W. A. S. P.

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pooldude

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W.A.S.P. Official Website

Discography

W.A.S.P. (1984)
The Last Command (1985)
Inside the Electric Circus (1986)
The Headless Children (1989)
The Crimson Idol (1992)
Still Not Black Enough (1995)
Kill **** Die (1997)
Helldorado (1999)
Unholy Terror (2001)
Dying for the World (2002)
The Neon God: Part 1 – The Rise (2004)
The Neon God: Part 2 – The Demise (2004)
Dominator (2007)
Babylon (2009)

Current Members

Blackie Lawless
Doug Blair
Mike Duda
Mike Dupke


Any of you Head-Bangers out there ever wonder about WASP, & how they came to be the Champs of '80s LA Metal Shock Rock?

I knew Blackie since 1976, during the Sister era.

One of my oldest friends was Blackie’s newest drummer, Jimmy “Image” Moore” from Ocean Beach San Diego. Jimmy had been the drummer for the very popular early ‘70s San Diego band called DC Blues, who were the local version of Santana, with a very strong Latin percussion section & dual lead guitars.

DC Blues was a huge draw, along with Glory, which featured Jerry Rainey, later of the Beat Farmers. My bands WizzBang, Catseye & early Whitehorse all played the same circuit. Along with Madame Beast, who went on to tour with KISS, we were all the biggest draws in the San Diego scene, back in the early '70s.

A couple of the guys in DC Blues (including Jimmy) got caught up in a drug bust, & went on extended vacation, around ’73. Meanwhile, Whitehorse gradually gravitated towards LA, & Jimmy got in Sister shortly after moving to LA when he got out of the Calaboose in late ’75.



By summer ’76, Jimmy & Blackie lived in a little run down cottage on the corner of Gower & Selma, between Sunset & Hollywood Blvd. They had knocked out interior walls between the living room, kitchen & dining room to create a larger rehearsal space, leaving just 2 little cramped bedrooms, & they practiced @ horrendously loud volume levels for such a small cubicle.

Whitehorse’s “Wilton Mansion” was just a couple miles south in the Wilshire District:


...& I used to go over to the Sister house to visit with Jimmy in the afternoons, for a friendly “smoke”…prior to leaving for gigs.

Even back then, Blackie was very seriously involved with Satanic imagery, & “vibing” anyone who stepped into his sanctuary. He had Satanic literature & books all over the house, & would practically put himself into a spell just to practice in their living room. He went thru a whole routine with a big knife in front of me, one time during an hour rehearsal, as I watched.

I asked Jimmy if this Satan stuff was serious, & Jimmy kinda rolled his eyes & said good naturedly “I’m just in it for the chicks”…but there was a lot more to it, for Blackie. Jimmy used to tell me that Blackie was friends with KISS, from his days in Long Island, & that he idolized them…& that ‘70s Playmate Sable Starr used to be hanging out @ that dumpy little shack, & I’d sometimes catch a glimpse of her darting naked back into Blackie’s room, before rehearsals.

Of course, Whitehorse was gigging back then 5-6 nites a week in the outlying suburban clubs, to pay the bills. Jimmy worked @ some telephone sales job, & then some leather store…

...but the story, back then, was that one of the ways that Blackie earned his money was “trolling” @ nite on the side streets of Selma Ave, dressed in cut-off jean hot-pants & black fishnet stockings & stiletto knee boots & full make-up.

I can’t tell you how Blackie “consummated the deal”…but I did see him heading out into the nite many times in his full regalia. He was definitely a very strange, & intimidating character…well over 6’6” in his full get-up…& he was a good looking dude, but down-rite scarey looking, with all the makeup.

With that big knife he used to carry, one wouldn’t want to meet up with him in the alleys behind Hollywood Blvd in the middle of the night…& that is where Blackie hung out.

A later business partner (in another music store) of mine, Randy Schatz, also from NY, was the 1st Sister guitarist. He got replaced by Randy Piper, around ‘77.

When Sister used to play the Starwood in the late '70s, Blackie’s big gross-out schtick was that he actually ate Live Worms, on stage, to prove how Demonic he was. And that is no joke.

Sister never panned out, & by 1980 Blackie changed the name to Circus Circus, with my friend Jimmy still on drums. They wore the same outfits, & played many of the same songs…it was essentially the same group, with the same type of sound (Blackie Music!), but with a different name.



By ’82, Blackie had formed WASP. My band Assassin was on the same bill @ several of those very 1st gigs @ the Troubadour, which I have spoken about on other posts.



Blackie also bought & sold gear out of the Recycler, much like I did, especially after Whitehorse broke up, & I starting working in various Hollywood music stores.

In fact, I was so good @ it that by '81 I ended up owning a couple of locations in Hollywood, where I bought & sold gear for many years.



I had an LAPD 2nd Hand Dealer / Pawn Brokers License (even as I continued to try to make it with my various bands), & was required to take down the Drivers License of anyone who sold me used gear. Arthur Kane was yet another guy who unloaded most of his remaining bass gear to me @ my Hwd & Vine location in ’84.



One time around ‘82 Blackie came into my shop @ my earlier location on Selma & Wilcox, across the street from the Hollywood Post office, to unload some gear, & I had to insist he produce his Drivers License, even tho we knew each other for many years, so I could file the legal papers.



Blackie very reluctantly produced his license to me, which was when I learned his real full name & age. I don’t remember the exact month…but Blackie was born in ’48, (not ’56 like all his Bios claim) & is about a year older than me…which means he’s now approaching 58 years old.

Another interesting fact is that Blackie's uncle was Ryne Duren, the NY Yankee relief pitcher from the Mickey Mantle days, who was famous for wearing coke bottle glasses & having a devastatingly wild fast ball.



Stephen Duren was very uptight, back then, that anybody would find out, & know the real age, & name, of the famous Hollywood Demon…Blackie Lawless.
 
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Big Generator

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Re: WASP & Blackie aka Steven Duren

Yes - thanks Pooldude.

I remember seeing WASP in 1984 - and I got covered in pig's blood and feathers.
 

squeedle53

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Re: WASP & Blackie aka Steven Duren

Dude,

Thanks to you, memories (all good) come rushing back like a flood. In that time, as an aspiring bass player, the bassist in DC Blues was my hero. Never knew his name, but I never passed up an opportunity to watch him play. They often performed at the Friday night "Happening" at the South Clairemont rec center. He played a Gibson EB-3 through an Ampeg SVT rig. He was outasight, man. For some reason, probably drugs, I seem to remember them as a three-piece band. I remember seeing Glory when they were the house band at The Palace over on Pacific Highway. I practically lived there for a time. I do vaguely remember seeing the name Whitehorse, though I can't recall having seen them. But, I might have . . . lol. Could we have crossed paths, Pooldude?

PM me, if you like.
 

pooldude

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Re: WASP & Blackie aka Steven Duren

Robert the DC Blues bass player was a real monster with very fast right hand fingers...he liked to "gallop" like Iron Maiden (plus he was before them). I believe Robert went on to become a dentist. I substituted for him a couple of times.

Jimmy the DC Blues drummer went to LA. So did Bruce the guitarist. Jack Butler from Glory also played with them. At their peak, they were a 7 piece with 2 Latin percussion guys, drummer, singer, 2 guitarists & bass.

I played in my earlier band Wizz Bang @ the Palace tons of times.

46975466-16e2-01820200-.gif

That's me with the long hair July '71 @ one of the school auditoriums up in Claremont.

46975464-1707-020001FC-.gif

My next S.D. band Catseye played more Union gigs (I was a member of Local 325). Here we are @ Sunset Cliffs 4th of July '72:

46975323-8955-01E40200-.gif

Fat City (which became Whitehorse) played their 1st gig @ the Palace in Sept '72.

