W.A.S.P. - Randy Piper Talks Blackie Lawless, Sister, Chris Holmes, Nikki Sixx, 1982-1984 -Interview

[@sixxmickntom6719]

Love 80's w.a.s.p. They are very under rated band. I wore out the self titled album on tape. Miss the good days of music. Forever a metal head🎸

[@KillerMcDiller]

I agree, saw the first tour was up close, got Chris Holmes pic...still have it. Love W.A.S.P.

[@NOMAAM1970]

I love the song Wild Child

[@GeoWool70]

Yeah the first album is a classic

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

I don't think people know what the word underrated means anymore

[@rayfabris2512]

those were fun days and we survived the 80's

[@anthonylynch4737]

Man I miss the 80's. What a time like no other.!

[@doreencharlie6694]

Agreed

[@audiomedianews]

These archive interviews are outstanding. Amazing pieces of music history. Thanks for sharing these recordings.

[@Shaylok]

In every place he is asked about a band member and he says "i don't know," he knows damned well. Randy is as sharp as a tack, but also very prudent. He avoids talking trash about the people he has worked with. Even jerks who deserve to be dragged through the mud "cough, Blackie, cough cough."

[@pedraw]

These interviews are pure gold.

[@SCrepresent]

This is a trip ! I worked at my families record stores in the late 70's-early 80's & 1 of the stores was in Cerritos, CA. & Randy knew 1 of the guys that worked there & would stop by and hang out for a while, always really cool too, this was probably 1982-83 and I remember he always had a Budweiser in his hand but always really cool & another cool thing he mentioned the band Xciter, I started playing guitar in 1981 & 1 day I walked in to the store but wasn't working the other guy that worked there that knew all of these musicians was talking to George Lynch & he had just been working at Musonia, the music school owned by the Rhoads family, anyhow, George started giving me guitar lessons in the back of the store & he showed me how to play Paris Is Burnin, an Xciter song & then he had been working with Don but didn't get along with him at the time but said, this was a song that we worked on & it was Breaking The Chains. This was 1981 still. I think the 1st Dokken album came out in 1983. That was pretty cool. A couple other things, Motley Crue did an in store appearance there in 1982 after they got signed by Elektra Records but I personally do have e a copy of their 1st album on Leathür Records and then Great White, who used to play at my high school 2 miles away during lunch time on an open stage, also did an in store appearance at that store when they got signed. Man those were some frickin great times for me. I graduated in 1982 so that was just a perfect time for me to be involved in all of that. I really miss those days🤘

[@whamsie4022]

“…he had been working with Don but didn’t get along with him at the time…” Some things never change. Cool stories!

[@darrell8167]

I miss those days too bro I'm 53 years old I play guitar and I grew up during those days I miss the 80s damn they'll never be days like those ever again and I am proud to say I live through those days long live rock if it's too loud you're too old 😎💫

[@SCrepresent]

@Darrell Hey, I can't believe I lived through the 80's 🤣🤣🤣 Such a great time in my life for sure 🤘

[@jamescon55]

Thanks for the old school stories. THAT WAS an AMAZING era and you should feel very fortunate to have actually been there, and still here to reflect on it and share as well...ROCK the funk ON! 🤘🔥🤘

[@SCrepresent]

@Jim Concannon Hey buddy, thank you so very much 🙏 You're right, I cherish those days. I got to see several bands in night clubs in Hollywood & the San Fernando Valley before they got big & I saw everyone back in the 80's & 90's. Concerts & festivals were my thing. 🤘

[@michellesheridan8560]

RANDY IS A SUPER COOL GUY .... ONE OF THE NICEST GUYS YOU COULD EVER KNOW

[@lishamarie2752]

It must run in the family. I met his sister tonight she was very nice

[@pingcho]

The most awsome line up was Piper, Richards, lawless and Holmes.

[@paistecat]

I was in the band for a while in 1978 and 1979…. With Joey Palermo and then Frank Ferrano… Lizzie Grey rehearsed with us also… I moved into a band called “HERO” after that.

[@leonbonta2198]

so

[@donnamariedavidson5065]

That's awesome!

[@jimilove7773]

Underrated guitar player saw him live!

[@brentlohr3394]

I first heard WASP in 1985 and was blown away. The Last Command will forever be a favorite album

[@brianborstein8456]

Another great interview. What a blast from the past. Keep up the great work. Not only that, your knowledge of recording and equipment is impressive.

[@steveclem]

All these old videos need to see the light of day.

