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| Blackie Lawless, was born Steven Duren on 4th September 1956. He lived in Staten Island, New York, where he hung out with Ace Freley of Kiss Fame. At the age of 13, Blackie was stabbed in a fight and at 14 he was sent to Military School to learn discipline. After 18 months o |
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Blackie Lawless, was born Steven Duren on 4th September 1956. He lived in Staten Island, New York, where he hung out with Ace Freley of Kiss Fame. At the age of 13, Blackie was stabbed in a fight and at 14 he was sent to Military School to learn discipline. After 18 months of a two year sentence he was thrown out after beating up a Sargent Major.
Blackie was nine when he got his first guitar and in that same year he earned 16 dollars and 35 cents in his first band called THE UNDERSIDE. At the age of 16 Blackie played with an East Coast band called BLACK RABBIT, tauting his talents around local bars. Another early band was called ORFAX RAINBOW in which he played for quite a while. When a singing vacancy came up with the legendary NEW YORK DOLLS, after Johnny Thunders leaves, Blackie takes it up - he had just turned 18.
After six months playing with the then dying NEW YORK DOLLS, Blackie and fellow DOLLS bassist Arthur Kane decide to leave New York and head to L.A. They form a band called KILLER KANE and release a 33 ½ EP. This includes the tracks MR COOL on Side 1, LONGHAIRED WOMAN and DONT NEED YOU on Side 2. Blackie is known at this time as "Blackie Gooseman". Eventually KILLER KANE breaks up, Arthur decides to go back to New York and Blackie stays in L.A.
In 1977, Blackie and Randy Piper join together to form a band called SISTER. SISTER where amongst the first groups in L.A. to experiment with occult symbolism and face make up. It is also believed that Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) also played in the band for a while. Out of the SISTER experience Blackie meets up with Chris Holmes. While browsing through the "Beaver Hunt" section of Hustler magazine, Blackie spots ex - U.S. Marine Chris and decides to contact him.
Unfortunately, the late 1970's were a bad time for Heavy Metal and SISTER failed to generate record company interest despite their loyal club following. Other bands that Blackie had played in around this time were CIRCUS CIRCUS and LONDON.
Blackie and Randy stayed in contact and in 1982, when Blackie felt that he had good enough material to form a new band he contacted Randy. Chris and Tony Richards were also added to the line up. The band also dabbled with bassist Don Costa for a while before he joined Ozzy.
W.A.S.P were now formed and in late 1982, they started live gigging. Their first gig was at a place called "The Woodstock" in Orange Country, and by May 1983, they were able to sell out the then 3000 seated "Santa Monica Civic Hall". Momentum continued with a number of sold out gigs at the "Troubador".
Late in 1983, Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood went to see the band. He was extremely impressed with the music and outrageous live performances he decided to get involved. A substantial recording contract was agreed with Capitol Records in early 1984 and the band started to record their debut album "W.A.S.P".
The bands first single "ANIMAL" was not included on the album as it would have meant it being banned from major chain stores. Capitol planned to release it as a single only in Europe, in a black plastic bag with a sticker warning of offensive lyrics. At last minute Capitol backs out and the single is salvaged when W.A.S.P strikes a one off deal with "Music For Nations", who release it in its original sleeve in April of 1984.
In August the album "W.A.S.P" (the original title was planned to be "Winged Assassins") is issued followed by the single "I Wanna Be Somebody" in September. Just before the start of their British Tour, Tony Richards decides to leaves the band. He is replaced by ex-Keel drummer Steve Riley. After the tour a further single "School Daze" is issued.
In May 1985, work begins on the bands second album "THE LAST COMMAND", working with Spensor Proffer at Pasha Studio's in L.A. The band also goes on tour without their signature of blood and guts stage show and open for such major acts as Kiss. The album is released in September, with the first track off the album called "BLIND IN TEXAS" being released in October.
Wild Child is issued in June of 1986. Around this time the band comes up with two major inconveniences. Firstly Randy Piper leaves the band and is replaced by bassist Johnny Rod (King Kobra). This enables Blackie to switch back to playing rythum guitar. Also the band starts to run up against on organisation called the P.M.R.C. This was run by U.S. senators wives and wannabes trying to protect decent society from Rock Music. They referred to Blackie as being sick.
The summer of 1986 was spent recording in L.A, with plans to return to Europe to do an Autumn tour. Their first single from the new sessions "9.5. N.A.S.T.Y." was released in September and the tour began in October. To co-inside with the tour, the bands third album called "INSIDE THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS" was released.
