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Artist: W.A.S.P.

Title: The Crimson Idol

W.A.S.P. Homepage

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Category: Melodic Metal

Year: 1992

Label: Parlophone

Catalog Number: 7994432

Personnel

Blackie Lawless lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, keyboards
Stet Howland drums
Frankie Banali drums
Bob Kulick lead guitar

1998 remastered edition, containing a bonus disc of B-sides and live material from 1992

Bonus disc live material recorded at 'Monsters Of Rock' Donington Park 1992

Tracks

Disc 1
1.	The Titanic Overture	3:31
2.	The Invisible Boy	5:12
3.	Arena of Pleasure	4:59
4.	Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)	7:48
5.	The Gypsy Meets the Boy	4:15
6.	Doctor Rockter	3:51
7.	I Am One	5:25
8.	The Idol	8:40
9.	Hold on to My Heart	4:22
10.	The Great Misconceptions of Me	9:44
11.	The Story of Jonathan (Prologue to the Crimson Idol) bonus track	16:35
Total Running Time:		74:22
Disc 2
12.	Phantoms in the Mirror	4:36
13.	The Eulogy	4:16
14.	When the Levee Breaks	7:06		Cover: Led Zeppelin
15.	The Idol live acoustic	4:35
16.	Hold on to My Heart live acoustic	4:23
17.	I Am One" live	4:58
18.	Wild Child live	5:53
19.	Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue) live	8:24
20.	I Wanna Be Somebody live	6:14
21.	The Invisible Boy live	4:15
22.	The Real Me live	3:41		Cover: The Who
23.	The Great Misconceptions of Me live	9:45
Total Running Time:		68:06

If you see any errors or omissions in the CD information shown above, either in the musician credits or song listings (cover song credits, live tracks, etc.), please post them in the corrections section of the Heavy Harmonies forum/message board.

The music discographies on this site are works in progress. If you notice that a particular W.A.S.P. CD release or compilation is missing from the list above, please submit that CD using the CD submission page. The ultimate goal is to make the discographies here at Heavy Harmonies as complete as possible. Even if it is an obscure greatest-hits or live compilation CD, we want to add it to the site. Please only submit official CD releases; no bootlegs or cassette-only or LP-only releases.

EPs and CD-singles from W.A.S.P. are also welcome to be added, as long as they are at least 4 songs in length.

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Existing comments about this CD

From: TONY

Date: May 29, 2001 at 23:54

one of the most brilliantly assembled albums produced by w.a.s.p. each song tells a story about the life of blackie lawless and the beginning of a legendary group of performers, w.a.s.p. the vocals of blackie lawless are haunting but yet powerful in his telling of his rise to fame to the trials and errors faced with his and every other metal band that dreamed of fame and fortune.... a must have for any w.a.s.p/metal fan.

From: T-BONE	Date: September 13, 2001 at 17:44
Very interesting cd to say the least. It kept my attention for the duration of the cd. This is much like a rock-opera. The who's Tommy and Kiss' The Elder come to mind. Good songwriting and like Tony said haunting vocals Blackie still kicks ass!

From: Tosi DeBudo	Date: January 28, 2002 at 5:07
One of my all time favorites! An excellent CD with a great concept behind. Anybody who likes the textual concept of this album should check out 'Savatage - Streets: A Rock Opera'!!! Be careful what you wish for cause it might come true...

From: Tony	Date: April 10, 2002 at 3:42
Just don't get this one. Blackie keeps ramming it down our throats that it is a classic but it's just so pompous, overblown, & pretencious that I have a really hard time believing it. I own all Wasp's cd's and this one sits collecting dust. I WANT to like it but it's mediocre at best.

From: Indigo Shift	Date: July 9, 2002 at 6:18
Rock Opera...(drool...). This is the record that got me listening to WASP again.

From: Kim	Date: July 19, 2002 at 12:39
I love DISCO too.

