Blackie Lawless discusses the status of the next W.A.S.P. studio album
During a recent conversation with The Metal Voice, W.A.S.P.‘s lead vocalist, Blackie Lawless, discussed the current status of the songwriting and recording processes for the band’s highly-anticipated upcoming studio album. This update comes in the wake of Blackie Lawless‘s recent recovery from two surgeries in August, aimed at addressing two herniated discs and a fractured vertebra.
Blackie replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’re pretty far into it right now. But when this thing happened on the tour,” referring to the injuries he sustained, “and then I blew a gasket, then all that got put on the back burner. But we’re pretty far into the writing process right now. And we’re excited about it, but it looks like we won’t be able to get back to it until after the first of the year.”
Blackie also discussed the high musical standard he has in place for W.A.S.P. and the band’s latest albums, saying: “Nobody makes money making records anymore. So if you’re going to make records now, you’re doing it because of your legacy. And if you’re going to do that, then you really have to make sure that it’s as strong as it can be, because it’s always gonna be measured against what you did to begin with.”
He continued: “All bands, they make their bones the first five years they’re together, the first five or six records they make; their whole legacy is cemented there. It doesn’t mean you can’t make good records later on down the line, but everything is gonna be constantly compared to that… In other words, think of whatever new record you do now as your opening act. It’s always gonna be compared to that early stuff.
“And so for it to get an honest review or a fair shake, so to speak, that new record has to maybe be even better than the original stuff was, because people have had so many years to romance those older songs in their heads. And when you go up against people that have been doing that for a long time, it’s hard to erase those memories, and you don’t wanna do that anyway. But you just want the new stuff to have a chance to compete. And the only way that new stuff can do that is they have to be solid records.”
W.A.S.P.‘s most recent offering arrived in the form of “ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol),” which saw the light of day in February 2018. This release was a reimagined rendition of the band’s iconic 1992 album, “The Crimson Idol,” specially re-recorded to accompany the film of the same title, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the original LP’s launch. Notably, this revamped version incorporated four additional songs not present in the original album.
Their last studio album, featuring all-new original material, was “Golgotha,” released in 2015.
Due to the significant back injuries suffered by Blackie during the European leg of W.A.S.P.‘s 40th-anniversary tour, the band regrettably had to cancel its scheduled 2023 U.S. tour. However, fans can anticipate a rescheduled tour in the spring of 2024.
W.A.S.P. concluded their first U.S. tour in a decade with a sold-out performance on December 11, 2022, at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. Notably, this tour boasted 18 sold-out shows, and it was initiated in late October 2022. A highlight of their live performances was the revival of the band’s classic anthem “Animal (F**k Like a Beast),” a song that hadn’t graced the stage in over 15 years.
Blackie Lawless has been the driving force behind W.A.S.P. since its inception, serving as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter. His distinctive blend of visual aesthetics, social commentary, and political expression has propelled the group to global prominence, amassing millions of records sold and a rich history of sold-out performances spanning four decades.
The current W.A.S.P. lineup features the steadfast bassist Mike Duda, guitarist Doug Blair, who has dedicated 26 years to the band, and the accomplished drummer Aquiles Priester.
