Description
This may very well be the greatest concept album of all-time
+ ANOTHER review:
SAMPLES: www.allmusic.com/album/the-crimson-idol-mw0000614750
The Crimson Idol = Studio album by W.A.S.P.
Released: June 8, 1992
Recorded: Fort Apache Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA
Genre: Heavy Metal
Length: 58:05
Label: Capitol
Producer: Blackie Lawless
W.A.S.P. The Crimson Idol
Label: Parlophone CDPCSD 118, Parlophone 7994432
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK & Europe
Released: 1992
Genre: Heavy Metal
Tracklist?
1 The Titanic Overture 3:31
2 The Invisible Boy 5:13
3 Arena Of Pleasure 4:14
4 Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue) 8:43
5 The Gypsy Meets The Boy 4:15
6 Doctor Rockter 3:53
7 I Am One 5:24
8 The Idol 8:39
9 Hold On To My Heart 4:22
10 The Great Misconceptions Of Me 9:46
Art Direction, Design [@ Kosh Brooks Design] Kosh*, Brooks*
Drums Frankie Banali, Stet Howland
Engineer [Assistant] Ross Robinson
Engineer, Mixed By Mikey Davis
Lead Guitar Bob Kulick
Mastered By Ian Cooper
Photography Gene Kirkland
Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Keyboards Blackie Lawless
Written-By, Composed By, Arranged By, Producer Blackie Lawless
Recorded and mixed at Fort Apache Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA.
1992 Copyright in this sound recording is owned by Sanctuary Productions, Ltd. under exclusive license to EMI Records, Ltd.
© 1992 Sanctuary Productions.
Made in Holland
Barcode: 0077779944323
Other (Rights Societies): BIEM/STEMRA
Other (Label Code): LC 0299
Other (Distribution Code): F:PM 520
Other (Distribution Code): D:564
The Crimson Idol was the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band W.A.S.P., originally released by Capitol Records in 1992 (1993 in the United States). The album is a concept album, telling the story of the rise and fall of a fictional rock star named Jonathan Steel.
The album took nearly three years to complete, and was originally recorded as a Blackie Lawless solo album, but Lawless bowed to fan pressure and released it under the W.A.S.P. moniker.
The Crimson Idol World Tour unusually took place 15 years after the release of the album to mark its 15th anniversary, starting on October 26, 2007 in the Principal Club Theater, Thessaloniki in Greece. It also marked the first time that the film recorded for The Crimson Idol was ever shown in public. This was played along with the band as they performed their tracks in synch with the film. This show marked the only time that the album has ever been played from start to finish by the band since recording the album. The show also featured “Mephisto Waltz” the seventh track from the 1989 album The Headless Children as the intro to the show before playing the first track of The Crimson Idol, “The Titanic Overture”. All shows had a long encore section ranging from 2-6 songs, containing classics and “Take Me Up” from the new album Dominator.
The story:
The story of The Crimson Idol revolves around a teenager named Jonathan. He is the son of William and Elizabeth Steel, and brother of Michael Steel. Michael is the favored son of his parents, but Jonathan is a complete failure in their eyes. He runs away from home after his brother is killed in a car accident, and starts to wander the streets, getting addicted to drugs and alcohol. When he walks past a music store, he sees a guitar and wants to become a rock star, therefore breaking the display window with a bottle of booze and thus his journey into acclaimed excess begins.
He plays the stolen crimson guitar as often as he can, to try to obtain money to record an album. Then he meets a man, “Chainsaw” Charlie, the president of a major record company. He promises to make Jonathan a star, and introduces Jonathan to Alex Rodman, who will become his manager. Jonathan becomes a rock star, but he finds out that life is not as glamorous as it seems. Jonathan has fame and fortune, but not the one thing he always wanted, the love and acceptance of his parents.
One night before a concert, Jonathan calls his parents in an attempt to reconcile their differences and heal the emotional wounds between them. According to the story “less than fifty words were spoken” the last four of which being “we have no son.”
