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.
Thunder Red
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of your pagan blessed
There is thunder coming down
Around your head
Ride the fire now, momma
Thunder's come again
A soul to flame and rain down on ya
Red rider said
The hills are running red
Better hide under your bed
Hide your children, mother
Thunder red
The hills are turning red
Get on your knees and beg
Thunder red's a-coming
Thunder red
You're reaping nothing more
Than your shamelessness
Then sew it all together
When he comes
Ride it down now, momma
Fire's come again
Come to claim the souls to blame
And riding off with them
The hills are running red
Better hide under your bed
Hide your children, mother
Thunder red
The hills are turning red
Get on your knees and beg
Thunder red's a-coming
To get you red
Fathers and nuns, nowhere to run
Four horsemen riding on the wind
Momma, hide your sons
Daddy, get your gun
Four hooves of thunder's come again
Oh, run red
Red thunder's coming home
For your blamelessness
And rolling you forever in your dust
Ride the fire now, momma
Thunder's coming again
Ain't no time to hide and cry
Get on your knees and beg
The lyrics to W.A.S.P.'s song Thunder Red paint a vivid picture of impending doom and destruction. The opening lines suggest the birth of a new entity, one that is born of pagan blessings, a creature that heralds the arrival of thunder - a natural element that could represent the wrath of gods. This description creates an apocalyptic atmosphere, one where the hills are turning red, and people must hide under their bed and beg for mercy.
The song tells a story of shamelessness, of people reaping the consequences of their actions. It's as if the thunder and the creature are there to deliver justice and punishment to those who deserve it. As the song progresses, the lyrics urge the listener to ride the fire, to embrace the impending doom rather than hiding away. The mention of fathers, nuns, and four horsemen riding on the wind adds to the sense of devastation and the need to prepare for the worst.
In conclusion, Thunder Red may be a metaphorical representation of the end of the world, with its lyrics describing an entity born to deliver punishment to those who deserve it. The song urges the listener to embrace the fire, the thunder, and the coming doom rather than hiding away in fear. The imagery used in the lyrics is powerful and thought-provoking, giving the listener much to ponder on.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a creature coming born
An ominous being is about to enter the world
Of your pagan blessed
It is affiliated with pagan religious practices
There is thunder coming down
A storm is approaching
Around your head
It will impact you personally
Ride the fire now, momma
Embrace the chaos and face it head on
Thunder's come again
This isn't the first time this has happened
A soul to flame and rain down on ya
Destruction is imminent and will be widespread
Red rider said
The ominous being has arrived
The hills are running red
There is a lot of bloodshed happening
Better hide under your bed
Try to avoid danger
Hide your children, mother
Protect your loved ones
Thunder red
The storm of destruction
The hills are turning red
More violence and bloodshed
Get on your knees and beg
Plead for mercy
Thunder red's a-coming
The storm of destruction is approaching
You're reaping nothing more
You will suffer the consequences
Than your shamelessness
Due to your lack of repentance
Then sew it all together
You must put the pieces back together
When he comes
Prepare for the coming storm
Ride it down now, momma
Face the danger head on
Fire's come again
Destruction is inevitable
Come to claim the souls to blame
The storm will punish those who deserve it
And riding off with them
Taking those who have been punished away
Fathers and nuns, nowhere to run
Even religious figures cannot escape the coming storm
Four horsemen riding on the wind
Four ominous beings are involved in the storm's approach
Momma, hide your sons
Protect your children from harm
Daddy, get your gun
Gather resources to defend against danger
Four hooves of thunder's come again
The storm is imminent
Oh, run red
The violence and destruction cannot be avoided
Red thunder's coming home
The storm is a familiar and inevitable threat
For your blamelessness
It is not a punishment, but an unavoidable threat
And rolling you forever in your dust
You cannot escape the storm's consequences
Ain't no time to hide and cry
There is no time to surrender to fear
Get on your knees and beg
The only option is to plead for mercy
Contributed by Landon T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.