Antonio Campos (born March 8, 1973) is an American musician. He is the current bassist for the industrial metal bands Static-X and Fear Factory and the vocalist and bassist for the extreme metal band Asesino. He has previously played with Prong, Soulfly, Ministry, and Possessed. Following the death of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Wayne Static and the resurrection of Static-X, Campos is the longest-serving member of the group and the only one to appear on every album.

Tony Campos
Tony Campos wearing a black print t-shirt and black shorts, playing a five-string bass guitar onstage, looking downward, with left leg resting on a raised surface.
Campos performing with Soulfly in 2012
Background information
Birth nameAntonio Campos
Also known asMaldito X
Born (1973-03-08) March 8, 1973 (age 51)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1]
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
  • Bass
  • vocals
Years active1994–present
Member of
Formerly of

Career

edit

Campos was part of the original lineup of Static-X, playing bass and performing backing vocals on all of the group's studio albums. Along with Wayne Static, he was one of the legal owners of the Static-X name, even though he did not participate in the band's temporary reunion from 2012 to 2013.[2]

In 2001, Campos broke his collarbone in a motorcycle accident, leaving him unable to play in the Extreme Steel Tour, headlined by Pantera. He continued to sing backing vocals on the tour, and Marty O'Brien took over bass duties with Static-X.[3] He was also mentioned to be working with Brujeria at the time but would later explain that he simply filled in on bass during a rehearsal when Shane Embury was late.[4]

In 2002, Campos joined the Mexican-American metal group Asesino. His stage name, "Maldito X", is Spanish for "Damned X".[5]

Campos was a member of Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters from 2006 to 2012,[6] and he played bass with Ministry during four stints (2007–2008, 2011–2012, 2014–2016, 2017–2019), following the death of Paul Raven.[7]

From 2011 to 2012, he was a member of the death metal band Possessed.[8] In 2011, he also joined Soulfly, remaining with the band until 2015,[9] when he joined Fear Factory.[10] He has also toured with Cavalera Conspiracy, in 2012–2014, 2016–2017, and 2020.[11]

In October 2018, Campos announced that he and the other two surviving original members of Static-X—guitarist Koichi Fukuda and drummer Ken Jay—had reformed the band and were planning to release a new album and tour in 2019 in memory of Wayne Static, who had died in 2014.[12]

Band history

edit

Influences

edit

Campos has cited Blasko, Cliff Burton, Dan Lilker, Jeff Hanneman, and Kerry King as influences.[13][14]

Equipment

edit
  • Zon Legacy 5-string with EMG MM5CS pickups
  • Neal Moser Custom Shop Scimitar (P-bass style) 4-string with EMG-P pickup, tuned BbFBbEb
  • Fernandes Tremor 5-strings with EMG-40DC pickups, tuned BbFBbEbAb
  • SWR SM-900 head, SWR Goliath Senior 6x10 cab
  • Tech 21 SansAmp PSA-1 preamp, Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah, Line 6 Bass POD
  • Fernandes five-string signature Tremor bass guitars with EMG-40HZ and MM5CS pickups

Personal life

edit

Campos majored in computer science before becoming a musician.[15] He is an avid video gamer[16] and considers the Doom and Halo series his all-time favorites.[17]

Discography

edit
 
Campos performing with Cavalera Conspiracy at Wacken Open Air 2017

Static-X

edit

Asesino

edit

Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters

edit

Ministry

edit

Soulfly

edit

Prong

edit

Attika 7

edit
  • Blood of My Enemies (2012)[18]

As guest member

edit
Year Band Album Track(s)
2007 Divine Heresy Bleed the Fifth "Rise of the Scorned" and "Closure"
2011 Otep Atavist "Drunk on the Blood of Saints" and "Remember to Forget"
2015 Taipan Straight from the Underground "Straight from the Underground"
2020 Mick Gordon Doom Eternal soundtrack Member of the "Heavy Metal Choir"[19]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Wayne, Tripp, & Tony answer fanQ". Jess. Retrieved November 13, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Wayne Static: Former Static-X Bassist Tony Campos 'Hates Me to Death'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. November 30, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "Tony Campos: No "Static" with SWR!". SWR. Retrieved November 13, 2007.[dead link]
  4. ^ "Aftershock Festival 2024 Interviews – Tony Campos (Static-X & Fear Factory)". October 14, 2024 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "Asesino". BNR MEtal. Archived from the original on November 11, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2007.
  6. ^ "Ministry's Al Jourgensen to Release Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters Album in 2012". loudwire.com. December 16, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  7. ^ "Ministry, Meshuggah, Hemlock: Complete Tour Details Revealed". Road Runner Records. November 12, 2007. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2007.
  8. ^ Ramirez, Carlos (September 26, 2011). "Evan Seinfeld Forms New Band with Ex-Members of Static-X and Bury Your Dead". Noisecreep. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "Soulfly Reveals New Bass Player Tony Campos". metalunderground.com. June 30, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  10. ^ "Tony Campos Joins Fear Factory !!! – Fear Factory". Fear Factory. May 2, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  11. ^ "Cavalera Conspiracy Taps Soulfly Bassist for South American, Mexican Shows". blabbermouth.net. October 8, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "New Static-X Album, 'Project Regeneration', Featuring Wayne Static's Final Vocal Performances, to Arrive in 2019". Blabbermouth. October 23, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  13. ^ "Previously Unreleased "Golden Gods" Interview with Tony Campos (Soulfly, Prong, ex-Static X)!". YouTube.com. April 10, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Interview with Tony Campos Bassist for Static-X". YouTube.com. April 25, 2007. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  15. ^ "Interview: Tony Campos of Static-X". Antihero Magazine. July 18, 2020.
  16. ^ "DJ Force X in Conversation #164 – Static-X". YouTube. July 28, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.
  17. ^ "Interview with Static-X Bassist Tony Campos". September 9, 2020.
  18. ^ "Former Biohazard Frontman Joins Attika7". roadrunnerrecords.com. September 15, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  19. ^ M, C (March 5, 2020). "Doom Eternal – Soundtrack Behind the Scenes". Youtube. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
edit