Once, Chris Adeney made a bronze casting of a book. On the cover he had engraved the words ‘Wax Mannequin Display’. The bronze book was held closed by thick steel screws. Chris liked the book because it was good, but it needed words, so he started writing things down. The words he wrote fit themselves with fancy guitar parts. The words and parts turned into songs and Chris began to find little stages around town, and crowds that would come to hear him play.

Wax Mannequin was bred in the Hamilton, Ontario rock scene. Driven by a need to preach his ever more elaborate internal imaginings, Wax honed his style; melding curious electronic twitterings, spidery, finger-picked classical guitar airs, and careful, impassioned vocals. Like a lost collaboration between Nick Drake and Edward Gorey, or the ghost of Freddie Mercury channeled by Crispin Glover, Wax’s music soon grew in scope to combine grandiose, pop-melodic sensibilities with things abstract and experimental. Encouraged by a growing groundswell of support, Wax began to experiment with his crowds — interacting with them in dangerous ways. He developed the now infamous ‘Jimmy System’: a fun social sculpture that lets audience members earn ‘Jimmy Points’ and ‘Super Powers’, like the ever coveted ‘Moon in the Basemet’ (“This super power lets you harness the power of the moon… which will be in your basement”). These points and powers were awarded to people for attending performances, participating in activities and inviting others to join the ‘system’. Indeed many did join and as the legend of Wax Mannequin grew, so did his on-stage antics. But being an infamous master of an imaginary cult didn’t quench Wax’s creative urges. Something was missing. He remembered those steel screws — that little bronze book; it needed a new chapter. So in 2002 he took to the road, spreading his bizarre yet alluring gospel.

So for the past two years, Wax Mannequin has had little rest, hardening himself on the Canadian and Australian rock circuits. He rides an unforgiving road, battling nature’s bold face, suspect equipment and an impending harsh world order. Through these trials of fire and ice, a tough, new Mannequin was born – a genteel, yet hard-as-nails Roadhouse-era Patrick Swayze; an absurd preacher of ridiculous and ominous things. Now, backed by a full band, or as a solo performer [with programmed beats, automated bass and angry electric guitar], Wax showcases his evolving brand of performance art-punk; steeped in suffering and reveling in epic absurdity. In the tradition of Zappa, Tom Waits, Arthur Lee, and other such road-wizened outsiders, Wax Mannequin pushes forward – restless – preparing for some elusive future trial.

This evolution of Wax Mannequin is highlighted by the stylistic differences between his two independently released experimental folk records [‘Wax Mannequin’ and ‘and Gun’] and his acclaimed third, ‘The Price’: a gritty, absurdist-pop manifesto that sacrifices none of Wax’s interest in musical craft and lyrical obliqueness, but wraps such treasures lovingly in glorious, balls-out “rockandroll”. The Price has turned ears across Canada and Australia, reaching number nine nationally on !Earshot [Canada campus radio charts] and achieving respectable rotation down under. His music has been heralded by many, including seminal art-rockers The Rheostatics, anarcho-punk legends Mecca Normal, and apocalyptic pop mavens The Arcade Fire among many others. He has shared the stage with everyone cool in Canada, including Controller.Controller, The Organ, Lederhosen Lucil, as well as the aforementioned acts.

Forever onwards, Wax Mannequin will furiously etch new words and chapters into his little bronze book. He strives to fix the breach between the artistry and the showmanship; the McCartney and the Lennon; the brain and the balls. His brand of primordial psych-pop challenges and delights; it poses impossible questions and offers deceptively simple answers; it rocks!