Steel Panther are returning to Australian shores with their Sunset Strip Live! Tour, which is ALL PANTHER, ALL NIGHT. Two sets – One set of Steel Panther originals, and One set of Classic Covers! To celebrate the Panther boys May 2018 Aussie tour we caught up with arguably one of the best metal drummers of all time Stix Zadinia as he shares his excitement to come down under.

SCENEzine
Congrats on your newest album Lower The Bar. We believe it was the best metal release of last year. Looking back are you stoked with how it all turned out?

Stix Zadinia
Thank you man that’s really nice of you to say. I appreciate it and I’m glad you liked it. We are very fucking proud of that record.

SCENEzine
Was making the “wasted too much time” video fun to put together?

Stiz Zadinia
Yeah I’d never directed a video before. To have that kind of experience and the support of my band guys it was great. It was a whole bunch of fun and I hope to do more videos.

SCENEzine
Would you say that “poontang boomerang” is a nod to Australia?

Stix Zadinia
What do you think? Of course “poontang boomerang” is a nod to Australia for sure.

SCENEzine
It’s not long until you are back in Australia are you looking forward to coming back down under?

Stix Zadinia
We love coming to Australia it’s one of our favourite places because it’s always warm and your chicks are really fun to fuck.

SCENEzine
While you guys are in Australia a lot of girls are going to want to know will you be findable on tinder?

Stix Zadinia
No I don’t do tinder because I just like to go to the back of the classified ads. I’m pretty old and I’m old school so I don’t fuck around with tinder.

SCENEzine
The Australian girls also may be curious will the Weenie ride be operational while you are in Australia?

Stix Zadinia
Yes the Weenie Ride is always operational. If it’s not then that’s why Jesus invented Viagra.

SCENEzine
Steel Panther have been here quite a few times over the years but this time around it’ll be a little different. How did the idea come about to play some covers down under?

Stix Zadinia
Well were all talking about going back to Australia and we could of just done another tour it would of been really fun and cool. But we thought what can we do that’s a little outside the box so because we started as a cover band we’ve been able to get pretty damn good at it. We figured lets bring a little bit of our Hollywood show to places around the globe that have never seen it. The other part of it is a lot of the bands that we cover they aren’t going to tour Australia. If you are going to want to see those songs performed live by a band who kills it then you got to come see us. You will get an hour of Panther favourites and then an hour of heavy metal classic hits. It’s all in the same night, a night with Steel Panther and we are really excited.

SCENEzine
From those younger days when you started out until now has your back stage rider changed much?

Stix Zadinia
No the back stage rider has stayed exactly the same the only thing that changed is we were able to put sugar free red bull on it because when we started red bull wasn’t even around. But we still have cookies and chips, fucking celery and cocaine and hookers on the rider that’s all the same.

SCENEzine
Since you’ll be in Australia any chance you will cover an Australian band?

Stix Zadinia
I guess we will have to consider covering AC/DC being that we will be in Australia.

SCENEzine
When you play in Hollywood you are known for having celebrities join you on stage. Is there any Australian celebrities you’d like to see on stage with Steel Panther? Maybe Hugh Jackman?

Stix Zadinia
If Hugh Jackman jumps on stage with us that may end the show in the coolest way. Especially if he wears the Wolverine knives we will just have to walk off stage because I don’t know how to top that. But if Olivia Newton John shows up then it’s game over too because that would be bitching.

SCENEzine
Since the tour is celebrating the sunset strip do you remember what it was like there back in the 80’s?

Stix Zadinia
I don’t really remember because I was high most of the time. I just know that it was a blur of cocaine, mini skirts, giant hair and pussy.

SCENEzine
“Community Property” is such a huge crowd favourite worldwide. What do you think it is about that song that so many people have connected to?

Stix Zadinia
First of all melodically it’s a killer fucking song. But lyrically it’s what everybody wants to be able to do. Wouldn’t you love to tell your lady, look when I’m home I’m fucking you but when I’m out I’m going to be fucking other people. I think it’s something that people would love to be able to say.

SCENEzine
Motely Crue, Black Sabbath and now Slayer are all calling it a day. Can you rest all the Steel Panther fans worldwide assured that Steel Panther isn’t going to be retiring anytime soon?

Stix Zadinia
Yes without question. The more bands that retire the better for us because then people have to come see us. So finally the plan is working, outlast them all dude!

(interview by Christian Ross)