From: J Scott	Date: October 19, 2002 at 18:40
By far the best W.A.S.P. CD. One of the best concept CD's also. This is a Killer CD from start to finish. The story alone is worth the price. The IDOL is the best. Give it a listen again.

From: WidoMakr	Date: October 19, 2002 at 20:19
J Scott...while I wont rip on u for liking ANY WASP tune...The Headless Children imo is KILLER....plus anything done in the 80's are absolute killer tunes...glad to see though someone else appreciates the great sound of Blackie...Quote The WidoMakr....never more

Heavy Harmonies Owner
From: Dan	Date: October 19, 2002 at 20:38
IMHO, this is Blackie's best as well. I'd put 'Still Not Black Enough' as number 2, and 'Headless Children' as number 3. Songwise, HC is up there, but the production is SOOOO much better on CI and SNBE.

From: J Scott	Date: October 27, 2002 at 21:21
WidoMakr.. I first saw WASP open for Iron Maiden in San Antonio in 1984. Been a huge fan of Blackie since than. He can pretty much do no wrong. But I agree with Dan, I still like the Crimson Idol the best.

From: WidoMakr

Date: October 31, 2002 at 20:25

J. Scott...very cool..You cant do too much better than that for a concert...Blackie and Eddie..NICE... To each his own...EVERY WASP album is great..Crimson is a 9.5 Headless Children a 10 in my book.very few songs get me pumped like Headless Children..whatever though...Dan...your CD travels are funny/great reading stuff..Saw WASP about a year ago in front of about 800 crazy fans in upstate Conn..A GREAT SHOW...sad that the kids of today rarely know who WASP is...Quote the WidoMakr....never more

From: mutha trucka	Date: January 19, 2003 at 4:41
i have this with a bonus disc of these same songs but live. nobody has ever written ballads like blackie. listening to them live acoustic, he sings them perfectly. great muscician. he writes from the heart. lot of pain in this man.

From: Dusty Gibbons	Date: February 25, 2003 at 22:22
It's a funny thing, but i've never really liked this one. Blackie's voice is mixed too low and the central theme seems to repeat and slow things up. Also the songs don't touch me. Murders in the new morgue? Hold on to my heart? Try murders in the rue morgue and cumfortably numb!

From: bones

Date: June 21, 2003 at 15:03

this is by far the best album by wasp,musically and its songwriting.this album came out when i was 16 and it save my life,it was kinda like a road map of adolesence.this album has everything a wild,angry,and sometimes lonley teenage boy needs to hear about,learn about,know about..there is so much that i could relate to on this album,and the same with still not black enuff and all the anger on kfd..this album is my all time favorite record,blackie thank you so much for your guidence..vince bones

From: pablo	Date: September 20, 2003 at 13:39
Disco muy distinto a los anteriores de WASP pero para mi su mejor trabajo ,excepcional hard melodico

From: Lambros-GREECE	Date: October 20, 2003 at 16:38
I don't know what others say but with this album Blackie proved that he is a genius!!One of the most emotional albums i've ever heard!!THE IDOL is one of the best ballads ever written!!a great concept story!!amazing!!The real art!!

From: red	Date: February 6, 2004 at 13:27
Definitely their best. Songwriting and the playing are fantastic. Too bad it came at a time when metal was fading away.

From: Rycheage	Date: February 8, 2004 at 17:09
A mix of fast and powerful tracks and some power rock ballads work their way through Blackie's sad life, complete with Pink Floyd style interludes that are all described on the cover insert. Musically this is a high point for WASP in musical achievement, a strong metal album that for once has conviction as much as their first album had fresh energy and innovation.

From: Valky

Date: March 20, 2004 at 9:49

This is the true gem of my record collection. It was interesting to find out that Blackie made some lyrics and melodies (just a short part) in this album as early as middle of 70's. I just got my hands on some old material from Blackies band 'Sister' from 70's and there was a really familiar part: 'I look at my face in the mirror and I dont understand..I am seventeen and I am somebody's son, but I dont know where I stand..'

