Steven Edward Duren, widely known by his stage name Blackie Lawless, born on September 4, 1956, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.
Lawless gained fame as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist (previously bassist) for the heavy metal band W.A.S.P. Prior to his time with W.A.S.P., Lawless played with bands like Black Rabbit and Orfax Rainbow.
In 1975, Lawless joined the glam rock band New York Dolls as a guitarist after Johnny Thunders left during their Florida tour. However, Lawless only stayed with the band until the end of the tour. Following the tour, he went to California with bassist Arthur Kane and together they formed Killer Kane.
During this period, Lawless went by the stage name “Blackie Goozeman,” as mentioned on the back of Killer Kane’s only EP. About a year later, Kane returned to New York City, but Lawless decided to remain in West Los Angeles.
In 1976, Lawless formed a band called Sister, which also included future W.A.S.P. guitarist Randy Piper. Around 1978, a new lineup was established, featuring Nikki Sixx on bass and Lizzie Grey on guitar. Later on, Chris Holmes joined the band as well.
W.A.S.P. is a controversial heavy metal band known for their provocative lyrics and stage presence.
Here are some quotes associated with the band and its leader, Blackie Lawless:
“I think it’s better to burn out than to fade away. Let the motherf*****s die. That’s what I say.”
– Blackie Lawless
“We’ve always been the underdog. You’re either not supposed to like us or you love us, there’s no in-between.”
– Blackie Lawless
“In the ’80s, everybody played it safe. They were trying to polish things up and make it clean and neat. We were like, ‘To hell with this!'”
– Blackie Lawless
“The music business is not kind to its older customers. The people in power want the young audience because they can manipulate them better.”
– Blackie Lawless
“We never tried to be controversial, we just spoke our minds and said what we thought.”
– Blackie Lawless
“If you want to get into the entertainment business, it’s a big league. If you’re not prepared for the big league, don’t go.”
– Blackie Lawless
W.A.S.P. is known for their rebellious and in-your-face attitude, both in their music and on stage. Their lyrics often explore controversial and taboo subjects, and their performances have pushed the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in the world of rock and metal.
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