[@Kents1969]

Loved the "Face the Attack" flyer w all the unreleased song titles...

[@awaketoevilandunafraid1783]

Ole Blackie . I partied with him at the Rainbow in 87. I drilled him on a lot of stuff. I have to say. He was very accommodating and matter fact about things. I thought he was alright.

[@hellchild6668]

He seems to be a real cool guy to be friends with, But business may not be what you want to do with him not in the music biz anyqway

[@magnusjmvc8895]

Amazing interview 🤘

[@mhayes848]

Greatest interviewer ever!!!!!!!

[@paulthompson8642]

Wish he released those old videos

[@nthewalk]

Thank you man….saw you at The Auditorium in WPB FL….. it was my first concert at 14 years old , got steam rolled through the ticket gate being crushed until I almost lost breath lol the girl smashed up against me almost fainted!! Ran up to the front of the stage …..never had to use the ticket lol ! Best show ever!! Still one of the top 5 shows I’ve seen …..Kiss And Wasp…..omg that was cool ….. I’m out there screaming RANDY!!! RANDY !! Jumping up and down freaking out….Randy comes to the edge of the stage and looks down and looks at me gives me the thumbs up…. That hit hard ….. I was like did you see that??? To my buddy Mike …. He was like hell ya!! What did you do ? Kept screaming lmao …… watched the whole show on Randy’s side ….Chris was off the chain jumping around with that Yellow Jackson…..damn good times best show ever.

[@MoparMissileDivision]

Hello Nikki, Randy. do you remember me? My name is John and I was in charge of selling WASP merchandise and following the band from city to city I was a "roady". I remember landing in Detroit and then working our way all the way across Canada in the dead of winter to the west coast and then all the way back south threw Washington and Oregon to Cali and LA. I was the one that could get the KILLER HYDROPONIC SKUNK BUD that was so good that Blackie would get pissed off because it effected all of your backup voices!

[@garyrunnalls7714]

Saw these guys many times, lol. First time with Hellion, Armoured Saint at the Troubadump, lol. A lotta meat thrown.

[@patr70]

I think the Troubador is still there! Do you still live in Southern California?

[@MarceloRomero360]

Troubadump.. That's funny.

[@YogaArmy]

I was at that show. Amazing. Loved the Troubadour. Saw everyone there was so amazing bk in the 80s so many good shows. Saw Hellion there pretty much every time they played and Racer X and pretty much everyone else

[@ricknielson6422]

Intro to, The Electric Circus, was epic!

[@monsterzero1587]

I had the Animal F*ck Like A Beast EP, and Metallica's Kill 'Em All record so I was a fan of both. WASP's debut and Ride The Lightning came out 3 weeks apart so when I saw both of them at the record store, I could only afford 1. I opted for the WASP record which I loved then bought RTL a few weeks later.

[@negativeindustrial]

It’s weird how just a few years changes so much. I remember buying “Shout At The Devil” in the 6th grade and then “Master Of Puppets” came out a few months later. By that time I can remember my friends and I thinking WASP was old people music because everyone’s older brother listened to it. Then we found Slayer.

[@sewaseem]

I'm always learning something new on this channel

[@fullinbloom]

🤘

[@i_____am_____realitybroski6421]

Before the flame burns ouuuutttt!!!!!!!

[@KevinLangford-hh9ze]

Yeah Randy sounds like a very good guy I'm going to look out for his solo album 😊😊😊😊

[@calebhall3435]

I love the old wasp when they were dark and wicked!!!!!

[@k3digichaos]

I didn't quite refer to W.A.S.P. as glam... they were different more dark and they had good hooks and riffs. Blind in Texas... Animal... I need to go back and remind myself

[@rhomotor]

It seems a lot of bands from the 80s were lumped into that category simply because of the way they looked, but WASP was different.

[@balloonhead313]

Great clip. Now we know for real where W.A.S.P. gets their name!

[@THECLARENCES]

Tony Richards!!! xoxo The Clarences

[@fromalongtimeago]

The first WASP album with original members was pound for pound at that time, the best of all Hollywood debut albums

[@allsystemsgo8678]

Awesome. 😊

[@christerolausson2702]

Self titled debut album is one of my absolute favorites! And LOVE Tony Richards drums. Steve Riley was a pooooor replacement.

[@adamblackedition5529]

how was he?

[@christerolausson2702]

@@adamblackedition5529 You mean how he was a poor replacement? Compare the drumming on album 1 and 2. The Last Command has NO drumming that stands out.

