WASP Inside the Electric Circus - Inside the 1986 Album w/ Alex Woltman -Blackie Lawless-Interview
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- Опубликовано: 28 янв 2021
- This is a full in bloom interview with producer/engineer
Alex Woltman.
INSIDE THE ALBUM:
W.A.S.P.
'Inside the Electric Circus'
Alex talks about recording 'Inside the Electric Circus.'
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Song by FOOL OF FATE:
• The Parting 
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I absolutely love this underrated gem top to bottom, especially deeper cuts like Restless Gypsy, I'm Alive and Sweet Cheatah.
Great songs. But the production was bad.
Same. I've been a defender from the beginning. Songs are all uniformly excellent. 🤘
Flesh and Fire And I Dont Need No Doctor.
@@darknotered7425 no fucking way dude, the production on this record is fucking great and the guitar tone is amazing.
@@peepongdingdong9208
Nah. Too much reverb, and it sounds as if it was recorded "from far away".
Man, I remember listening to the intro to this album over and over and over when I was kid.
@@ayinwithnoyang No Doubt
Same
The Donnington/drummer story is priceless. 😂
Dude basked in his moment of glory....Poser Blackie be damned. Lol
I’m Alive is such a great track.
same here, my personal favorite song in that record!!!!
That galloping like intro RULES!
Inside the Electric Circus is awesome.
1984-88 Wasp was one of my top 3 bands. Some if it gets repetitive after a while, but its still solid.
what were your other 2?
Love Alex Woltman, top notch Producer and Engineer who worked with me on my bands album Branded "Scars and Stripes" as well as my brother's band KnightRiot.
Awesome interview! Alex spoke good about Blackie! Tired of the negative talk about the man!
Blackie Lawless was extremely smart for being the producer for W.A.S.P. albums moving forward. That is HOW and WHY Blackie was able to get most of the masters for W.A.S.P. recordings
Thank you for all of these interviews... priceless insights.
Electric circus was the first wasp album I heard. I bought the cassette at a pawn shop in anchorage Alaska while I high school. I was blown away and it’s still my favorite wasp record.
Sweet cheetah, mantronic, restless gypsy, are the standouts. The only song that’s so so is the rock rolls on
Inside The Electric Circus is my favorite album they ever released
Wasp is a great band.
Thank you for this and keeping the memories alive.
You should write a book or do a documentary about all this.. you got the connections and it would be amazing.
Chris holmes was my favorite rock star.. not the best at anything but he was a cool as hell rock star man
. Haha.. he played the part boy
Chris was the real deal and had a great look! As supremely talented as Blackie was, we now know that he was always a businessman first. Chris always was a genuine, free spirit; a Restless Gypsy in the truest sense.
chris's solo work is amazig on inside the electric circus.
Awesome interview as always. My favorite metal band from the 80s
YESS FINALLY MORE W.A.S.P.!
The Last Command is my fave.
Yet .... Another Top Notch Interview ! 👍🏻💯
This album features one of my favorite WASP songs “ RESTLESS GYPSY “ I love hearing about the recording , writing , behind the scenes process . Thanks for these great interviews !
Probably Chris Holmes at his peak on the Restless Gypsy solo. Would love to know what his set up was then, probably only 4 or 5 items in the chain including the guitar and amp.
❤ love all these interviews❤ thank you ❤
Great interview. Blackie, for better or worse, was a very focused guy. Kind of like any job you don't always end up working with the same guys over a long period of time. Some group of guys are a better team than others and some people won't let you forget it.
Great interview great work always interesting.
Great frikkin interview.🥂
Cool interview. The honesty was refreshing too. This was not WASP’s strongest album, but there are some gems in the mix. I’m also w/you 💯 on Blackie’s vocals!
I love the covers W.A.S.P. did on this album
Great content! Thanks for the minutiae. Thanks for the post - subbed and liked.
Now you have your 1st Subscriber!!! Awesome!! Rockers and Metal 🤘 Need to stick together!!! Cant have that!! Rob
Very underated album.that title track is as strong as a opening track.as you will in any album in the genre.
Its a more raw primal album.that The Last Command. Johnny Rod was a solid addition.
Alot of the tracks on Circus were suited for the arena venues.
Really great album
It was a transition album
So a bit in pilot in certain songs , but as Cold lake by CF , it still better than most stuff
Yeah its a good record
Almost went to a show on that tour. But my aunt told my mom about ANIMAL(F Like A Beast!) 😞
I was 12.