Before the start of their British Tour, W.A.S.P fly into London a few days early to appear live at the "Town and Country Club" for a BBC2 special called "Rock Around The Clock". Their usual grand finale with Blackie's cod piece exploding in a shower of sparks was deemed to be unsuitable and was not filmed. Also around this time there were bomb threats at arenas were W.A.S.P were playing and Blackie had his life threatened by gunshots.
In 1987 W.A.S.P were listed fifth on the bill of the Castle Donington, "Monsters Of Rock" festival in the U.K, which was headlined by Bon Jovi. Their act included the return of the "Torture Routine" in all its glory. The week before the festival, "SCREAM UNTIL YOU LIKE IT", the theme tune to the horror movie"Ghoules 2" was released. This was then followed by the release of the bands forth album called "LIVE..... IN THE RAW". February 1988 leads to Music for Nations following up the original "ANIMAL" release with a live version.
By the end of the year the band were putting finishing touches to their forth studio album called "THE HEADLESS CHILDREN" in Baby O Studios in L.A. Before recording had began, Steve Riley leaves the band and Frankie Banali drummer from Quiet Riot was borrowed for the album sessions. The finished record had a better sound than its predecessors, with the addition of Ken Hensley (ex-Uriah Heep) on keyboards and string arrangements being used on certain tracks.
Mean man was issued at the end of February 1989 and becomes the bands first U.K. Top 30 Hit. The actual album was issued in April and they planed to tour that month too, but the bands inability to find a suitable drummer lead to the tour being re-scheduled for May, when Frankie was free to join the band after finishing touring with Quiet Riot. Their British tour was supported by Zed Yago and was completed at the end of May. Also in May "THE REAL ME" (a cover of The Who's classic from Quadrophenia) was issued. FOREVER FREE was also released and gets to number 25 in the U.K. singles chart.
Rumours start to amount that Chris Holmes has left the band and this is confirmed. Blackie announces that he is working on a new project, a rock opera, which is to be called "THE CRIMSON IDOL" without Chris.
In March of 1992 the single "CHAINSAW CHARLIE" (the first single in three years) is released followed by the album "THE CRIMSON IDOL" in June. It was recorded at Blackie's Fort Apache studios and was written and produced by the man himself.. Frankie Banalli left the band during the recording sessions and Stret Howland took over on drums, also Johnny Rod does not play on the album, but he is later re-recruited for the tour . Bob Kulluck is included and takes over on guitar for studio work only.
August 1992 W.A.S.P play Castle Donington, Monster of Rock festival in the U.K, headlined by Iron Maiden, and also tour later that year. The touring line up included Blackie, Johnny Rod, Stret Howland and Doug Blair.
The single "SUNSET AND BABYLON" is issued in October 1993, followed by the release of the album "FIRST BLOOD….LAST CUTS" in the same month. Around this time Blackie declares that he has disbanded W.A.S.P to pursue a solo career.
Blackie signs a new record deal with Castle records and in June 1995, the album "STILL NOT BLACK ENOUGH" is released still under the name W.A.S.P. Blackie stated that at the time that he had began writing the album, he had intended to put W.A.S.P behind him, but as the album come together there were songs in the classic W.A.S.P style and it seemed natural to call it a W.A.S.P album, anything else would not have been true to the many legions of W.A.S.P fans who had shared the experiences. "BLACK FOREVER" a CD single was also issued too. W.A.S.P do not tour, but Blackie makes personal appearances to promote the record.
March 1997 leads to the release of "KILL FUCK DIE" through Raw Power and a one track limited edition CD of the same name was released a month earlier. The album has a much darker mood to it and has included the return of guitar player Chris Holmes to the band. Stret Howland is also in the band and Mike Duda is added on bass guitar. The band tours and their stage show is very outrageous, it included the raping of a nun and the cutting up of a pig.
W.A.S.P sign a new deal with CMC International Records and Blackie wins a court case against Capitol and contains full control of the W.A.S.P back-catalogue. He re-masters the catalogue and re-issues them with B sides and live performances added.
"DOUBLE LIVE ASSASSINS" is released in the U.K. in February 1998 and in the U.S. in June. This is a live album which was recorded on their world tour in 1997. They join the Metal Manics tour with Iron Maiden, but due to problems with the tour they pull out.
In January of 1999 Blackie announces the name of the new album which is called "HELLDORADO" it is to be released in May followed by a European tour.
After completing a successful European Tour in June 1999. Blackie at to postpone the U.S. Tour due to a injury on his elbow.
