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.
Locomotive Breath
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Runs the all time loser, headlong to his death
He feels the piston scraping steam breaking on his brow
Old Charlie stole the handle and the train that watched her go
You know he couldn't slow down
No he couldn't slow down
He sees his children jumping off at stations one by one
His woman and his best friend in bed and having fun
Old Charlie stole the handle and the train that watched her go
No he couldn't slow down
No he couldn't slow down
He hears the silence howling catches angels as they fall
And the all time winner has got him by the balls
He picks up Gideons Bible open at page one
I thank God he stole the handle and the train that watched her go
You know he couln't slow down
No he couldn't slow down
The song "Locomotive Breath" by W.A.S.P. delves into the mind and experience of a man who is hurtling towards his own demise. The lyrics describe the "shuffling madness" of the train's powerful engine, which seems to embody the singer's own doomed trajectory. He watches as his life falls apart around him while he careens towards an inevitable end. The lines "He sees his children jumping off at stations one by one / His woman and his best friend in bed and having fun" paint a bleak picture of a man who is losing everything he loves.
As the train hurtles forward, the singer begins to experience a sense of cosmic terror. He hears the "silence howling" and imagines himself catching angels who are falling out of the sky. The "all time winner" seems to have him "by the balls," suggesting that he is helpless in the face of his fate. However, the song ends with a note of ambiguity - the singer appears to thank God that he was able to steal the train's handle and bring about his own tragic end. This suggests that, despite his apparent despair, he may still find some solace in the idea of taking control of his own destiny.
Overall, "Locomotive Breath" is a powerful lyrical journey that explores themes of powerlessness and despair, while also leaving listeners with a sense of uncertainty about the singer's ultimate fate.
Line by Line Meaning
In the Shuffling madness of the locomotive breath,
The train's rhythmic and chaotic motion creates a sense of unease and panic.
Runs the all time loser, headlong to his death
The person on the train feels hopeless and doomed, hurtling towards his demise.
He feels the piston scraping steam breaking on his brow
The singer is physically affected by the force of the train, and can feel the sweat on his forehead.
Old Charlie stole the handle and the train that watched her go
An unknown character named Charlie has control of the train, which is personified as a character.
You know he couldn't slow down
The train is moving too fast to be stopped, which contributes to the sense of danger.
He sees his children jumping off at stations one by one
The singer remembers past experiences of his family leaving him behind, adding to his feeling of loneliness.
His woman and his best friend in bed and having fun
The singer imagines his loved ones betrayal, which increases his feelings of sadness and despair.
Crawling down the corridor on his hands and knees
The artist is so desperate that he is crawling and barely able to move.
He hears the silence howling catches angels as they fall
The artist feels as though he is experiencing something supernatural and out of his control.
And the all time winner has got him by the balls
The artist is being controlled and defeated by someone else.
He picks up Gideons Bible open at page one
In his desperation, the singer clings to religion as a source of comfort and peace.
I thank God he stole the handle and the train that watched her go
Despite his despair, the artist finds solace and gratitude in the knowledge that he is not alone in experiencing hardship.
No he couldn't slow down
The helpless and destructive movement of the train is emphasized, underscoring the sense of danger and despair.
No he couldn't slow down
The repetition of this line reinforces the idea that the singer is doomed and has no control over his fate.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ian Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind