Description
Deluxe 8 lp box set with all the material from their Capitol years. The box features the bands first 6 albums, a bonus album of bonus tracks, a 60 pageb ook, poster and numbered certificate. Limited 2000 numbered copies
W. A. S. P. is one of the most consistent and reliable forces in rock music – unstoppable and unassailable, like a heavy metal juggernaut sent back in time from a long, distant galaxy. Frontman Blackie Lawless is undoubtedly one of rock’s everlasting figures – someone’s whose attitude and vision changed the musical landscape around him, in the process bearing fruit to some of the biggest anthems of their time. Their first five studio albums (W. A. S. P. , The Last Command, Inside the Electric Circus, The Headless Children and The Crimson Idol) contributed enough on their own for W. A. S. P. to be considered one of the greatest rock bands of all-time. Those LPs are all presented in this set, mastered half-speed at Air Studios, London, for a superior, sharper, more direct and engaging sound. Packaged within a deluxe red leatherette effect double slipcase, The 7 Savage: 1984-1992 is completed on vinyl with two more LPs: 1987’s Live… in the Raw and new compilation Bonus Tracks And B-Sides featuring the controversial breakthrough anthem Animal (F*k Like a Beast). Compiled with the full cooperation of Blackie Lawless, the box set also includes a 60-page book with exclusive and rare pictures from legendary metal photographers (including Ross Halfin, Tony Mottram, David Plastik and Paul Natkin), along with extensive liner notes from Amit Sharma (Kerrang!, Planet Rock). Also included is an exclusive Blackie Lawless poster, plus an individually numbered circular saw shaped certificate.
Lp 1: Wasp 1984
With glam rock making a comeback of sorts in 1984 (Mötley Crüe, Ratt, etc.), another Los Angeles band, W.A.S.P., couldn’t have picked a better time to release its self-titled debut. By merging lyrics that dealt with the expected heavy metal themes (sex, Satanism, etc.) alongside Blackie Lawless’ rough vocals and Chris Holmes’ guitar riffing, the band sounded and looked more menacing than your average L.A. glam band at the time. Add to it a stage show that was gimmick-heavy (Lawless would drink blood from a skull and rip open a pillow, while wearing buttless leather pants and saw blades on his arms), and you had a “can’t miss” recipe for controversy and publicity — resulting in the debut’s eventual gold certification. The album contains most of their best-known tracks, such as the raging singles/videos “I Wanna Be Somebody” and “L.O.V.E. Machine,” plus the anti-establishment “School Daze,” the semi-ballad “Sleeping (In the Fire),” and the angst-filled anthems “The Flame,” “Hellion,” “On Your Knees,” and “Tormentor”.
Lp 2: The Last Command 1985
On W.A.S.P.’s sophomore effort, 1985’s The Last Command, the band hired Quiet Riot producer Spencer Proffer to man the boards, resulting in a slightly more accessible sound than their rugged self-titled debut. Although the album wasn’t the massive commercial breakthrough the band had hoped for, it resulted in their second gold-certified release in a row as they became one of the more popular metal bands of the mid-’80s (touring heavily with the likes of Kiss, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden). Blackie Lawless’ lyrics still relied heavily on sexual fantasies (“Sex Drive”), as well as tales of revenge (“Ballcrusher,” “Jack Action”), and children of the street (“Running Wild in the Streets”). The album’s two singles/videos proved popular on MTV’s heavy metal-oriented shows — the party-hearty “Blind in Texas” and “Wild Child,” the latter a tale of a Harley-riding free spirit.
Lp 3: Inside The Electric Circus 1986
While W.A.S.P. remained a gimmick-heavy live act (around this time, Blackie Lawless had a codpiece that would shoot sparks!), they attempted to grow musically with each successive release — most evidently beginning with 1986’s Inside the Electric Circus. While Lawless was the band’s main leader and songwriter from the beginning, he had even more of a say in the musical direction by switching to rhythm guitar from bass when original guitarist Randy Piper exited the band (ex-King Kobra member Johnny Rod joined on bass). By selecting a pair of early-’70s hard rock classics to cover — Humble Pie’s “I Don’t Need No Doctor” and Uriah Heep’s “Easy Living” — it was clear that W.A.S.P. wanted their fans to pay more attention to the music. But it’s not to say that the group completely abandoned their brash heavy metal roots — the U.K. single “9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.” and the album-opening title track packed plenty of scream-along excitement.
Lp 4: Live In The Raw 1987
Music critics have always pointed out the similarities between theatrical rockers Kiss and W.A.S.P. — Blackie Lawless’ and Gene Simmons’ blood spewing, makeup and costumes, high-decibel rock, and so on. (Ace Frehley even produced W.A.S.P.’s first demo!) Kiss used the live album format for their big commercial breakthrough, 1975’s classic Alive!, and W.A.S.P. hoped the same would happen for them with 1987’s Live…In the Raw. While it didn’t work out that way, it served as a worthwhile document of the band’ s live show — but the biggest problem is that W.A.S.P. concerts always relied mainly on visuals. Still, the band offers heavy versions of such fan favorites as “L.O.V.E. Machine,” “Wild Child,” “I Wanna Be Somebody,” “Blind in Texas,” “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” and “Sleeping (In the Fire).” Also included is a live version of a previously unreleased original, “Harder Faster,” as well as the soundtrack-only studio cut “Scream Until You Like It” (from Ghoulies II).
