Nine Albums by W.A.S.P You Should Hear, and One to Avoid
"Some killer songwriting behind the blood and raw meat."
Shock Rock Origins
Even among the wild 80s metal scene, W.A.S.P stood out as the most theatrical and outrageous band. Known as the shock rock stormtroopers of the Sunset Strip, they sparked controversy at every turn. Their live shows were infamous for featuring semi-naked women onstage and frontman Blackie Lawless—towering and adorned with streaked hair and a sawblade codpiece—drinking blood from a skull and throwing raw meat into the crowd.
Provocative Beginnings
Their debut single, 1984's iconic Animal (Fuck Like A Beast), was crafted to provoke to the extreme, so much so that even their record label refused to release it. Yet, Lawless was no eccentric figurehead. A former baseball standout from New York, he switched to guitar and briefly played with the New York Dolls before moving to LA at the end of the 70s.
Legacy and Influence
In Los Angeles, Lawless aimed to reinvent shock rock, merging the theatricality of Kiss and Alice Cooper with the edgy atmosphere of the 80s. Alongside guitarist Chris Holmes, W.A.S.P made an immediate and lasting impact. Their first three albums were a direct challenge to conservative America, particularly upsetting the Washington wives of the PMRC watchdog group.
"It helped that their detractors insisted that the initials in their name stood for ‘We Are Sexual Perverts’ – they didn’t, though Lawless wasn’t about to deny it."
W.A.S.P's uncompromising style and controversial image made them a defining force in the shock rock genre.
Author's summary: W.A.S.P combined theatrical shock rock with sharp songwriting, sparking outrage and redefining 80s metal’s wildest extremes.