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W.A.S.P.
1984 - W.A.S.P.
1985 - The Last Command.
1989 - The Headless Children.
1992 - The Crimson Idol.
1997 - Killfuckdie.
more W.A.S.P.
way more Helter Skelter.

August 17, 1984 - 2024: 40 years of: W.A.S.P.

"I want shiny cars and dirty money, lotsa rocknroll !"

Hardrock, sleaze and raw-meat, this is meant to shock the establishment. From the legacy of Arthur Brown, to Alice Cooper, to KISS ...shockrock's best / worst is yet to come.

From the rotting trash-filled alleys of L.A. arises the world's most shocking band. So shocking that Washington took notice and subsequently created the P.M.R.C. (Parents Music Research Center) to helplessly try to drown the horror. Yet this futile attempt only fueled the crew to be louder and wilder ...with exponential interest and matching record-sales.

Ex-NEW-YORK DOLLS, ex-SISTER and ex-LONDON main-man Blackie Lawless is the primary creative force behind the W.A.S.P. beast since it's 1982 conception. Whatever this acronym means to you is irrelevant as W.A.S.P. is all hard and all rock. While glamrock of the very late 70s was about looks and fashion, this unit is all about blood and obnoxious rocknroll.

The very purpose of W.A.S.P. is set in stone on the hardrock-anthem "I Wanna Be Somebody", where the rules of rocknroll are leveled-up to new scandalous heights. "The Flame" throws a hard punch and burns the place to the ground cuz: "Baby I've got the gasoline if you've got the spark". Another timeless cut is the mechanical "L.O.V.E. Machine", a song about, well you all know what it's about !

A lesson in ass-kickin' is displayed on "School Daze", while the fast-paced "Hellion" makes sure no-one gets outta here alive. The haunting powerballad "Sleeping (In The Fire)" is the first of many dark W.A.S.P. melancholic tracks.

The iconic and controversial "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)" now proudly sits as one of hardrock's most sexually-charged song. The single was removed from the LP and sold separately as an EP to prevent the album from being censored. Love it or hate it, controversy sells and this one did ...RIAA-certified Gold status.

W.A.S.P. now rules The Strip.

Before the nun rapes of 1997's industrial Killfuckdie CD, the blood started dripping right here. This opus shall forever stands as one of hardrock's defining moments, a unique point in time, where youth-went-wild attitude ruled, in a decade where excesses where now the norm.

Although jukeboxes died in the late 80s, most current hardrock-playlists still includes "I Wanna Be Somebody", "L.O.V.E. Machine" and / or "Animal" ...true signs of timeless classicks. Now 40 years young, the initial shock has past and other bands have pushed showbiz to new extremes, yet the raw and explosive vibe throughout this LP is forever cemented in the annals of hard-rocknroll. The second round and more ball-crushing shall ascent in 1985 with The Last Command LP.

"I will live in fame and die in flames, I'm never gettin' old !"

*
I Wanna Be Somebody = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA3ID178XLE
L.O.V.E. Machine = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BovrPGCrm9I
W.A.S.P. = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh-btSHnblQ&list=OLAK5uy_mGEivpgWjOa5LKc3_95jzK5ZlmOPu2iGQ
Interview in Sweden in 1984
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA0XI2BCwGI
Live at the Lyceum in 1984 = full VHS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cpYz3jkyxU
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AiMJluqy_M

November 9, 1985 - 2020: 35 years of: The Last Command.

Forget the 10 Commandments ...THIS is the last command.

After the bloody meat throwing into the crowd events, the sexual perverts had other plans. Sunset Strip in 1985, the epicenter for sleazy rockstars with lewd and crude attitude. And nothing says lewd and crude more than the fearsome foursome of W.A.S.P.

After the initial scandal of fucking like a beast on their 1984's self-titled debut LP, the blood kept on pouring, with more hooks and more hardrock shenanigans.

The LP opens with an immortal classic. First there was "Shout At The Devil", then there's "We're Not Gonna Take It" ...and now make way for Blackie Lawless, the possessed Harley riding "Wild Child". Freedom and rebellious spirits, this hardrock-track energized youths across the Red, White & Blue, wanting more of that B.A.D. mindset. Key selling-point: the stellar vocal delivery remains unmatched. This signature-song is still part of their current setlist.

