Who is W.A.S.P.?

W.A.S.P., or White Angel Satan's Pride, is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, led by vocalist and songwriter Blackie Lawless. The group was founded in 1982 and has since released 11 studio albums and two live albums with various lineups throughout the years. W.A.S.P.'s music is characterized by its loud and aggressive sound, which often contains elements of horror, shock rock, heavy metal, speed metal, and punk rock.

The Early Years

W.A.S.P.'s original lineup consisted of Lawless (vocals and guitar), Randy Piper (guitar), Chris Holmes (guitar), Don Costa (bass), and Tony Richards (drums). The band released their self-titled debut album in 1984 to critical acclaim, spawning hits such as “L.O.V.E Machine” and “I Wanna Be Somebody” that would become staples of their live shows for years to come.

Career Highlights

W.A.S.P.'s commercial success peaked with the release of their third album, The Last Command (1985), which featured the hit single “Blind in Texas” and went on to become their best-selling record to date with over two million copies sold worldwide. The late 1980s saw the band tour extensively with acts such as Alice Cooper and Lita Ford before releasing the acclaimed albums Inside the Electric Circus (1986) and Headless Children (1989).

Recent Work

Following a brief hiatus in the early 1990s, W.A.S.P. returned in 1996 with the album Kill Fuck Die and continued to release new music throughout the 2000s and 2010s with varying lineups featuring members such as Dawayne Baxter and Mike Dupke on drums and bass respectively.

Legacy

Despite lineup changes throughout their career, W.A.S.P.'s influence on the heavy metal genre remains undiminished to this day, with their classic albums still considered essential listening for fans of hard rock music.