I think that I used to live next that Music Studio mentioned in the beginning of the interview - it was named CONWAY STUDIOS and it was on Melrose and St Andrews Pl, about 1 block from Western Ave.
I remember seeing Stephen Stills in the Parking lot and near him was Neil Young's black Hearse.
The thing about Blackie and WASP was their best work was yet to come with The Headless Children and The Crimson Idol.
So, back in the day, I was listening to the song "The Headless Children" in my office. My wife strolls in saying something about our kids. She stopped talking mid sentence, she put her hand on my shoulder (she is standing, I am sitting) and she says "is he sayin the headless children? i said yes he is honey, she just shook her head and left, lol...
I agree and have commented on that, as well. Also pointing out that Chris Holmes wasn't on The Crimson Idol , W. A. s. P. 's biggest selling album. Just for the ones that bring THAT issue up in argument.
@@RodneyMcQuiston-os9otIt's not their biggest album. Not sure where you got that from
Brilliant and fascinating.
I love this band no 1 from my town liked them ....I loved them
W.A.S.P. first 3 albums were very good. Headless Children got a lot of intention and was solid but after that they kind of dropped. W.A.S.P only had 2 gold albums which was the first two releases . This album 2 was very underappreciated. The deep cuts are amazing! Love this interview.
You're wrong on two counts. #1: W. A. S. P. 's album The Crimson Idol went 1x platinum. And the first 3 W. A. S. P. albums werer NOT the best. But, Inside The Electric Circus was the best of the first three albums. T Headless Children was great , better than Electric Circus any day. That's when they started growing up.
But, far and wide, The Crimson Idol is an all around masterpiece. There's not another W. A. S. P. album like it,and there probably never will be.
Now, I admit, that some of their albums bombed, like HELLDORADO , or The Neon God pt. 1 & 2. But, everyone has their bad albums. Just look at Alice Cooper. He's made A LOT of bad albums. In fact, his first album Pretties For You, REALLY, REALLY SUCKS! But, that's just music for you.
Also, I'm not a very big fan of The Last Command, but everyone I've ever met gives it high praise. Truthfully, there's only 2 good songs on that album, Wild Child and Blind In Texas.
I think people rate their albums based on the hey days in their life. Just thinking back brings this sense of nostalgia that they're familiar with. Like me, I NEVR tire of , Too Fast For Love, by Motley Crue. I feel they captured a sound 9n that album that can never be done again. Kinda' like Def Leppard with Hysteria, they captured a sound that has yet to be replicated.
But, if you haven't yet, you should probably listen to W. A. S. P. 's The Crimson Idol and go over it slowly. It's by far one of the greatest Rock Operas of all time as far as metal goes. If I hear Cries In The Night ever again, it'll be too soon.
I appreciate your time for reading this. ROCK ON!
R. M.
i loved this album
Good story with Kelly doing that at the show. Yeah it probably wasn't the best thing to do at your first show but guy was probably excited and he got the crowd pumped up. We all know Blackie cannot stand anyone upstaging him. His ego is way too big, hopefully over the years and him finding God, he has mellowed out and has changed but that's still to be seen.
I think the born again shtick is BS
I can't blame Blackie for getting pissed. You get a huge opportunity to play for a big band and you decide to run around like it's your band
Without Chris there is no WASP
People say that and I tend to agree. But, once I do, I remember The Crimson Idol and how brilliant it is and remember that Holmes wasn't isn't on that one, either. Wasps greatest, and highest selling album of all time.
@@RodneyMcQuiston-os9ot Crimson isn't wasps highest selling album .. Last Command is
Without Blackie there is no W.A.S.P. because he's always been W.A.S.P. They are better then ever now.
@@RodneyMcQuiston-os9otWhy would you agree? Blackie is W.A.S.P. Always was. Always will be
@@sytharnia1717There is no way for you to know that. Blackie said The Headless Children was their best selling album.
Sackie Balless
No. You misspelled it. His name is Blackie Lawless
Other than the first album this is my favorite wasp album. I still remember when I got the cassette tape and listened to it while riding my Honda Enduro motorcycle on the way to school in 8th grade. Welcome 8 bid you welcome! To laugh inside the electric circus
I always thought this album blew dog.
I see Mr. Lawless Every Month!! We go to the Same Pharmacy! What a Trip it is. After all these years. They make more money 💰 Playing in EUROPE For way more Cash 💰 Then Anyone Can or Would pay them in the USA 🇺🇸 Oh guys look at my F.B. My friends will trip you out! Hope that you can Enjoy and Keep on Rocking!! Robert
Have you ever said hello to him?