The rampage goes on with the testies-tester "Ballcrusher" and the metal-roars on the punchy "Jack Action". Now the obligatory powerballad "Cries In The Night" packs some quality somber melodies, while the naughty "Sex Drive" leaves no ass unkicked.

Close your eyes, think back when MTV was the shit, remember those cool rock videos ? Hip riffing and upbeat tempo ...everything's bigger in the Lone Star State. Another rocknroll Grand Slam for the L.A. boys, so drunk the band ended up "Blind In Texas". Another mandatory-track off their 36+ year career-catalog.

Shock-rock started with the almighty COOPER, then KISS made it mainstream, now W.A.S.P. were one of the sole reason the P.M.R.C. actually had a gig. Synonymous with the 80s rebellious attitude, W.A.S.P. rapidly became poster bad-boys for everything wrong with America's disgruntled teens. For every action, there's a reaction ...W.A.S.P. is that very reaction, thank you conservative Bible-hugging middle-America.

After the RIAA-certified Gold reached plateau, the widowmakers would comeback in the ring on 1986's Inside The Electric Circus LP.

Who dares wins !

*
Wild Child = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMoY3a0fF8
Blind In Texas = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG69PMDBfaE
The Last Command = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6qEQeYYveQ&list=PLcduPcGUrRIQANZ4m67hsEoxey49aywDa
Interview in 1985
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlnopCz5uRw
Live in 1986
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-np6yLnTo
Some girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SlKlvhOf-0

April 3, 1989 - 2024: 35 years of: The Headless Children.

Rebels of the Fucking Decadent Generation.

1989, the epitome for hardrock and the end of this decade of excesses. Rockin' til they drop and acting lawless, aimlessly walking toward the unknown rotted future ...these are the Headless Children.

"Drink that stuff and start gettin' obscene !"

1989, for some young guns, the party was just starting: PRETTY BOY FLOYD, DANGEROUS TOYS and SKID ROW ...but for some others: MÖTLEY, FASTER PUSSYCAT and TESLA, they were just between that sought after perfect balance between raw and refined ...and with their fourth LP W.A.S.P. were just that: raw and refined.

The rawness build-up as "The Heretic (The Lost Child)" explodes all-around. Euro powermetal guitars, a unison-breakdown and the rowdy voice of domination, this could be 1989's top-shelf track. More metal lightning-bolts abound on the appropriated titled "Thunderhead" while both über bad-assery of "Mean Man" and "Rebel In The F.D.G." contains some of the coolest lyrics of the era.

W.A.S.P. never takes "No" for a fuckin' answer.

Epic epicness of epic proportions takes a stand on the mammoth title-track for "The Headless Children", a grandiose cut armed with guitar-feedbacks, primal-percussions and a totemistic calling. On top of the high rock-mountain, Blackie preaches to the headless children, a warning, a message of dire Biblical consequences.

On the other side of the spectrum, the biker powerballad "Forever Free" sets the mood to camp-fire, while the added THE WHO classic "The Real Me" gets an electrified ball-crushing update and heavy MTV-rotation.

No more shockrock, but instead classy hardrock, epicrock and to then-become orchestralrock, it all began on: The Headless Children LP. No more throwing meat into the crowd, no more exploding cod-piece... from mean to mature, the Widowmakers were finally a renown band for the right reasons: quality musicianship.

Leaving the band in Summer 1989, Chris Holmes would be dormant until their '97 re-vamping. In the meantime, W.A.S.P. or the Blackie Lawless project, would strike back, with a full 360° rock-concept trek in a very-very-very different 1992 rock-landscape. Rejoice the other epic epicness of epic proportions: The Crimson Idol CD.

"Here comes trouble, with a capital "T" !"

RIP Ken Hensley (1945-2020)

*
The Real Me = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYX1_ajhIww
Forever Free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSZK1gB0XFo
The Headless Children = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wp8CyjbMJQ&list=OLAK5uy_kdT4SsMQkzU4qqynBdKF_qT8drw9s7VpY
MuchMusic interview in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMDE9RHAdnA
Live in Philadelphia in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJCZxczee_k

June 8, 1992 - 2022: 30 years of: The Crimson Idol.

"Strap on your six-string and feed our machine."

During the 1991-92 crossroad, the tormented hardrock family-tree was literally thrown under the bus by the medias. Left for dead by mid-92, during the tide-changing alternative take-over, hardrock had to dig deeper in order to stay relevant and edgy. One of these acts is the blood-lovin' W.A.S.P. After 1989's Mount Rushmore in The Headless Children LP, the following offering would be a tour-de-force of emotion ...the hardcore story of Jonathan Steel.

