I swear to you I almost cried. I loved Run-DMC when I was growing up even more that Michael Jackson and had all the records, and out of the band DMC was my favorite guy. Then I got to work on a song with him was just unreal.

EE: How was it like recording that first album Slacker Jesus?

MZ: I’m not sure I remember it was so long ago (laughs) it was made on tape, it was recorded analog. Not like how it is now with copy and pasting it was all done live.

EE: I love that album and was lucky enough to see you guys play on the early 2000’s. You guys were crazy and fun.

MZ: I’m glad you got to see me when I was young and absolutely crazy that’s awesome.

EE: The main thing I always remember from those shows when I first seen you was that Cock Mic stand (laugh) How did you come up with the idea for that?

MZ: It’s a long story, so you can edit around me since it’s very in-depth. (Laughs) I love the band The Doors. They were in the 60s and 70s they haven’t quite figured out the PA systems and the microphone stands. There was a famous concert with the Doors at the Hollywood Bowl and for some reason they didn’t give him a proper mic stand they gave him a drum mic stand that has a little hook on it so you can wrap the cord up. During the peak of the concert he was doing the song “ This is the end” and in the middle of the song he jumps up and the microphone straddled his leg right underneath his crotch and so happed that the hook came out and at the angle they showed look just like a phallus. I thought I’m going to make a mic stand with an actual dick on it, so I contracted a guy for a couple thousand dollars and made the mic stand.

EE: That mic stand was iconic like Steven Tyler’s mic stand with all the scarves on it. Then now you see lots of bands with custom mic stands.

MZ: Yeah people seem to forget that I was doing that way back in 2001 when they see bands doing it now.

EE: How was it like doing that LA suspension show?

MZ: The crazy suspension show was the one in Europe with like 80,000 people and I stayed suspended the full set. I was only hooked up with 4 hooks and did a full set which had never been done in rock history before. We played with Slayer, Slipknot and System of a Down. Society 1 even in its best days was never as big as those bands so it was crazy just sharing the same stage as them.

EE: What got you into the suspension stuff?

MZ: Originally there was a guy Joey Strange. He was one of the original forefront guys in suspension. He was a performing artist. He was mostly known for being suspended to a helicopter and flown over the Hollywood sign. Criss Angel Ripped him off. I just happened to meet him and talked to about integrating into a band.

EE: Yeah seeing someone do that while a band plays would be so amazing and shocking to see.

MZ: At the time yes it was, Dave Navarro did it and he openly said that he was influenced by me doing it. But now it’s not a much of a shock now people are used to it, when I would do it most people in the crowd would pass out or puke from it.

EE: What’s been your favorite music video you ever directed?

MZ: That’s tough I’ve done so many. I could tell you a couple. I liked the John 5 video “ Here’s to the crazy ones” where we did the makeup like the original planet of the apes. I love Blood Sick by Wednesday 13. Assassin of youth by Wayne Static was fun.

EE: Was there a band that you worked with that you like but hated directing the video for them?

MZ: Yeah, let me start off by saying that I love Jay Gordon and the guys from Orgy, I’ve known Jay for years. Directing a video for them was difficult. I don’t completely blame Jay, he sold millions amid records and we had to do a lower budget video and what he wanted to do more than what we had a budget for, so it wasn’t on a personal level more of a creative one.

EE: Since we have been talking about Wayne Static and I’ve done a few recent interviews with the guys and asked them too, is there a story or a funny moment you like to share about Wayne?

MZ: I have a bunch of them. If I had to boil down to the best memory or the best time that I had with him. It was one year before pighammer came out and he invited me and my girlfriend at the time to his house in the desert up in Joshua Tree and we barbecued and watched the fireworks on the Fourth of July. It was great and amazing day we talked and listened to the album before it came out. It was a great day and night to just spend with friends.