The 1986 Listening Post - W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus

W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus

#407/2086

September 1986

W.A.S.P.

Inside the Electric Circus

Genre: Hair Metal

2.75 out of 5

Highlights:

9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.

Requisite 80s cover:

“I Don’t Need No Doctor” by Ray Charles. Not as blatant an attempt to sell a single as other bands would do, but also not really much of a needed thing. 

“Easy Living” by Uriah Heep. At least Lawless can’t be accused of pandering for sales. 

I’ll give it to Blackie, he’s got a good ear for behind the boards. He knows where to put the vocals and, dammit, if those drums are gonna have echo then they are going to slam. 

This is as 80s metal as one can get and not step into a time machine. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/inside-the-electric-circus/152119168

The 1985 Listening Post - W.A.S.P. - The Last Command

W.A.S.P. - The Last Command

#448/1083

November 9 1985

W.A.S.P.

The Last Command

Genre: Metal

2.25 out of 5

Blackie Lawless makes my throat hurt just listening to him. 

What more can be said about this sound? At this point it’s just fodder. Feeding some unyielding maw that is hungry to capitalize on a fad. 

Maybe that’s my takeaway here. Pop music has always been about emulation. Bands were always knocking off a sound they heard, either as an attempt at capitalization or emulation and homage. 

But in the 80s Big Metal was the most blatantly a car grab based on a certain appeal to a demo. These bands weren’t making music they loved. They were mining a trope. 

And it’s exhausting. 

At least that’s what W.A.S.P. sounds like to me. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-last-command/210601553

The 1984 Listening Post - W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.

W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.

#213

August 17 1984

W.A.S.P.

W.A.S.P.

2.5 out of 5

Highlights:

I Wanna Be Somebody

L.O.V.E. Machine

I guess on the three roads of the tributary taken by metal bands; thrash, stadium & glam (the latter two often interchangeable, I prefer the Glam one. Makes sense. I loved Glam Rock, Queen, Power Pop, theater. 

This is in the Cure wheelhouse. 

So of course I have room in my heart for this never before heard by me in it’s entirety band. 

Was there a clause in these band’s contract that they all needed to sing a song about Hell or Satan or something? Did an A&R guy say, “Ozzy’s singing about this stuff so that’s what the kids are into!”? No wonder moms all thought there was rampant devil worship. All because Ozzy went full demon a couple years before. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/w-a-s-p/210337187