A history of blood, guts and extreme rock n' roll

There have been more rock bands to come down the proverbial pike then anyone would care to count - each boasting that they are unique, different and in some cases better than all the rest. There are only a select few who proudly bear the tag "shock rock" as the key to what makes them truly different and interesting. They are those artists who take the music, the live show and the life style beyond the extreme simply because they can. And though many have tried their hand at the "art of sick" few have mastered it and only one has coined it as their own, leading the way for some of today's top acts. That band is W.A.S.P. They prove that the spirit of sonic, in your face, sleazy rock 'n' roll is more than just alive and well. It's spitting blood and taking names.

Founded in 1982 be X-rated frontman and Staten Island native Blackie Lawless (formerly of New York Dolls and Killer Cain). Having grown up in religious surrounding with a deacon for a grandfather and a preacher for an uncle it was pretty much in the cards that Blackie would rebel against his background. But no one could have predicted just how far he would go.

In the late '70's, Blackie set out to gather some musicians together to help him record some demos after a short stint punk band, Sister which was best known for chewing worms on- ... (read more)