W.A.S.P. began following the demise of Circus Circus, a Los Angeles-based band featuring Blackie Lawless and Randy Piper. The original lineup of W.A.S.P. was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1982 by Lawless, Piper, Rik Fox, and Tony Richards.
The first lineup did not last for long, as Rik Fox was let go and went on to join the band Steeler with vocalist Ron Keel and guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. He was replaced by Don Costa, the bassist in Richards' former band, Dante Fox (which later evolved into Great White). Shortly afterward, Costa also left the band and his position on the bass was filled by Brayden Parker. By the time they recorded their debut album "W.A.S.P.", Lawless had taken over on bass and Chris Holmes had joined on lead guitar. At the same time, guitarist Chris Holmes joined the band.
Shortly after the album's release in 1984, Richards was replaced by former Keel drummer Steve Riley. The group released "The Last Command" in 1985, before Piper left in July 1986. Lawless subsequently switched back to guitar, with Johnny Rod (real name John Tumminello) leaving King Kobra to take over as bassist. "Inside the Electric Circus" followed in October. A live album "Live...In the Raw" was released in 1987. Riley left during the subsequent tour to join L.A. Guns. He was replaced for future shows by a string of temporary substitutes. By early 1988, W.A.S.P. had started working on its fourth studio album with Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.
The band's popularity peaked in the 1980s, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy metal bands. W.A.S.P. gained notoriety for their shock rock themed image, lyrics and live performances. They have sold over 12 million copies of their albums.
The band was a prominent target in the mid-1980s of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) led by Tipper Gore, who at the time was wife of then-Senator Al Gore (D-TN), an organization that pushed for warning labels on recorded music. The band immortalized its fight with the PMRC on the song "Harder, Faster" from their 1987 live album, Live...In the Raw.
"I Wanna Be Somebody" was the most successful single from W.A.S.P.'s debut album. and It was ranked at No. 84 in VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All Time.
In October 2007, W.A.S.P. embarked on The Crimson Idol Tour, to celebrate that album's 15th anniversary. It is the first time that the album, often regarded to be among the band's finest work, was performed in full from start to finish. The tour kicked off in Greece, in Thessaloniki at the Principal Club Theater on October 26, 2007.
Blackie Lawless remains the only member from the original line-up. They released their most recent album in November 2009, entitled Babylon.
On September 21, 2012, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first ever live show by kicking off a world tour at The Forum in London. The set for the tour was split into three sections: songs from the first four albums, a cut-down rendition of the Crimson Idol performance and a final segment for newer material.
9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard to handle, a fire in her eyes
Wants the hot rocks right in her hand
I know she's burning, hot with love
A come-on look and she ain't fooling
And she knows just what it does
She gave me a number to make me feel fine
Said call me up baby
You're everything I need
'Cause I want what you're giving
I'm yours to do with what you please
N.A.S.T.Y., you're everything I need
'Cause I want what you're giving
I'm yours to do with what you please
Ooh - no mama's baby, this child
She's a killer wrapped in high-heel shoes
Touch the skin - it burns like fire
I don't even care if I'm being used
Threw me down and then she tore off my jeans
She said, come on, babe, I mean business
I'm gonna show you what liberated means
Do it to me baby
I'm losing my mind
Said call me up honey
Tonight I'm 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.
You're everything I need
'Cause I want what you're giving
I'm yours to do with what you please
N.A.S.T.Y., you're everything I need
'Cause I want what you're giving
I'm yours to do with what you please
Some bad habits are hard to break
Like an earthquake coming
I got to shake, shake, shake
9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.
You're everything I need
'Cause I want what you're giving
I'm yours to do with what you please
The lyrics to W.A.S.P.'s song, 9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y., portray the seductive and alluring qualities of a woman who is too hot for any man to handle. The singer is mesmerized by her presence and desires her fiery passion. The woman is portrayed as confident and sexually liberated as she confidently gives the singer her number and lures him into her irresistible embrace. The song encapsulates a lustful and exciting encounter between two consenting adults.
The singer is fully aware of the risk that comes with engaging with someone so wild and passionate but is willing to throw caution to the wind and risk it all. He is unable to resist the woman's seductive nature, which proves to be too irresistible. The woman's confidence and determination to get what she wants - pleasure and excitement - is evident throughout the song.
In conclusion, the song speaks to the raw and unbridled passion that can occur between two people who are unapologetically themselves and unafraid to take risks.
Line by Line Meaning
One woman down my street is too hot for the average man
There is a woman who lives down my street who is too attractive for most men to handle.
Hard to handle, a fire in her eyes
She is difficult to control, with an intense and passionate look in her eyes.
Wants the hot rocks right in her hand
She desires the finer things in life and is not afraid to ask for them.
I know she's burning, hot with love
I am aware that she is filled with passion and desire.
A come-on look and she ain't fooling
Her suggestive glances are not a joke or a tease.
And she knows just what it does
She understands the effect she has on others.
She gave me a number to make me feel fine
She provided me with her phone number so that I could feel good about myself.
Said call me up baby
She instructed me to contact her.
It's gonna 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.
Our encounter will be intense, wild, and unforgettable.
You're everything I need
You possess all of the qualities that I desire in a partner.
'Cause I want what you're giving
Because you are offering me what I want and need.
I'm yours to do with what you please
I have relinquished control and given myself over to your desires.
Ooh - no mama's baby, this child
I am not a sheltered or inexperienced individual.
She's a killer wrapped in high-heel shoes
She is a dangerous and seductive woman who wears high heels.
Touch the skin - it burns like fire
Contact with her skin is electric and intense.
I don't even care if I'm being used
I am willing to be taken advantage of for the sake of being with her.
Threw me down and then she tore off my jeans
She pushed me to the ground and removed my pants aggressively.
She said, come on, babe, I mean business
She made it clear that she was serious about our encounter.
I'm gonna show you what liberated means
She plans to demonstrate what true freedom and release feel like.
Do it to me baby
Have sex with me.
I'm losing my mind
I am so overcome with passion that I am losing control.
Said call me up honey
She said to contact her again.
Tonight I'm 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.
Our next encounter will be even more intense and wild.
Some bad habits are hard to break
Some behaviors are difficult to change.
Like an earthquake coming
Like a force of nature that cannot be stopped.
I got to shake, shake, shake
I must shake off my old ways and embrace a new direction.
9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y.
Our encounter will be intense, wild, and unforgettable.
You're everything I need
You possess all of the qualities that I desire in a partner.
'Cause I want what you're giving
Because you are offering me what I want and need.
I'm yours to do with what you please
I have relinquished control and given myself over to your desires.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Steve Edward Duren, Chris Holmes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind