The Best Of 1985: #5

I'm not a big W.A.S.P. or Blackie Lawless fan... but man, "Blind In Texas" is a catchy song and a cool video. That's how it made the cut on my best of list - pretty metal, especially for 1985.

Comments

[Him]

Back in the day, I took in almost anything WASP put out (careful . . . no pun intended). On _The Last Command_, I would place this farther down the list. "Wild Child" (check out those high heels on Blackie in the video) and even the title track are touch stronger.

Song certainly is fun though; another one of Blackie's tall tales (sorta' like "Ballcrusher"). And say what you will about him, then or now. He had one of the most distinct voices. If you haven't heard it, check out "Forever Free" off of _The Headless Children_.

[B Lucas]

I used to love this band. Saw them open for Kiss' Heavens on Fire Tour. Wasp was amazing

[Metalboy!]

This is one of my favorite W.A.S.P. songs. And one of my favorite videos, too! However, as amazing as Lawless is in it, you can see why he was meaner than the "Mean Man" himself, Chris Holmes. Look at the way Lawless has virtually edited Holmes out of the video, cutting away before the viewer can really focus on his face.

What Lawless doesn't get is how it can still be all about Blackie and still show a little love for his guitarist.

p.s. Check out The Darkness' new album, "Last of Our Kind", just out last week! It's their masterpiece and easily the best album of the summer, if not the year! "Barbarian"!

[Rita]

I never really listened to WASP although I thought Blackie Lawless looked pretty nice. I remember seeing Chris Holmes in the Decline of Western Civilization Part 2. I remember feeling bad for his mom in that pool scene.

Other than that, one of my guy friends used to listen to F@@K Like a Beast, which I admit was a pretty interesting song title. Don't remember much else about these guys. Maybe I should listen to some of their songs now. They don't sound too bad.

[Mike]

I'm with HIM - in that I prefer WILD CHILD from this album.

The first WASP album is a Heavy Metal classic, pretty much flawless IMO.

[Gary]

My favorite WASP song. The his entire album was pretty much killer,but the boogie shuffle on this song,along with the guitar tone on the entire album, just worked for me. Say what you will about Mr Duren, and I've said plenty about his over inflated opinion of himself, but the guy could write some killer songs and had a very distinctive voice.

[bkallday]

This band, and Blackie, were on fire at this time!

[Ace Steele]

I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time w/ Blackie, in the years before W.A.S.P. took off. I shared a rehearsal space with what was becoming W.A.S.P. & it's previous incarnation as "Circus Circus".

I learned a ton from Blackie: How to write a song, How to write a hook, How to control an audience. This man's success didn't just happen, he planned it out, by trial & error, adapting as he went along.

W.A.S.P. is basically his 1977/78 band concept "Sister" done right. Sister is without a doubt the scariest band I ever saw. Imagine the original Alice Cooper band... only with 4 Alices... "Electric Vaudeville" set to a thundering beat!

[Gary]

Ace,is it true that,even before he was famous,that he was the proverbial "chick magnet"? Lol. I've read that twice now,that women literally flocked to him. ( or as I like to say, the guy could get laid in a monastery) lmao

[Rita]

Gary, before Ace responds, I'm going to go out on a limb and say, I'm sure he got a ton of action.

I already said I thought he looked pretty nice and I have a pretty accurate hotness barometer, especially when it comes to musicians ;)

[Ace Steele]

Gary, Yeah Blackie never really had any problems getting girls... (There was this place called "The Rainbow Parking Lot" that was pretty much like shooting fish in a barrel... a sure thing when it came to meeting willing women.)

I've seen Blackie pick up some gorgeous girls... I've also seen him collect some hideous beasts.

I'd tell you of one of Blackie's inventions, called "The Pepsi Challenge", but it's a bit rank for mixed company. Use your most depraved imagination.

[Him]

So now I have to ask another question Ace (and it sounds like you had a great experience): was Lawless as temperamental as people made him out to be? I am not really interested in him post-re-conversion, as the WASP I love really petered out around _The Headless Children_.

It strikes me that a lot of bands or artists that made it (to some degree) needed at least one person who was so focused, so dedicated, and so committed to what they saw as their "art," that they were willing to put niceties to the side and trample on people from time to time.

Ace, I am not asking you to betray a friendship or sling mud. But what is your take on Lawless, beyond what you wrote above?

Rita, you shot a memory right into my skull! I remember buying the import version of "Animal" with the provocative cover back when you could get it via mail order. In retrospect, some of those lyrics are pretty hilarious nowadays. But it is a fun memory, back when bands seemed dangerous and edgy . . . even if they wore high heels in their videos!

Metalboy!, you hit the nail on the head: Lawless and Holmes created something magical . . . but, boy oh boy, is their scorched Earth standing between them. Part of it goes back to my assumptions and my question to Ace. But some of it has to do with Holmes. What a gigantic mess he has turned into these days. Some of the stuff he says makes me cringe. I can't help but think that, aside from any nefariousness on Lawless's side, Holmes also dug himself into the position he now finds himself in (though in France, so I suppose it could be worse).

[Dj]

Amazing pick, their early albums are incredible, Blackie Lawless is a badass!! If you haven't checked out their albums The Neon God parts 1 and 2 you definitely should. One of my favorite concept albums...the story is pretty twisted.

[Badland]

Good to see Blackie getting some props with all the negative going on these days. WASP was and still is one of my favorites. Kinda lost me after Headless. Everything before that was killer and great live in concert. Few good tunes came after Headless but not as many as before. Hope Blackie and Chris can work it out again.

[Metalboy!]

Ace! You're gonna have to put that "Pepsi Challenge" story in your book, if it's not already part of it. Can't wait to read it!