Lp 5: The Headless Children 1989
With 1988’s The Headless Children, W.A.S.P. attempted to be taken as serious artists (for the most part). And while singer/guitarist/leader Blackie Lawless expressed excitement about the band’s current lineup, which included longtime guitarist Chris Holmes, bassist Johnny Rod, Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali, and Uriah Heep keyboardist Ken Hensley — the complete group never toured. With the band concentrating more on the music than the gimmicks (the group was pictured sans ghoulish makeup and costumes), The Headless Children remains W.A.S.P.’s most accomplished work. The album’s best-known tracks remain their cover of the Who’s Quadrophenia anthem “The Real Me” and the rocking “Mean Man” (an autobiographical tale about guitarist Holmes), while a pair of epics — “The Heretic” and the title track — and perhaps W.A.S.P.’s best ballad, “Forever Free,” were also standouts. While longtime fans may prefer the gross-out heavy metal of their early albums (W.A.S.P. and The Last Command), The Headless Children is their best constructed album.
Lp 6-7: The Crimson Idol 1992
Between 1990-1992, little was heard from one of the 1980s’ most theatrical metal bands, W.A.S.P. Many assumed they’d broken up, especially when it became publicly known that the entire band had split from leader Blackie Lawless (the most surprising departure being longtime guitarist Chris Holmes). But the truth of the matter was that Lawless was hard at work the entire time, composing an epic concept album, 1993’s The Crimson Idol, which told the tale of a tormented rock star, Jonathan. Lawless handled rhythm guitar, bass, vocal, and keyboard duties himself, and renowned studio musician Bob Kulick filled in Holmes’ vacated position, while a pair of drummers were used (including the drummer on The Headless Children, Frankie Banali). The songs weren’t a radical departure stylistically for W.A.S.P., and since no original members were left, The Crimson Idol is essentially a Blackie Lawless solo album. The over 74-minute album contained such hard-hitting highlights as “The Invisible Boy,” “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue),” and “I Am One.” Unfortunately, The Crimson Idol sunk from sight upon release (keep in mind, this was the era of “grunge”) but are nowadays among their best selling albums.
Lp 8: Bonus Tracks And B-Sides
Features the controversial breakthrough EP and metal anthem Animal (F*k Like a Beast) as well as rare tracks taken from other singles released during those early days
Track listing:
Lp 1: Wasp 1984
1. I Wanna Be Somebody
2. L.O.V.E. Machine
3. The Flame
4. B.A.D.
5. School Daze
6. Hellion
7. Sleeping (In the Fire)
8. On Your Knees
9. Tormentor
10. The Torture Never Stops
Lp 2: The Last Command 1985
1. Wild Child
2. Ballcrusher
3. Fistful Of Diamonds
4. Jack Action
5. Widowmaker
6. Blind In Texas
7. Cries In The Night
8. The Last Command
9. Running Wild In The Streets
10. Sex Drive
Lp 3: Inside The Electric Circus 1986
1. The Big Welcome
2. Inside The Electric Circus
3. I Don’t Need No Doctor
4. 9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.
5. Restless Gypsy
6. Shoot From The Hip
7. I’m Alive
8. Easy Living
9. Sweet Cheetah
10. Mantronic
11. King Of Sodom And Gomorrah
12. The Rock Rolls On
Lp 4: Live In The Raw 1987
1. Inside The Electric Circus
2. I Don’t Need No Doctor
3. L.O.V.E. Machine
4. Wild Child
5. 9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.
6. Sleeping (In the Fire)
7. The Manimal
8. I Wanna Be Somebody
9. Harder Faster
10. Blind In Texas
11. Scream Until You Like It
Lp 5: The Headless Children 1989
1. The Heretic (The Lost Child)
2. The Real Me
3. The Headless Children
4. Thunderhead
5. Mean Man
6. The Neutron Bomber
7. Mephisto Waltz
8. Forever Free
9. Maneater
10. Rebel In The F.D.G.
Lp 6-7: The Crimson Idol 1992
1. The Titanic Overture
2. The Invisible Boy
3. Arena Of Pleasure
4. Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)
5. The Gypsy Meets The Boy
6. Doctor Rockter
7. I Am One
8. The Idol
9. Hold On To My Heart
10. The Great Misconceptions Of Me
11. The Story Of Jonathan
12. Phantoms In The Mirror
13. The Euology
Lp 8: Bonus Tracks And B-Sides
1. Animal (F**k Like A Beast)
2. Show No Mercy
3. Paint It Black
4. Savage
5. Mississippi Queen
6. Flesh And Fire
7. D.B. Blues
8. Locomotive Breath
9. For Whom The Bell Tolls
10. Lake Of Fools
11. War Cry
12. When The Levee Breaks