[@adamblackedition5529]

@@christerolausson2702 drumming isnt suppose to "stand out" just like the bass... what stands out is the vocals and guitars... take a look at Still. not black enough album, the drums are very weak, but its still one of the best albums... im not even sure if they are real drums... but poor replacement or not, Tony is a poor human, a junkie, a Low life, he was fired for those reasons...

[@christerolausson2702]

@@adamblackedition5529 Yes, I am aware of the problems Tony had. But I think you’ll get what I mean if you watch Steve Riley live with WASP playing songs from the first album.

[@adamblackedition5529]

@@christerolausson2702 I watched live at the lyceum , it was fine... amazing in fact.... nothing wrong with Steve

[@TheMetalMag]

awesome

[@boogienetworkmusicchannel]

Your interviews are always so interesting.

[@robintaylor7355]

This was a nice little interview in regards to waiting for your next one Tommy Skeoch The only cool member to ever be in Tesla. Tommy was the stuff.

[@Powermad-bu4em]

I met Frank in '96 and he was cool as hell.

[@kenbedard1431]

Rik I remember and will, man.

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

Tony was battling drug addiction the reason he was booted but wasp was at their best in those days .after Chris left the magic left also .

[@r.s.p.2682]

How cool would it be if Randy Piper and Chris Holmes decided to form a band of their own recruiting Tony Richards back on the drums and Johnny rod on the bass and they can call themselves wild widow or tormentellion

[@acesteele8559]

Chris & Randy actually DID join up together in bands together, post W.A.S.P. .... First, Chris joined Randy's band "Animal"... & later, Randy, Chris, Animal's vocalist, Rich, & a couple other musicians had a band called "W.A.S." (which stood for "Where Angels Suffer"... sort of a left handed reference to their unsatisfactory situations with Blackie.

[@machupikachu1085]

check out the bands 'Animal' and Where Angeles Suffer. They got a singer that can really pull off Blackie Lawless...so it's like having new WASP albums. IIRC, Blackie ended up taking legal action and the band sorta folded I guess. Worth checking out tho. Some cool stuff. Cheers!

[@heman691]

Yeah but who would be the singer

[@bjrnsjohnsen1278]

@@heman691 Piper can sing alright

[@ginacole777]

Love WASP

[@17nussbaumroad]

W.A.S.P. 3rd row Tulsa 11-6-2022 !!! Can`t wait !!

[@cheeseguy4998]

They were called Sister twice , So it went Sister, Circus Circus, then Sister again then Wasp.... there were other members he left out. Gary Holland is the other drummer he mentions they were called Sister for the second time when Gary was in the band. Chris had left the band and then came back when Gary had left .

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

They were good in the troubadour days

[@dalepiwek]

Fuck yes🤘

[@davidjenson1570]

The things that went on in bands back then. I wonder if it's like that now.

[@charlesdavis4887]

During the Tony Richards interview he mentions the band mtg. were he was basically fired. Glad that Randy is friends with Tony but it seems alot of the interviews paint Blackie as a bad guy with influence over the other band members and they basically do what he tells them.

[@mikemavz7279]

Thats how it was, he ran the ship. Then made it all about him anyways.

[@Clarence2Worley]

It has really made me lose respect for him. Too self serving.

[@charlesdavis4887]

@@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn He was owed royalties which is the reason why he left after the Headless Children tour but never understood why he returned in the late 90's to that same situation. Figure Blackie made promises to him which he didn't keep thus Chris leaving again.

[@adriandavis1200]

Yes, kinda seems that way.

[@budgiemcleod4443]

@@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn Randy still receives monthly payments from Capitol Records whereas Chris sold his share in W.A.S.P. a long time ago. Blackie has regained the rights to all the "masters" and is repackaging the catalogue which means even more money for Randy and none for Chris. With Chris it's just sour grapes and stupidity.

[@mattskustomkreations]

“Or something, I don’t know, whatever, n stuff, ya know?”

[@rjc7289]

I thought the Sister guitarist was Randy Shatz? Would love to see some Sister video footage surface so we can find out once and for all who was in the band and who wasn't.

[@cheeseguy4998]

Randy Shatz and Randy Piper both were in Sister

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Blacky must have been hard to work for from all these band members in wasp and these cool interviews. Anyone know what Blackie is doing now?

[@youtube_h4ndle]

Kicking off another European tour soon.

