Inside the Electric Circus

• Artist: W.A.S.P.
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1986
• Total Time: 47:53
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

While W.A.S.P. remained a gimmick-heavy live act (around this time, Blackie Lawless had a codpiece that would shoot sparks!), they attempted to grow musically with each successive release -- most evidently beginning with 1986's Inside the Electric Circus. While Lawless was the band's main leader and songwriter from the beginning, he had even more of a say in the musical direction by switching to rhythm guitar from bass when original guitarist Randy Piper exited the band (ex-King Kobra member Johnny Rod joined on bass). By selecting a pair of early-'70s hard rock classics to cover -- Humble Pie's "I Don't Need No Doctor" and Uriah Heep's "Easy Living" -- it was clear that W.A.S.P. wanted their fans to pay more attention to the music. But it's not to say that the group completely abandoned their brash heavy metal roots -- the U.K. single "9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y." and the album-opening title track packed plenty of scream-along excitement. [The 1998 reissue contains a pair of B-sides previously unavailable on CD: "Flesh and Fire" and "D.B. Blues."] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
The Big Welcome	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(1:21)
Inside the Electric Circus	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(3:33)
I Don't Need No Doctor	Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Jo Armstead	W.A.S.P.	(3:25)
9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.	Chris Holmes, Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:47)
Restless Gypsy	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:59)
Shoot from the Hip	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:38)
I'm Alive	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:21)
Easy Living	Ken Hensley	W.A.S.P.	(3:11)
Sweet Cheetah	Chris Holmes, Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(5:15)
Mantronic	Chris Holmes, Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:09)
King of Sodom and Gomorrah	Chris Holmes, Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(3:50)
The Rock Rolls On	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(3:52)
Flesh and Fire [*]	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(4:38)
D.B. Blues [*]	Blackie Lawless	W.A.S.P.	(3:24)

Credits

Dorel Anderson (Archive Research), Duane Baron (Engineer), Chris Holmes (Guitar), Hanspeter Huber (Engineer), Blackie Lawless (Guitar), Blackie Lawless (Vocals), Blackie Lawless (Producer), Blackie Lawless (Design), Blackie Lawless (Cover Art Concept), Blackie Lawless (Cover Design), George Marino (Mastering), Garth Richardson (Mixing), Garth Richardson (Mixing Engineer), Johnny Rod (Bass), Johnny Rod (Vocals), W.A.S.P. (Main Performer), Michael Wagener (Mixing), Alex Woltman (Engineer), Dick Zimmerman (Photography), Dick Zimmerman (Cover Art Concept), Dick Zimmerman (Cover Design), Hugh Gilmour (Art Direction), Hugh Gilmour (Memorabilia), Hugh Gilmour (Archive Research), Hugh Gilmour (Reissue Design), Steve Riley (Drums), Steve Riley (Vocals), Kevin Lahue (Engineer), Kevin Lehue (Engineer), Rod Smallwood (Design), Rod Smallwood (Cover Art Concept), Rod Smallwood (Cover Design), Dante Bonutto (Liner Notes), Dom Lawson (Liner Notes), Derek Anderson (Memorabilia)