Los Angeles comedy glam metallers Steel Panther have officially unveiled Spyder as their new bassist.
Spyder, real name Joe Lester, first performed live with Steel Panther at the House of Blues in Chicago in November 2018 as a temporary substitute for Lexxi Foxx.
When Lexxi Foxx permanently left Steel Panther after 21 years in July 2021, Spyder was one of a number of bassists that toured with the band. Now, Steel Panther have made Spyder a full-time member.
Announcing Spyder as the new permanent bassist, a statement from Steel Panther’s representatives reads: ‘The story of Spyder and Steel Panther is like one pulled from any great American love story. If you have seen The Notebook or Jaws, then you know exactly what we mean.
‘Spyder and the guys have known each other for decades. But it was in 2018 that Spyder did his first live show with the band. Little did they know that those shows would be a foreshadowing of what destiny had in store for their collective futures.
‘In 2021, the band found themselves in a pickle, they needed a bass player. An exhaustive search brought many submissions and fans were treated to a variety of bassists on different tours. The band had even considered a few well-known bassists to fill the void.
‘Throughout the five-week European tour in summer of 2022, it became quite evident to all four guys that this line-up was unstoppable. A few more months of touring together perfected the new line-up and now anyone that has seen the band recently knows that Spyder is the perfect addition for Steel Panther.
‘In other words, Spyder is the chocolate to Steel Panther’s peanut butter.’
Steel Panther themselves said in their own idiosyncratic style: “We wanted it to be you. We wanted it to be you so badly. So, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work at this every day, but we want to do that because we want you. We want all of you, forever, you and us, every day. To us, you are perfect. You had us at hello. You complete us. We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
In addition to their previously announced North American shows this autumn, Steel Panther have just confirmed a new US tour, Claus & Paws Holiday Party, for the run-up to Christmas.
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