Blackie Lawless is best known for his work with shock rock band W.A.S.P. Although a guitarist by trade, Lawless played bass on the band's debut album, W.A.S.P. (1984), and The Last Command (1985), due to a rotating lineup of bassists. However, his smooth transition back to guitar for their 1986 album Inside the Electric Circus was partly influenced by advice from Pink Floyd's David Gilmour at an industry dinner.
“I've heard other guitar players say they approach guitars like being a singer. My favorite guitar player is David Gilmour,” Lawless says in an upcoming Guitar World interview. “We were at an EMI dinner one night, and he was there. I started talking to him and said, ‘By far, you're my favorite guitar player. How do you come up with those melodies?’
“He didn't bat an eye and goes, ‘I'm a singer. I think like a singer.’ I was standing there and thought, ‘Duh.’ In other words, if you're looking for a melody, it's about what enhances the song. I subscribe to that theory because I feel like it can't not give you an advantage because you're just thinking differently.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Lawless reveals why he ended up playing bass for the band when the position was vacant. “I'm a guitar player by trade, but the problem was that with the three of us [Blackie, Randy Piper, and Chris Holmes], we were three guitar players,” he says.
“We didn't have a bass player, and with the egos of those two other guys, I knew they were never going to play bass. [laughs] So, I volunteered.”
Lawless is currently preparing for a 40-date trek in celebration of the band's debut album, which compelled him to reflect on W.A.S.P.'s early years and approach the record with fresh eyes (and ears).
“Looking back on it – and I've been listening to this record a lot since January for the tour – I have a lot of appreciation for how well both Randy and Chris did.
“They did a great job. I'm a stickler for tightness and making sure things are in tune, and honestly, I don't think I could have done it any better.”
In other W.A.S.P. news, former guitarist Chris Holmes spoke about the band's onstage antics, including the time Lawless chucked raw meat into the back of his amp.
Guitar World's full interview with Blackie Lawless will be published later this month.
