Mephisto Odyssey’s Mikael Johnston Receives RIAA Gold Certification for His “Crucified Dub” of Static-X’s “Push It” - @thebeast

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Mephisto Odyssey’s Mikael Johnston Receives RIAA Gold Certification for His “Crucified Dub” of Static-X’s “Push It”

Alternate version developed with Wayne Static during the band’s early Warner Bros. era earns Gold status, highlighting one of Static’s most notable creative collaborations outside Static-X

April 21, 2026 — The RIAA has officially certified Static-X’s iconic single “Push It” as Gold. Among the versions featured on the original 1999 maxi-single was the “Crucified Dub,” an alternate version created by Mikael Johnston of Mephisto Odyssey with creative input from Wayne Static.

Johnston recently completed a 2026 remaster of the track at Pop Twist Studios. The updated version is now streaming here:



The accompanying video was edited by filmmaker Matt Zane.

Wayne Static did not just approve of the “Crucified Dub” — he embraced it, recognizing the creative chemistry he shared with Johnston as something distinct from the core Static-X sound. That connection became the foundation for an ongoing creative partnership.

Static later contributed vocals and writing to Mephisto Odyssey’s “Crash” from the album The Deep Red Connection . The track was featured on the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker soundtrack, received significant alternative rock radio play and MTV2/MTVX rotation, and was supported by a music video directed by Len Wiseman, featuring Koichi Fukuda on guitar.

Over the following years, Wayne Static continued to work with Johnston whenever he wanted to explore material outside the traditional Static-X framework. Johnston and Mephisto Odyssey contributed remixes and alternate versions for several key tracks, including:




“Love Dump” (Mephisto Odyssey Voodoo Mix) — featured on the 2001 film Valentine soundtrack

“Cold” (Mephisto Odyssey Remix) — released on German promotional singles tied to the Queen of the Damned soundtrack and distributed to winners of a Static-X fan contest

Additional remixes for Static-X tracks including “This Is Not” and “Black & White”



Johnston and Wayne Static remained close collaborators and friends until Static’s passing in October 2014.

In addition to his own work, Johnston has become a visible supporter of filmmaker Matt Zane’s upcoming unauthorized documentary on Wayne Static and Tera Wray, a project that has faced resistance in some circles. Johnston has granted Zane permission to use his 2025–2026 reimagining of “CRASH: Reborn” in the film.

“Wayne was genuinely happy with how the ‘Crucified Dub’ turned out, and that trust led to us working together on several projects over the years,” Johnston said. “I’m proud of the music we created together, and I’m happy to support Matt’s documentary. Wayne’s story deserves to be told honestly, not filtered or controlled by people with their own agendas.”

As interest in Wayne Static’s unreleased recordings and unfinished projects continues to grow, Johnston’s long and well-documented history with Static has placed him at the center of ongoing discussions about how the singer’s legacy should be preserved and presented moving forward.

Mikael Johnston continues to work at Pop Twist Studios in Texas.

Media Contact: poptwistmanagement@gmail.com & zach@metaldevastationradio.com


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