According to one bio, “Wax Mannequin is the fighter…He is
music of the biggest fight style.” Or at least he used to be. Like the
title of his latest release, Saxon, suggests, Wax is now a
veteran reflecting on battles past. And certainly Hamilton-bred Chris
Adeney, the man behind Wax, is a veteran of the Canadian music scene.
With five albums and six years of touring, Adeney admits he’s wiser and
more mature.
“It took the first four [records] to figure out what I could do and
make some mistakes along the way. I think this is kind of the summation
of what I’ve been trying to say all along,” says Adeney.
There are still a number of rockers on Saxon, with his band
Black Blood providing a fuller sound. But the more melodic
introspective tracks have Adeney feeling “at home” in his music.
“I still talk about fights and ridiculous things but I’m not
fighting with myself or the crowd,” he says. “I’m not out to alienate
anyone anymore. I used to get a kick out of those tense moments. Now I
just enjoy a good song.”
Adeney realizes a quiet approach can communicate his ideas too.
Having a backing band is also less burdensome. Yet, spectacle remains
central to Wax Mannequin. “I’m out to say there can be a real artistry
to [showmanship], and you can make something loud and engaging without
losing legitimacy.”
The thematic extravagancy of Wax Mannequin continues to fire on all
cylinders. Adeney even finds changing style reinforces the consistency
within Wax Mannequin’s lexicon.
“Substance and melody are king. Style is fun and funny, but
ultimately something you toy with and toss away,” he says. “A lot of
bands that I come across get pretty hung up on style, and are
ultimately thrown away, which is sad.”
At heart, Adeney’s infamous live performances—featuring buckets of
sweat, ripping roses from his chest and cuticle-cutting guitar
thrashing—are about communication. With abstract lyrics about
messages to the queen and jumping animals, emotional performance was
his way of translating his thoughts.
“Doing that has been very taxing but I think I’ve found a place
where I’m confident and comfortable at all times on stage, and can just
have fun with it with these talented guys.”
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2009.