[@kingofdragontown9680]

I saw an interview with Rik Fox, where he claimed Blackie fired him because he was with a girl Blackie wanted. I don't know if that's true, but it's a story out there

[@johnconnell4503]

Look like blackie won in the end because nobody knows rik fox

[@tyorbs6277]

No Rik Fox got fired because he didn’t really know how to play bass and Randy Piper hated him because he clearly wasn’t taking the music seriously because he didn’t really practice bass that much

[@anarchy-x]

Rik Fox was fired because he was Rik Fox. The same guy that was fired from every band, including his own band Sin. The guy blames everyone else, but at some point, you're going to have to admit that YOU are the problem.

[@acesteele8559]

Ask any musician in the myriad of bands that Rik auditioned for, or the few he actually joined. You'll get the same answer... He has all the timing of a broken Timex.

[@acesteele8559]

@@anarchy-x Absolutely True...There's been many times Rik's "Punky Meadows hairdo" got him in the door, but his absolutely shitty attitude, mouth, & beginner level lack of musical ability got him kicked out that same door in a very short amount of time. The guy's reputation has made him a laughing stock in L.A. music circles.

[@adrianlee3497]

I'm thinking it's They Live Roddy Piper.

[@eclecticgentleman]

I have always wondered what happened to Tony. I guess I'll never know...

[@fromalongtimeago]

Drug use

[@VylyskaTechkov]

Listening to Chris Holmes in an interview, he says Tony left cuz of drugs and they didn't want him touring strung out...

[@nunodarrell6606]

You don’t remember the name of the guitarist in your band?? 😂 in sister?

[@toma.4808]

Lizzy grey was the other guitarist in sister and london.

[@budgiemcleod4443]

The poor bastard watched every one of his pals get rich and famous.

[@acesteele8559]

Lizzie wasn't in Sister. Blackie did join Lizzie's band LONDON for about 4 or 5 months as a bass player/vocalist

[@cheeseguy4998]

@@acesteele8559 Wrong Lizzie himself said he was in Sister in 1977

[@cheeseguy4998]

Randy Schatz was the other guitar player in Sister after Lizzie

[@hellchild6668]

Confirmed Rik Foxx Came up with the name, I've heard stories on why Tony was fired. I guess Randy didn't want to confirm that if he was still friends with him

[@owenfitzgerald3219]

And since Blackie Lawless was re-blessed by the priest He said I will no longer sing fuck like a beast

[@heman691]

Well he is singing it on the current USA tour right now

[@Debra-k1f]

😮😮😮

[@SCrepresent]

My family use to own a few record stores in L.A and O.C. in the 70's until 2000 & I normally worked at the one in Cerritos, Ca. and Randy use to go to the store to talk to one of the guys we worked with that knew all those guys. He used to sit out front on a bike rack drinking Budweiser 😂 but was a really great guy. He's talking about these other guys, so, Mötley Crüe did an in store appearance there when they got signed to Elektra Records & I also took guitar lessons from George Lynch in the back of that store in 1981, before he joined Dokken. Great White use to play at my High School a couple miles away during our lunch in 1981-82 & our prom in 1982. They also did an in store appearance at that record store when they got signed & I also met Kevin DuBrow at that store just before Metal Health came out. That was such an awesome time in my life & very thankful that my family had those stores at that time. We had 1 in Cerritos, 1 in Redondo Beach, actually my favorite one & 1 in Anaheim. I worked at all of them and it was a great time. 🤘

[@ubermensch6669]

Why didn’t randy and tony just formed a band after leaving wasp ?

[@acesteele8559]

The guitar player in Sister's name is RANDY SCHATZ. Chris Holmes was NEVER in Sister. Neither was Nikki Sixx.

[@jamiealder-martin9994]

Chris Holmes was in sister for a period of time then he left and came back to blackie at the start of wasp chord said it in an interview

[@Shaylok]

Randy Schatz?? What an unfortunate last name.

[@cheeseguy4998]

They were called Sister twice Gary holland who was in the second version of Sister said this it went Sister, Circus Circus, Sister again then Wasp

[@cheeseguy4998]

@@jamiealder-martin9994 Yep don't know why people refuse to believe this !