From: Desslar	Date: March 22, 2004 at 4:55
Cool concept album. One kind of misses the raunchy party songs and anthems, but plenty of highlights.

From: Dave	Date: March 30, 2004 at 8:24
This is the best album EVER! I love all that WASP has ever done - but let's be serious, their first stuff is a little inmature, although it kicked ASS. But this has it all. Intensity, DEPTH, great Musicianship and a certain YEAH effect. Lawless nailed it. Let's hope the new album NEON GOD will be equally gripping. Blackie rules, especially when he turns his inside out.

From: josh

Date: April 6, 2004 at 6:27

This is a quality album, but it is NOT EASY LISTENING, as for aconcept ablum its pretty good but is missing one or two killer tunes like 'Pin ball wizard' Chainsaw charlie is good but not quite there, I think this album would probably appeal to Metal fans but not for the casual listener, having said all that its excellent played, production is first class well worth getting, the Idol and Hold on to my heart are fav songs, none of the songs are bad just the whole thing lacks a little bit of glam

From: shifter	Date: April 10, 2004 at 5:54
by far the best album blackie ever did! i really love their first 5 records, but this one was their 'back in black', an absolute masterpiece!

From: Brad A	Date: April 29, 2004 at 8:54
There hasn't been a better WASP record. Tour de force. Great production, great music and a concept album that works. I have to buy another copy cause my 4 year old lost the first!

From: pozermaniac

Date: May 4, 2004 at 6:06

a great album for sure!It is very good but i think i like much more the 'HEADLESS CHILDREN'!Blackie knows how to write songs for the MTV and he did it.He left the animal behind & he made WASP a more -mainstream- band but not with stupid music!This Fucker he's got 2 BIG BALLS between his legs full of talent!!Buy this one if youre angry or if youre sad!Buy it if you wanna hear great ,full of emotion, music.the greatest concept album after 'OPERATION MINDCRIME'!

From: jack	Date: June 10, 2004 at 8:05
WASP is a band who knows how to rock....hard,heavy and evil-simply one of the best heavy metal band ever to grace the earth. in my opnion,they are even better than judas priest,iron maiden and manowar! This album just proves so!Allthe songs kickass. Easily one of the best metal album in the 90's. My favourite WASP album! Rating:10/10!

From: Big Papa K	Date: June 30, 2004 at 16:52
I think I might need to invest some more time in this one. The concept is interesting and the production is great, but I just don't see the same amount of consistent songwriting as the last album. Still, 'Arena Of Pleasure', 'Hold On To My Heart', and 'Chainsaw Charlie' are great. 7/10

From: MADMAX	Date: June 30, 2004 at 21:26
Do that Papa. IMO this is one of the best albums i've ever heard. 11/10!

From: Metal T	Date: July 22, 2004 at 21:20
Anyone who has London's 'Don't Cry Wolf' will notice that the melody of the song 'For Whom The Bell Tolls',was incorporated into the song 'The Gypsy Meets The Boy' on CI.'Bell' has the writing credits listed as Lizzie Grey,Blackie Lawless and Nadir D'Priest ... Idol also features some of best guitar work 'Bob Kulick has ever done . ----

From: Geoff	Date: September 5, 2004 at 2:44
To me, this is one of the better, if not the best WASP release. Awesome concept album, and I still love the ballad 'Hold on to my heart'. Killer hard rock inbetween though, and a very well written and executed album.

From: Steve Newman	Date: December 7, 2004 at 0:36
The Idol is the best song on the album and probably the best W.A.S.P. song ever.