February 2000, W.A.S.P embark on their long awaited American Tour. A Best Of CD entitled 'The Best Of The Best' is released in March. The CD included classic songs such as Animal, L.O.V.E Machine and Wild Child. Also there were two extra tracks on the CD, a version of the Elton John hit 'Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting' and a new track entitled 'Unreal'.
The band play a show at the Key Club in Los Angeles on April 22nd 2000. This show was broadcasted live all around the world via the internet. This was an historic event in W.A.S.P history and fans came together from all over the world to watch the same show. It was amazing.
In May of 2000 W.A.S.P took part in charity show sponsored by Concreate Marking in which all proceeds of the ticket sales went to the T.J. Mashal foundation. Other bands that took part in this event where Great White and Megadeath. Parts of this show was also recorded for an Hollywood film.
October 2000 saw the release of a CD called 'The Sting'. This CD is a recording of the Netcast show that took place at the Key Club Los Angeles on April 22nd 2000.
W.A.S.P. released Unholy Terror through the Metal-is label, on April 9th 2001. It was Recorded in Los Angeles with W.A.S.P main man Blackie Lawless at the production helm, 'UNHOLY TERROR' dealt with many issues that Blackie sees in the world today, and never being afraid to comment on these issues through his music said: ''One subject that this album deals with is socio, religious, and political hypocrisy. I had a fundamentalist Christian upbringing and I grew up seeing the world through a different pair of eyes''. In the song 'Charisma', Lawless, who has constantly been the target of religious zealots throughout his career, explains: ''There's a dark side of charisma that mesmerizes all of us when we look at the world figures who possess that dark gift. In the song there's a line that goes 'Preaching fear and using religion with the Bible and Koran', as often organised religions wield a mighty power over it's congregations in the name of God''. That said, this is still a Rock n' Roll record, and sees W.A.S.P's trademark high octane brand of relentless, driving rock, standing shoulder to shoulder with songs about Disaffected Youth and Dictators, Popes and Politicians, and will surely go down as one of their most accomplished albums to date.
They played some European festivals in June, July & August of 2001, before returning to the U.S.A to do an Autumn Tour.
On June 11th, shock rock innovators W.A.S.P. will release their most inspired effort to date through Sanctuary/Metal-Is Records.. On the heals of 2001's critically acclaimed Unholy Terror (heralded as an "…excuse to flay your carcass more ruthlessly than anyone else can…" by L.A. Weekly and "…hard, nasty and loud…" by Hit Parader Magazine), Blackie Lawless and company are unleashing a 10-track demonstration of inspiration through aggression entitled Dying For The World.
With a lineup that currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/ringleader Blackie Lawless, longtime contributing drummer Frankie Banali and bassist Mike Duda, and newcomer Darrell Roberts (who joined the band just prior to the Unholy Terror U.S. Tour), Dying For The World was recorded and mixed at Blackie's studio in Los Angeles. The album was actually inspired by letters received from troops who fought in the Gulf War.
Blackie explains: "Our motivation for this record was prefaced by letters sent to us from the tank divisions during the Gulf War, where the troops would actually go into battle blaring 'Fuck Like A Beast' and 'Wild Child.' After the events on 9/11, we felt we would give them a fresh batch; in essence, we've literally made an album to go kill people by."
Consisting of songs entitled "Shadow Man," "Hell For Eternity," "Trail Of Tears," "Rubberman," "My Wicked Heart," "Stone Cold Killers," "Hallowed Ground," "Hallowed Ground #5 (acoustic)," "Black Bone Torso," and "Revengence," Dying For The World emphasizes a method of dealing with anger.
A native of Staten Island, Blackie elaborates: "This problem isn't going to go away; we WILL have to deal with the Middle East eventually. There is no longer an 'if', it's 'when'!"s 'when'!"
W.A.S.P. have cancel their U.S. tour scheduled for fall 2002, due to the fact that the band are continuing work on the forthcoming studio album, which will be a double record set scheduled for release in the fall of 2004
Due to the enormity and the complexities of what will be a concept/ opera, the band feel that they will need as much time as possible in effort to make this forthcoming release everything that it can possibly be.