[@darrenmorgan870]

Most the stuff they mentioned they did before the crew did it was done years before by many of them British bands, they all pathed the way for all the others that followed, I,m not hating on anyone, just saying

[@ericepple2976]

Randy Shatz was the original guitar player

[@tracydearman-g9l]

Get Tony ,Randy ,Johnny Rod to sing and Rick on Bass

[@koolerm4806]

Raw Power (?) I think That was the name of the magazine (small metal rag) first Local read, introduced Me to Sister. I STILL remember the Pictures Were FKN AWESOME 👍😎!! I got It at OZ Records @ Topanga and Dumetz in WOODLAND HILLS, CA. Behind the Counter....a Youngster named "BRIAN". Brian's Last Name? SLAGEL Ring a Bell?? It Should. He's METAL BLADE. Soooooo......LA METAL WAS ACTUALLY BIRTHED And NUTURED South of Ventura Blvd in UPSCALE SUBURBAN WOODLAND HILLS!! Where a Fake ID DIDN'T Work at the Liquor store next door to OZ .....But DID @ Gary's Market across the street! Guy Laughed at Me, looking at ID And said," YOUR Chinese?" I replied, "No, I'm STONED" He Paused...... Shook His Head....paused Again.....Sold Me the BEER, And said "Have Fun at the Beach,..... DON'T EVER TRY THAT AGAIN. Bye* True Metal Nostalgic Story.

[@fullinbloom]

Beautiful story. Thank you.

[@matthew80127]

Is it true Randy auditioned for Alice Cooper & Kane Roberts was chosen over him?

[@dragonfly8341]

I've heard that as well, I know he did audition around the time of the Constructor tour

[@dragonfly8341]

@@rayzerwrecker70 thanks & damn you autospell

[@acesteele8559]

Randy auditioned for Alice's "Constrictor" tour, but not in place of Kane, in addition to. the rhythm guitarist spot Randy had was eventually filled by "Devlin Seven".

[@matthew80127]

@@acesteele8559 Would be great if he could find/interview Devlin Seven! I heard he also went by Johnny Dime?

[@koolerm4806]

Count the Y'know s

[@whataboutrob442]

This guy didn't shed much light on the Tony Richards situation.

[@MrOctober44]

Not sure why's he so obsessed about Chris not being in Sister, lol.

[@satyricon9955]

how can you be in a band and not know why members leave.

[@tyorbs6277]

He forgot to mention Joey Palermo was the bassist for Wasp for a short period of time but he was shot and killed in a drug deal gone wrong

[@acesteele8559]

Joey was in Circus Circus when he got shot. He was long gone before WASP ever started forming.

[@tyorbs6277]

@@acesteele8559 oh

[@tyorbs6277]

@@acesteele8559 sucks he was shot tho whenever I listen to the Circus Circus demo “Star Dancer” I can hear the bass and he could play really good

[@tyorbs6277]

@@acesteele8559 why was he in a drug deal anyways

[@randymoran67]

@@tyorbs6277 because he used drugs

[@mickobrien3156]

WASP is a killer name for a band... But I remember kids in the 1980s made up these crazy stories... Because they used the pentagram for a second, so... they're evil and bad... thus racist, too... And I remember my dopey friend saying... Dude, White Anglo Saxon Protestant... That's what WASP means... These guys hate me, dude... Because my nerd friend was Jewish. Even at 10 I remember thinking... Calm down... I just don't think that's what they're saying and even if they are, so what... it's a rock band... who cares.... every band just wants to seem badass and hardcore... My friend seemed to relax. So that was good.

[@stephenblake2196]

Get together with JAKE E LEE??? THE MUSICIANSHIP IS OFF THE CHARTS!!

[@charleebrown7188]

99% of the world knows W.A.S.P. to stand for - White Anglo Saxon Protestant. I would find it hard to believe anyone in the actual band would not know this. It is not racist, it's a description. There would be no need to not own it, especially if this is a 20 year old tape. We didnt have the "woke" disease to distort it, back then.

[@rushshukla4636]

Yes but WASP weren't about that shit. Blackie is a Native American so how does that moniker fit him?? I saw it as meaning we are sexual perverts which he admits in early interviews. Then he would later say we ain't sure pal. Whatever. It really doesn't matter. They were just a great heavy metal band with a world wide appeal.

[@2010deanML]

As an acronym it says We Are Sexual Perverts on the first album. Why would it not be named after an aggressive stinging insect? That's perfectly in line with the image they were going for.

[@fromalongtimeago]

We Are Sexual Perverts

[@dirkjewitt5037]

I think blackie and Chris butt heads so much 'cause Chris is taller. Yes, I think Blackie is that pretentious.

[@brucepoinsett4150]

Tony Richards was a junkie apparently.