Here's Whitehorse opening for JoJo Gunne @ the Palace Mar '74. That's Mick Mars peeping out of the right corner:

46975887-f691-020000F5-.gif
 
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squeedle53

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Re: WASP & Blackie aka Steven Duren

Yeah, Pool,

It was Robert's right hand technique that grabbed and held my attention. I'd never seen anything like it. You could always find me standing directly in front of him, studying (staring) his hands. He blew my mind! :bow: I dare say that even though I never knew his name, he was a huge influence on my playing.
 
G

gargleblaster

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Re: WASP & Blackie aka Steven Duren

Any of you Head-Bangers out there ever wonder about WASP, & how they came to be the Champs of '80s LA Metal Shock Rock?

I knew Blackie since 1976, during the Sister era.

One of my oldest friends was Blackie’s newest drummer, Jimmy “Image” Moore” from Ocean Beach San Diego. Jimmy had been the drummer for the very popular early ‘70s San Diego band called DC Blues, who were the local version of Santana, with a very strong Latin percussion section & dual lead guitars.

DC Blues was a huge draw, along with Glory, which featured Jerry Rainey, later of the Beat Farmers. My bands WizzBang, Catseye & early Whitehorse all played the same circuit. Along with Madame Beast, who went on to tour with KISS, we were all the biggest draws in the San Diego scene, back in the early '70s.

A couple of the guys in DC Blues (including Jimmy) got caught up in a drug bust, & went on extended vacation, around ’73. Meanwhile, Whitehorse gradually gravitated towards LA, & Jimmy got in Sister shortly after moving to LA when he got out of the Calaboose in late ’75.

47319861-3cf1-00900087-.gif

By summer ’76, Jimmy & Blackie lived in a little run down cottage on the corner of Gower & Selma, between Sunset & Hollywood Blvd. They had knocked out interior walls between the living room, kitchen & dining room to create a larger rehearsal space, leaving just 2 little cramped bedrooms, & they practiced @ horrendously loud volume levels for such a small cubicle.

Whitehorse’s “Wilton Mansion” was just a couple miles south in the Wilshire District:

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/38/01/47965240-ad9e-02000165-.jpg

...& I used to go over to the Sister house to visit with Jimmy in the afternoons, for a friendly “smoke”…prior to leaving for gigs.

Even back then, Blackie was very seriously involved with Satanic imagery, & “vibing” anyone who stepped into his sanctuary. He had Satanic literature & books all over the house, & would practically put himself into a spell just to practice in their living room. He went thru a whole routine with a big knife in front of me, one time during an hour rehearsal, as I watched.

I asked Jimmy if this Satan stuff was serious, & Jimmy kinda rolled his eyes & said good naturedly “I’m just in it for the chicks”…but there was a lot more to it, for Blackie. Jimmy used to tell me that Blackie was friends with KISS, from his days in Long Island, & that he idolized them…& that ‘70s Playmate Sable Starr used to be hanging out @ that dumpy little shack, & I’d sometimes catch a glimpse of her darting naked back into Blackie’s room, before rehearsals.

Of course, Whitehorse was gigging back then 5-6 nites a week in the outlying suburban clubs, to pay the bills. Jimmy worked @ some telephone sales job, & then some leather store…

...but the story, back then, was that one of the ways that Blackie earned his money was “trolling” @ nite on the side streets of Selma Ave, dressed in cut-off jean hot-pants & black fishnet stockings & stiletto knee boots & full make-up.

I can’t tell you how Blackie “consummated the deal”…but I did see him heading out into the nite many times in his full regalia. He was definitely a very strange, & intimidating character…well over 6’6” in his full get-up…& he was a good looking dude, but down-rite scarey looking, with all the makeup.

With that big knife he used to carry, one wouldn’t want to meet up with him in the alleys behind Hollywood Blvd in the middle of the night…& that is where Blackie hung out.