Source: http://www.waspnation.com/history.html |
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Still Not Black Enough (1995)
1. Still Not Black Enough
Paint a shadow on my heart
In shades of ebony
Paint the sun out of the sky
That rains over me
Black sun, rain on me
I need one, black sun
Rain on me, rain on me
Tie me to my blackness there
Where I'm ever free
Taken to the dark edges of
My wicked memories
Paint my soul in indigo, and ebony for me
No colour seen in my eyes, none in my eyes
I'm naked in my misery
Emotions stripped to bone
I see inside the heart of me
It's still not black enough for me
No colour in the heart of me
No colour run in my veins
I hold the black to my breast
It bleeds over me
I can't go on till I get off
For me it's still not black enough
With darkness gone, my fear is seen
My fear is real, my fear is me
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2. Somebody To Love
[Originally performed by Jefferson Airplane]
When the truth is found to be lies
You know the joy within you dies
Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You Better find someone to love
Find somebody to love
Find somebody to love
Find somebody to love
When the dawn is rose, they are dead
Yes and you're mine, you're so full of
red
Your eyes, I say you eyes may look like his
Yeah, but in your head, baby I'm afraid
you don't know where it is
Tears are running
Running along down your breast
And your friends baby
They treat you like a guest | riff_master |
3. Black Forever
There's red in my head but I don't want
it
The blues were swarming there in my soul
Shadows over me and
The only colour I can paint my soul
I want black and don't fade away
I want it black forever
Inside of me, all I wanna see's
The colours in my head
I'm in black the only way
And make it black forever
Go inside and go inside and
Never come back out again
Don't colourize me
Cause I don't want it
The ravens taken over my soul
The only thing I want is
The only way I wanna go
The reds were in my head, the blues were in
my soul
Swirl in my mind, never let go
Blind my eyes with a cold embrace
I'll lay my veil all across my face
Everyone I used to know
Sees me strange, sees me bold
Everthing I used to hold
Will fade away my soul
No confessions and no regrets
I'll paint the black all across my chest
Gimme darkness and gimme rest
Gimme blackness or gimme death | riff_master |
4. Scared To Death
Grit your teeth and listen for the gun
Get in the runners block and kneel
And run the human race
That decadent decathalon
Let the games begin for real
Stop scaring me-it's bedlam in paradise
Stop I can't see-nowhere I can hide
Scared to run, this monstrous marathon of
fear
I run the races with a dark horse to win
Across a finish line of fear
I swim a sea of skin, afraid to drown in
flesh
X-generation, revolutions here
Scared to have sex-I don't wanna die
Scared I'll be next-I'm scared for my
life
Dying to live, but there ain't no way
outta here alive
All we're all scared there's
Nowhere to run-I'm scared to death
Nowhere to hide-scared I'll be next
Oh-stop, stop, stop, stop
Nowhere to run-I'm scared to death
Nowhere to hide-scared I'll be next
Oh-stop, stop, stop, stop
Am I a prisoner of the universe?
Is destiny fixed among the stars?
Should I cry or laugh?
All I know is that
The best time to laugh is any time you can
Life's one big party-thrown here by God
We all get invitations-if we want them or
not
It's all truth or dare and nothing is
fair
No no no
We're all scared there's
Oh, it's the decade of fear
No way out of here, no, no, no
No, no, no -no, no, no -no, no, no
Oh scream in my ears
Oh stop what I hear, no, no, no
No, no, no -no, no, no -no, no, no | riff_master |
5. Goodbye America
I'm politically incorrect and damn proud
of it
I love my country but I'm scared to death
of its government
Ya believe what you read cause it's all
that we give ya
Cause all of history is written by winners
I'm engaged in a frenzy of mass
self-destruction
I feed upon your famine to fuel my
corruption
I'm wholeselling hatred and international
incest
To carnivorous hyenas in a global theft fest
I've mastered the arts of death and
foreign nations genocide
And those who turn on me commit national
suicide
I'm the queen of the global dream
And I rule a declining nation
I sit and watch all the violent screams
From the throne of your desperation
I killed them all and stole their land
Enslaved the blacks and slaughtered the red
man
In God we trusted and I gave birth
To would be kings to rule the earth
I have more pigs than I have tits to feed
I embrace the world's phoney leaders
And hold the sucklings to my breast
And I'd fool you all as I'd feed ya
I'll prop you up then strike you down
And lick your blood up form your ground
Humpty fuckin dumpty
My empire's falling down
Breakdown, goodbye America
So long the music's died
Freedom's last hero's wasted
I made you, I'll break you
Breakdown, goodbye America
It's all gone, kiss it goodbye
There on bloody bended knees where
My nation died | riff_master |
6. Tie Your Mother Down
[Originally performed by Queen]
Get your party gown
Get your pigtail down
Get your heart beatin' baby
Got my timin' right
Got my act all tight
It's gotta be tonight my little
Schoolbabe
