Wax Lips

Every time I drive onto I-40, I see the sign: “Barstow, CA, 2,554 miles.” As far back as I can remember, that sign has always seemed like an open door of possibility. I could throw my bags in the trunk, grab my nearest spontaneous friend, fill up the tank and be off on a cross-country adventure around the twists and turns of the same highway that has always seemed like the doorway to the city—one that, nonetheless, runs through more places across this nation than I could ever imagine. I still dream of long hours in the car, driving literally through the middle of nowhere and not having a care in the world otherwise. But from what I hear of the journey itself, it is not nearly as impressive as what happens on the other side.
In 2008 two friends set forth on such a journey; they just did it backward. There is a little confusion over how Jay Hutchinson and Dan Rogers first met. Dan would want me to say that they bumped into each other while rocking out at a Van-Halen concert, but what might be more near the truth, and much worse for their ego, is that they met on the set of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in Los Angeles, trying to dodge the Hanson’s considerable teen-girl fanbase and wondering why it was they were there in the first place. From there a friendship grew, and the two were soon embarking on a two-month road trip that was sure to be enlightening but more importantly, entertaining. After passing a sign in Barstow, CA, that read, “Wilmington, NC, 2,554 miles,” a month later they landed on our sandy shores, and they haven’t spent more than a month away since. Jay and Dan then met Xander Farr, whom they describe as “the sickest drummer around.” Once he returned from a five-month European hike, Wax Lips was born with only one thing missing: a bass player. It was then that Jay, now on lead guitar and vocals, and Dan, on guitar, called Ryan Barbour, a guy they had met back when he had a mohawk and enjoyed jumping off balconies during house parties. Ryan joined as the bassist for Wax Lips two weeks before their first gig, and the music has been flowing ever since.
“Wax Lips—it’s a novelty, you know?” Hutchinson told encore last week.
“How many bands come out posed and dressed all in black? And then we come out looking like we’re about to fuck shit up!” Rogers chimed in. “You’d expect to see some topless women and broken guitars at our shows, and you do. It’s entertainment, not just a band. You’re coming to see a show, not just hear some songs.”
And entertain they do. Even the discussion between Jay, Dan and Ryan over what genre Wax Lips falls into led into a heated debate between the music genres they love.
“Um, maybe new wave/pop/rock,” Hutchinson guessed.
“Dude, not new wave,” Barbour corrected.
“Glam rock!” Rogers exclaimed. “No, new wave/pop/rock with a classic influence. Our genre is really what the audience wants it to be.”
Whatever the conclusion, Wax Lips is a more original than anything else, sure to keep people coming back for their musical talent as well as for their visual creativity. Whether it’s a red equipment cord that has “gotta be there for the look,” Rogers’ hot pink baseball cap, or any number of the band’s insane costumes that range from full-on pirate shirts and Italian leather shoes to strange face masks or brightly colored sunglasses, the varied look of Wax Lips certainly matches the many different influences on their music.
“The songs we choose to play are powerful,” Hutchinson explained. “It’s not always about the words, it’s just a feeling—putting enough energy in to make it sound good. And when somebody listens to our covers, we want them to go home and listen to the original and think about how we did it better.”
Such heart-pumping covers include Nirvana’s “In Bloom,” The Kingsman’s “Louie Louie” and Gun’s & Roses “Welcome to the Jungle,” along with their newest nicotine craving-inducing original, “Cigarettes.” I haven’t quite decided yet what it is that gives Wax Lips such a distinct sound, far different than most of the music I listen to daily. Their cover of “Welcome to the Jungle” somehow remains true to the classic, but the addition of darker vocals gives edgy facelift. Their originals have that same shadowy tint, but it is mostly overpowered by the amalgamation of their many influences from guitar riffs reminiscent of Led Zeppelin to an overall sound that I can only describe as “surfer grunge.” Wax Lips somehow manage to have an overflowing list of musical influences, all of which they stay true to while still creating a sound that is very new and fresh.
“There is room in this world for people who want to be the best. That is our goal, but it takes effort and something unique,” Jay said.
“We hope that our audience and the band itself can take away nothing but a good time from our shows,” Rogers extended.


- Encore Magazine, Wilmington NC