@@michaeldelaveris3322 Does he wear that syrup?
@@michaeldelaveris3322 Oh yeah. We talked for like over 30 minutes at a time sometimes. About his Tours And mainly just life in general!! Thanks bro. For asking! In fact one time he really tripped me out I was shaking his hand and he said to me how he really needed to hear the comment that I said to him about how I thought you know he really ripped this one show that I saw him at!
@@777vim What???
@@robertmirabilio5356 Are having a lend of me or telling me facts?
W.A.S.P is my fav band. When they came to Australia like 10 or so years ago i went to both concerts that they played in Melbourne because i thought its probably gonna be the 1st and only time they come to Australia. Sure enough havent been back. Hope they return. Got a photo with Blackie at the meet and greet, got 2 guitar picks,1 from Blackie 1 from Mike,up the very front both nights....had a blast it was great. Would have really loved to have a chat with him.
I loved wasp first two albums this one never really got on my play list
The killer studio on Melrose Ave. he mentioned is Conway Studios. Not quite as good as Sound City or Sunset Sound, but no many studios are. Conway has a very relaxing environment, looks like a Mediterranean resort. OR, it could be Cherokee Studio, which is just down the street. Many, many of the 80's bands recorded or mixed at Cherokee.
He recorded Inside the Electric Circus at S.I.R. Studios.
Glad to see all of the positive comments on this album, but this was my last WASP album. It was too pop, too polished, not for me (at the time, I was 14)
It makes me laugh how Blackie doesn't like this album, and yet it straight up rips.
This album was an attemp to go back to the original sound as said by Blackie himself.
@dust devil .......lol! Lmfao!!!
Sounds like Blackie matured a LOT from their first record. I saw an MTV (I think) interview with him and a female interviewer and he came across as relaxed, cool, and a gentlemen. And yet, I've heard/saw/read about some other behaviors that were pretty controlling and ruthless. I guess that's maybe the 'business side' of things. Anyway, as an admirer of Blackie, it's nice to hear positive things about him. Thanks for the interview!
@ Yeah, could be!
Every band has to have one of those serious guys. Otherwise nothing gets done, the vultures fly in, and bands die quickly when no one is staying focused
@@allthecolors6900 Yep, absolutely. I can't disagree with that.
Maturing and controlling are two different things. He definitely changed after the Electric circus. By the time they did Headless children he wanted the band to be taken seriously.
Definitely the best WASP album
LOL no it's not.
I agree
To each their own. I prefer the first album
Chris best guitar work is on inside the electeic circus.
To me the first three full albums were their best work!!
Headless is really good imo.
@@re8746but they've sucked ever since then after headless I mean
This one is such an excellent album!
The lyrics are cheesy, but the music is really good!
Too much reverb ruined the overall sound, and the kickdrums are non-exist!
I wish they'd consider a full remix sooner than later
Dave Mustaine complained that Michael Wagener ruined the third Megadeth album with too much reverb.
Electric Circus is a good album. I saw them on this tour at Long Beach Arena when they recorded Live...In The Raw. They had two opening acts. I think Helix and Krokus. Definitely Krokus.
Saw WASP open for KISS on The Last Command tour and they were fucking awesome. Unfortunately, their set was cut short because a guy threw a carmex bottle at Blackie and split his forehead open.
I saw the same tour at the Sanamonica Civic center! GREAT show! I remember someone throwing a chuck Taylor shoe up on stage and Holmes head banging with it during "Blind in Texas".
I threw that bottle. 💪💪
@@eternity8811 I actually met him about 6 months afterthe show
Whoa!!!! Did that idiot get sacked by the security??
@@EnigmaticDecay which episode do you think he remembers..?
Blackie was my first celebrity crush, until I found out he treated Chris bad. Now I like Ozzy and Sharon.
This album, imho lacked 3 things, randy piper, tony richards, and good production, anyway, seen them on this tour, they were fantastic
The songs were solid but, yes, the sound/production was terrible.
Chris is the othet half of WASP.
Can someone explain to me where Pasha was located?
I think it's better then Last command. Not as produced sounding as that album
Kelly Martella is still playing and going g strong
The best WASP album
LOL no it's not.
@@MrNWA4Life LOL yes it is
@@crisscat2006
LOL stop smoking crack.
@@crisscat2006 yeah... NO IT'S NOT.
Even Blackie called it "a tired album by a tired band".