Your mamma says you don't
And your daddy says you won't
And I'm boilin' up inside
Ain't no way I'm gonna lose out this
time
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Lock your daddy out of doors
I don't need him nosin' around
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Give me all your love tonight
You're such a dirty louse
Go get outta my house
That's all I ever got from your
Family ties, in fact I don't think I ever
heard
A single little civil word from those guys
But you know I don't give a light
I'm gonna make out all right
I've got a sweet heart band
To put a stop to all that
Grousin' an' shipin'
Tie your mother down -
Tie your mother down -
Take your little brother swimmin'
Tie your mother down,
Tie your mother down
Or you ain't no friend of mine
Your mamma and your Daddy gonna
Plague me till I die
Why can't the understand I'm just a
Peace lovin' guy
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down... | riff_master |
7. Keep Holding On
Your sad eyes never told me
No paradise here for the lonely
But I hold on, half a heart here in my hands
Been so long, would you know me
Who's holding you, who's gonna hold me
If you want me, then I'll be your man
And I keep holding on
Holding on till you come back to me
And I keep holding on
Holding on till you run to me
Can you take me to heaven
Show me the way cause I'm no angel
I'm lost and can I hold you one more time
I guess me holding you was holding you down
WIll I have your memory
Or will your memory have me
I don't know, only time knows if I'll
ever know peace of mind
Only time knows if you're mine, if
you're mine
And I keep holding on
Holding on till you come back to me
And I keep holding on
Holding on till you run to me
All I can hold is a shadow of a heart
that's gone
And left me shattered I'm lost and can I
hold you one more time
I guess me holding you was holding you down
I guess me holding you was holding you down
I guess me holding you was holding you down | riff_master |
8. Rock'n'Roll To Death
Thunder pounding my brains in
A six string rock and roll razor
Nobody's gonna save me
The whole world drives me crazy
I hate work, I hate school
I got a case of the rock's dead blues
Friday night I'll be raging
Midnight gonna be wasted
Friday I'm raising
Hell, I'm gonna be wasted
Time to party, raise a glass
Tell everybody to kiss my ass
Let me go-dead or rock, dead or rock
Dead or rock, dead or rock
If rock and roll dies
I'll take my last breath Rock and roll to
death
Dead or rock, dead or rock, dead or rock
Pass the bullets please, dead or rock
Find me a grave, help me dig it
If rock's dead then bury me with it
Dead or rock, dead or rock, dead or rock
Pass the bullets please, dead or rock
To death do us part to my last breath
Gimme rock or gimme death | riff_master |
9. Breathe
You don't have to hear my heart beat
All you need is to look into my eyes
And tell me I'm the one you heart needs
I'n the only one you run to in the night
Oh let me burn the words forever mine
Across your heart, across your mind
Take your hands and feel my heart beat
Come and let me feel it in your eyes
All you have to do is touch me
Oh and lay your flame across my fire
Oh let me spread your wings and come inside
And take your heart and make you mind
Come and lay down your heart on me
All that I wanna feel is
Breathe in me
Lay down your heart on me
Feel you inside of me
Breathe on me
Come and take me on, take me down
Oh take me all the way
There's only one way
Only one thing I need, all I need
Take me way down
Come and lay down on me | riff_master |
10. I Can't
I can't laugh I can't cry I can't
see inside of me
Don't know the reason why
I ain't straight
And I ain't high
I'm the ugly in between
Can't live and I can't die
I wanna scream
And I can't win
My life's a living soundtrack
For a human horror film
I can't feel
And I can't love
My mama never showed me how
I never was enough
I can't laugh
And I can't smile
I'll sacrifice my aged elders
To show me how to die
I can't love
And I can't feel
And my mother never loved me
Deep down she hated me
I can't fuck
I can't feel
I'm one bizzare motherfucker
What the fuck's inside of me
I'll kill the beast so to free my soul
And smash the mirrors that won't let me
go
Oh if there's a smile that ya see
It's only the clockwork orange that's
in me
I curse the darkness impassioned plea
And tear the heart out and watch me bleed
I'll sacrifice my blood for free
To satisfy the vengence that's in me
And bury the mirror that's inside me | riff_master |
11. No Way Out Of Here
I went away for a whole lot of days
And stripped the soul right outlaw me
Lead away in a crimson haze
The red was rain over me
There ain't no way outta here
I try to scream, I can't even speak
Why am I the only one
I can't get out and I can't go on
There ain't no way out of here
Forever red and I'm never free
Climb the wall, I can't hold on I can't
go back and I can't go on
There were faces in the dark and
In me I could not see
The mirror cracked in a million pieces
And so did I cause Johnny's me
I'll fade forever black away
I'll give all my tomorrows for just one
good today
I'm numb to feel, don't know what's
real
The ghost is killing me | riff_master | | | |
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