A later business partner (in another music store) of mine, Randy Schatz, also from NY, was the 1st Sister guitarist. He got replaced by Randy Piper, around ‘77.

When Sister used to play the Starwood in the late '70s, Blackie’s big gross-out schtick was that he actually ate Live Worms, on stage, to prove how Demonic he was. And that is no joke.

Sister never panned out, & by 1980 Blackie changed the name to Circus Circus, with my friend Jimmy still on drums. They wore the same outfits, & played many of the same songs…it was essentially the same group, with the same type of sound (Blackie Music!), but with a different name.

47319865-eb8a-00D8008D-.gif

By ’82, Blackie had formed WASP. My band Assassin was on the same bill @ several of those very 1st gigs @ the Troubadour, which I have spoken about on other posts.

http://a8.cpimg.com/image/FA/AD/25345018-d68f-020000C4-.jpg

Blackie also bought & sold gear out of the Recycler, much like I did, especially after Whitehorse broke up, & I starting working in various Hollywood music stores.

In fact, I was so good @ it that by '81 I ended up owning a couple of locations in Hollywood, where I bought & sold gear for many years.

http://a3.cpimg.com/image/53/97/25891923-f74a-0200016B-.jpg

I had an LAPD 2nd Hand Dealer / Pawn Brokers License (even as I continued to try to make it with my various bands), & was required to take down the Drivers License of anyone who sold me used gear. Arthur Kane was yet another guy who unloaded most of his remaining bass gear to me @ my Hwd & Vine location in ’84.

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/F1/94/25891825-2fc1-02000161-.jpg

One time around ‘82 Blackie came into my shop @ my earlier location on Selma & Wilcox, across the street from the Hollywood Post office, to unload some gear, & I had to insist he produce his Drivers License, even tho we knew each other for many years, so I could file the legal papers.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/44/A7/25344836-dd4e-022E01A9-.jpg

Blackie very reluctantly produced his license to me, which was when I learned his real full name & age. I don’t remember the exact month…but Blackie was born in ’48, (not ’56 like all his Bios claim) & is about a year older than me…which means he’s now approaching 58 years old.

Another interesting fact is that Blackie's uncle was Ryne Duren, the NY Yankee relief pitcher from the Mickey Mantle days, who was famous for wearing coke bottle glasses & having a devastatingly wild fast ball.

http://www.winningbeyondwinning.org/ryne01.gif

Stephen Duren was very uptight, back then, that anybody would find out, & know the real age, & name, of the famous Hollywood Demon…Blackie Lawless.

47319866-46f5-01D801CC-.gif

..Well, I remember when w.a.s.p were on tour in Europe in the mid-80's,(I was too young to enter the show at the time) Here in Norway,the christians made a demonstration outside the hall,it was the a headline in the news,interviews with Blackie & Mr Dickinson(Maiden) on national tv.and so on....(+videos:heybaby: ) People here went crazy, it was the times when I realised that W.A.S.P ,was the band who could give me the diabolical "feeling",- and this music still raises the hairs on my neck! -(for example:"the heretic","killyourprettyface" or "red room of the rising sun"
-the best hard rock music ever-
 

Lynch

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I know some purists in the world would slap me for saying this, but I really dig the WASP version of I Don't Need No Doctor much more than the original.


Listening to it right now actually.
 

Lynch

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On to my story of my first WASP concert experience. The first time that I saw these guys was at First Avenue, downtown Minneapolis back in 1984 (or '85). Opening band? Metallica.

And for any Prince fans out there, yes, the same place that was the center stage for much of the concert footage in the movie Purple Rain

First_Avenue_nightclub.jpg





Big big fan of most of the stuff WASP has ever done. I became a fan the first time I heard Animal (F**K Like A Beast) at my friend's house. Must have listened to that EP and their self-titled album just about everyday for months. When the Last Command came out, I was a bonified WASP fan for life. I know some people don't find it to be their best work, and technically maybe it is, but it has long since been one of my favorite albums of the decade and of the genre.
 
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