@@eternity8811 BEST album, end of chat
Thank you for this interview Well done🤠🏁😎I listen To this album for the past 3 year yep good album probleme is blackie judas lawless ...sad To see that lawless is not a good person very bad man..and wasp was never a band but only one man show...wasp is a love To hate relation blackie is not a good person this album is not wasp stuff Well what is Wasp metal To what the fuck
The 1st W.A.S.P album was gold! The Last Command was a good 2nd effort but lacks the raw power of the 1st. Did not care for this one other than the Live in the raw versions of 95 nasty and Inside.....
After Live in the raw I lost intrest in W.A.S.P. especially with the constant lineup changes. Other than " Mean Man" and a couple other songs here and there W.A.S.P fell into mediocrity.
Blackies control issues ruined that band.
They were so close to really breaking through with "Scream until you like it". I think when you constantly fuck with a bands chemistry it weakens the quality of what made them great.
So many bands suffer from ego's and greed. Damn shame.
I know this is nerdy as hell, but I'm surprised that Blackie sang straight from a preamp into an LA-2A. Usually vocalists go into an 1176 first, THEN into an LA-2A for colour and warmth.
I wonder how much gain reduction they needed to tame Blackie's shrieks.
Loved them & saw Last Command tour, then bought this, listened 1 time, threw n the garbage, & that was that-RIP WASP!!! 2 b fair, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING 2DAY'S TOTAL LACK OF MUSIC, I need 2 revisit. But unless Blackie on bass n saw-bladed BLACK LEATHER W/ HOLMES ON LEAD, WASP a distant memory! ✌ ❤ 🚬
"Sweet 19? 10 times outta 10 shitty name, shitty band."
Duane! Is the Man! That Can get the best Sound! Hands Down! For ANY 🥁 DRUM RECORDING!! Done in the 80’s and Early 90’s! You never Recorded anything! Anything for Blackie Period. The Man is one of the biggest their is in our Industry, On Stealing Melodies, rhythms. Even lyrics. We used to have the same pharmacy. And I would run into him every month. Like clockwork. When he shook my hand one time, and I went to complement him. I could feel him stealing my soul. Which left me highly disturbed for Months. After That When I would see him. I avoided the Man, Like the Plague!! Most Disturbing Incident, that has ever happened to me in my life. Robert Mirabilio TYRANNY
Well, no shit.
Androgyne , I could name a bunch of em'.
I knew in the 80s.
Man I could rip this comment section with the shit I got to find out.
Inside The Electric Circus was good. I felt the first two albums were better.
The main thing that always bothered me about this record is the cover. I found it too...ah...homoerotic? It made me uncomfortable. Plus, I first saw it in the 1990's when this kind of vibe was STERNLY frowned upon. Also, there's something weird about the mix where it almost sounds like all the rhythm tracks are DUCKED when the solos come up, and I find that weird, too much. Some really good songs on there though!
ikr!
its like on the day of the shoot they had Tawny Kitaen ready to pose for the cover and Blackie was all like "look out look out ill do it!". hahahahaha
@@DevilTigermoth "I'm pretty too! I'm the star!" Hehehe
Death by Grunge.....
That cover though, it just doesn't say Heavy Metal to me.
I was wondering why that album sucked so bad.
Wow, think the interviewer does not have an agenda?
He's doing a great job.
He's letting the interview flow and he always let's the person speak till the point is across.
Either don't listen or you try to do it better.
The mix of Electric Circus isn’t too great. Tons of reverb and chorus to the point where definition disappears.
It could use a remix.
This is where they lost me. The first - classic. The second is still bad ass. This one was just meh. Aside from select tracks from Headless Children and Crimson Idol, they were never the same.
no alex woltman sure glad I got to play with AC Brain Setzer and a host of others than bought a house and raised a family no thanks to Alex Woltman...this guy was simply there nothing great just a good room and good equipment I recorded there at the same time a few times a few bands...no body Alex
That's a really terrible album cover. Are those supposed to be bars of a cage? Lol
👍They're like neon laser energy field bars or some hi-tech shit to keep all the crazy animals in the circus, which is electric, btw and THAT'S the important part...😂
Oh and the "animals are all insane" 😀
It is a good album, but not a great album! I understand where blackie is coming from being overly critical about this album. When you look at the content of this album, its OK but it falls short! Its your typical trashy 80s metal album. Some good tunes, but some throw aways as well.
Not their best work.
Shitty record, Blackie himself said it was garbage.
Not a great album
W.A.S.P. sucked! They literally wrote the same song over & over & over again. Just so lame: 4 chords, 4/4, image & stage show… 🤦🏼♂️
What are your thoughts on AC/DC?
Sackie Balless
hhaahhahahaha