Classical-guitar intro opens-up "The Titanic Overture" as the build-up climaxes on "The Invisible Boy". Gigantic hardrock of epic proportions, Blackie Lawless has never sounded so confident. More major kick-ass hardrock is performed on "Doctor Rockter" and the unorthodox rocknroll of "The Gypsy Meets The Boy".

A new classic-anthem is hatched in "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)". Primitive power and rage angst stamina, goes down to business and gets even as the music-industry is exposed for all of it's sins and horrors. Pure hardrock and bare-fist knuckle-fight. More mature material makes a statement on the 8:40sec powerballad "The Idol" and crowns the album on the closer, the 9:47sec power-rock "The Great Misconceptions Of Me".

Story, adventure, characters and catastrophes in masterpiece-ness. The Crimson Idol is not what the industry expected from W.A.S.P., The Crimson Idol is not what rockers expected from W.A.S.P. Yet this new venture would become the band's signature-move until recent years, especially evident on 2003 The Neon God: Part I (The Rise) and 2004's Part II (The Demise) dual CD attack. 2017's Reidolized - The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol CD / DVD package is an interesting take, a modern review, complete rerecording and sadly censored, as it falls from so high compared to the original venom.

Iconic hardrock-sagas: QUEENSRŸCHE has Operation Mindcrime, SAVATAGE has Streets (A Rock Opera) and now W.A.S.P. has The Crimson Idol. The band would breakup after the touring-cycle and Mr. Lawless would return on what should have been, once again, labeled a solo-effort: 1995's Still Not Black Enough CD.

Sign right here on the dotted line, it's the one you've been waiting all of your life: .........................................

RIP Bob Kulick (1950-2020)
RIP Frankie Banali (1951-2020)

*
The Idol = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv8yg4s-6h8
Hold On To My Heart = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifRjyISMxZM
The Crimson Idol = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVSqRZt7d6w&list=PLigvseU-vGq-fJZE7fi6T5PCtv3d5yKtl
Interview on MuchMusic in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYj7jiY3Ps
Live at Donington in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8z_z4fVk3I

March 24, 1997 - 2022: 25 years of: Killfuckdie.

It's gonna get bloodier.

W.A.S.P. are the direct extension of shockrock: 1984, Sunset Strip and a very, very angry Blackie Lawless. After the 80s haze and the proggresive grandiose musical exploration of 1992's The Crimson Idol CD, the perverts called a hiatus. 1996-97, the post grunge-era and the beginning of the reunion-era: KISS, MÖTLEY, SABBATH, VENOM and the PISTOLS. Nevermind these bollocks, he's here, the one you love to fear, the mean-motherfuckin-man is back: Chris Holmes !

It's gonna get bloodier.

The title-track alone should send Tipper back six-feet under. The lovely gore massacre of "Killfuckdie" or "K.F.D" for the P.C. whimps out there, is the cut that reinstates W.A.S.P. has the Kings of horror and inner-madness. Cold industrial flare and modern guitars slams the audience on "Little Death" and the unholy terror of "Wicked Love". The morbid dramatic subconcious-crushing "Kill Your Pretty Face" is all fears, nightmares and ecstasy combined, while "U" snakes its way into evenmore scream until you like it epicness.

It's gonna get bloodier.

Forget about the tame explosive cod-piece as we now get pure hell in the live-environment. Shiny knife-yelding cod-piece, back blood drinking from skulls, actual pig slaugthering, unborn baby hatching and mannequin nun-fucking on-stage.

Positively rated-X for your own sanity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C6Zr-RDjOA

This revitalised vile Lawless + Holmes latex-clad alchemy would desecrate again, just before the end of the millenium. One modern shot of rawknroll shall ascend with 1999's Helldorado CD.

It's gonna get bloodier: Allpigsdie, KILLFUCKDIE !

*
Killfuckdie = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW2TUNLT2Qo&list=PLyBJQg5c7hD6qQYfypK82p1gyJSWBzfQe&index=1
EPK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYntlaj_K0g
Interview MTV in 1997
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDoWtuVfjr0
Live in Italy in 1997
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qreUbwWEOfQ

more W.A.S.P.:

The Decline Of Western Civilization, Part II: The Metal Years