Jonathan realizes that he will never be accepted by his parents and decides to commit suicide. During the aforementioned concert, Jonathan removes the strings from his guitar, shapes them into a noose and hangs himself.
List of characters:
Jonathan Aaron Steel
Jonathans brother, Michael Steel
Elizabeth Steel (Jonathans mother)
William “Red” Steel (Jonathans father)
The Mirror
Chainsaw Charlie
Alex Rodman
The Gypsy
Doctor Rockter
The King of Mercy
All songs written, composed, arranged and produced by Blackie Lawless.
“The Titanic Overture” 3:23
“The Invisible Boy” 4:04
“Arena of Pleasure” 4:06
“Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)” 7:36
“The Gypsy Meets the Boy” 4:08
“Doctor Rockter” 3:43
“I Am One” 4:27
“The Idol” 8:40
“Hold on to My Heart” 4:14
“The Great Misconceptions of Me” 9:29
Band:
Blackie Lawless vocals, lead guitars, rhythm guitars, bass guitar, keyboards
Bob Kulick lead guitar
Frankie Banali drums
Stet Howland drums
Singles:
“Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)”
“The Idol”
“I Am One”
“Hold On To My Heart”
Best W.A.S.P. album
This is by far the most mature release from this band as they display awesome skills never displayed before on a W.A.S.P. album. Gone are the song talking about having a good time as Blackie Lawless tackles important aspects that can affect anybody. The Crimson Idol is a conceptual album that tells the story of a boy named Jonathan in which he is considered the black sheep of his family. In order to prove his father wrong he begins a quest for fame and fortune in the rock n’ roll world only to find out that money isn’t everything and in the end there are things more important that wealth. Now on the music, it reflects very well within the story. Blackie Lawless uses electric and acoustic guitars in order to make an impact to the listener, it works! (at least for me). His voice has improved on this record as he show you a wide range of emotions: anger, happiness, sadness you named it this record has it. Also it should be noted the drummer: Hes amazing as he uses different style from the military to the tribal like. This is how drums should sound on every record and not just metal. Every song is well constructed highlights being Invisible Boy, Chainsaw Charlie, I am One & The Idol.
The bottom line is that you should go and buy this record all the props given to this album by me and other people are well deserved.
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My god!
I’ve recently discovered this album, and was completely blown away. I had written W.A.S.P. off as a hair band that was about nothing more than sex and violence (not that I have a big problem with that), but with that being said this is one of the most intelligent, multi-layered albums I have ever heard. Blackie Lawless oozes pure emotion on this album, more so than anyone else I can think of in the metal genre. His flair for amazing melodies that stick in your head is unprecedented, and your hunger will be so great to hear them all again that you’ll find yourself just pressing repeat on your player and leaving it there for days.
The album is based on a semi-autobiographical story about a troubled youth growing up to become the star he wanted to be, and finding it to be more than he bargained for. Blackie taps into many different moods and still manages to weave all of the tracks together to tell a very mesmerizing and cohesive tale. This may very well be the greatest concept album of all-time. And just in case these words don’t seem to carry any validity to you coming from someone who’s credibility you know nothing about, its up there with both Keeper albums by Helloween, head and shoulders above Mindcrime by Queensryche, and neck and neck with Seventh Son by Maiden…yes that’s right, the granddaddy of all metal, the mighty Iron Maiden.
The original story is the treasure to be found here and should be listened to as a standalone product as it was meant to be in the first place. Buy this now and know true happiness.
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Surprisingly best album i ever heard!!
Look!! I’m a Judas priest fan at heart but I felt compelled to write this to let others know how very impressed i am w/ this record!!
When I was a teen, I liked WASP OK but never a big fan; until now!! The Crimson Idol is THE BEST ALBUM I ever heard, period!!And that includes over Screaming for Vengeance!(hurts to say that, though!)
Can’t get enough of it!! The lyrics are very personal, you can tell, to Blackie and because of this, there is INCREDIBLE feeling in his vocals on each track, almost haunting. The drums and guitar are awesome and it just overall, kicks incredible ass!!
Get it, you won’t be disappointed!!!
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