From: howe	Date: March 1, 2005 at 10:52
Indeed, this is a very good album. I've never been a great fan of WASP but this cd is simply a rock masterpiece! This is one of the best concept albums ever, with all its inspired acoustic moments, catchy choruses and beautiful 'leitmotivs'. Fav tracks: 'hold on to my heart', 'chainsaw charlie', 'the idol' and 'the great misconceptions of me'. 10/10

From: drakken	Date: July 26, 2005 at 12:20
'the idol', me quemo la cabeza. Tenia 17 aņos en aquel aņo, y cada vez que la escucho, me pone la piel de gallina. Tiene unos arreglos impecables!

From: poproxx2007	Date: December 22, 2005 at 23:54
BLackie was always influenced by Pete Townsend and The Who and this takes on the Tommy/Quadrophenia concept album. When it came out in the US it just missed being a huge CD. In the UK it did very well but I remember thinking in the summer of 1993 if this had only been released here in 1991. For true fans this is one of the finest moments. 9/10

From: Aussie Dave

Date: December 26, 2006 at 19:06

Certainly one of the best concept albums ever done(operation mindcrime #1), and this is equal to anything WASP produced in their career. Great double cd re-issue as well which has a couple of b-sides, a cover of Zeppelin's - When The Levee Breaks and also 9 live songs from the album. Worth tracking down. But overall a great album also without Chris Holmes, and an album they will try hard to top. but never will. 9/10.....

From: Scrounger

Date: July 22, 2008 at 11:44

Thursday 1st November 2007, Manchester Academy 2. I will never forget that night Mr. Blackie Lawless, that show meant so much to me, yet you deserved to be playing at a bigger venue, to a much larger audience. I got right at the front, Blackie was almost sweating on me! They played this album in it's entirety with unreleased footage behind on a big screen (it was supposed to be put out as a short film in '93)....the whole album man, sounded clear as day! I was extremely surprised!! (shame on me). After that, they had a 15 minute break and came out and played pretty much a "greatest hits" setlist!! "Blind in Texas" was absolutely brilliant! ...And Doug Blair leaned over and tossed me his guitar pick!!

From: kai	Date: July 23, 2008 at 22:16
This is one of my favourite WASP releases, and one of the best concept albums ever. Each song is perfectly fit to the concept story of the album, but as well have their own identity. My favourite tracks : "Arena Of Pleasure", "Chainsaw Charlie", "Dr, Rockter", "Hold On To My Heart", and "The Great Misconceptions Of Me". Highly recommended.

From: pie75

Date: August 22, 2010 at 6:34

this is a great album even though by now blackie is being too serious i'm not overly excited about concept albums but there have been some great ones and this is one of them seen wasp when they came to australia in 2008 for the 15th anniversary of this album and they played it in full great show and good to hear it live but i prefer the old stuff every song here is good and musically their best bob kulick is a hell of a guitar player

From: rick kerch vzla	Date: May 10, 2011 at 15:09
Very good conceptual album by Wasp(their first one)...Blackie Lawless did really good in here ..."The Invisible Boy","Arena Of Pleasure","Chainsaw Charlie","Doctor Rockter","I Am One","Hold On To My Heart"(nice soft song)& "The Great Misconception Of Me" are my faves...90/100

From: hair metal again	Date: July 24, 2011 at 10:20
excellent concept releace by WASP.the musicinship is excellent with many solos and very very complicated drum lines!the melodies sound similar but that dont bother me cause it s the concept that needs that.all the songs are great and i think we get a killer of an album here.

From: Auslander

Date: May 28, 2021 at 12:38

I love a good concept album, and this one certainly fits that bill. It certainly seems to have been a labour of love for Blackie Lawless and I am pleased it was successful in execution. Unfortunately I feel his career and skills were somewhat overshadowed by the excesses of his early live shows and "designed to shock" songs like Beast. On this release he shows his musical chops to the full. Probably the only must have album from WASPs early catalogue and it still stands up as a fine metal release. Rated A.

From: dany69	Date: November 7, 2022 at 0:09
The Only & Only One Best Concept album Everrrrrrrrrr

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