W.A.S.P.

W.A.S.P. were a shocking band even by heavy metal’s outrageous standards. Not only did their 1984 debut single, “Animal (F**k Like a Beast),” draw controversy before its release, but early stage shows included antics such as throwing raw meat into the audience and vulgarity with a buzzsaw. Frontman Blackie Lawless cofounded W.A.S.P. in 1982, and the Los Angeles group quickly found a place in the metal world with their 1984 self-titled debut and its follow-up, The Last Command. The band started toning down their wild antics with their 1989 hard-rock tour de force, The Headless Children. Prioritizing music over shtick ended up helping their career endurance tremendously. Lawless continued to lead W.A.S.P. into the 21st century, touring and churning out new music such as 2015’s Golgotha.