Customer Reviews

The Best of the Best: 1984-2000, Vol. 1

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As with many "best of" compilations, I take issue with the song choices (which may be there purpose - after all, it pays not to put ALL the good songs from a record on a compilation). Namely, there are one too many cuts from 'The Last Command' (1985) and 'Helldorado' (1999) (why include "Sex Drive" and "Helldorado" on a best of?), not enough cuts from 'Inside the Electric Circus' (1987) or 'The Headless Children' (1989) (where is "I Don't Need No Doctor" or "The Real Me"?), and no cuts whatsoever from 'Still Not Black Enough' (1996) or 'KFD' (1999). A better choice would be to have made volume 1 a best of 1984-1989.

The new cuts are mediocre. Although WASP is known for good interpretations of other band's tunes ("Paint It Black" and "The Real Me" are good examples), their take on Elton John's "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" is so-so.

I recommend starting with the first record, 'WASP' (1984), and decide where you want to go from there. If you want to get into the more serious lyrical material, try (in order) 'The Headless Children' (1989), 'The Crimson Idol' (1992), 'Still Not Black Enough' (1996), and then 'KFD' (1999). If you like the raunchy, humorous stuff, try 'Helldorado' (1999). If you like the more poppish recordings, try 'The Last Command' (1985) and 'Inside the Electric Circus' (1986).

Being a young teenager in the early 1990's, I was able to catch the tail end of a genre that seems to have become taboo in music history. The era of the "hair band." Well, I don't play the "I Hate Hair Band" game and never ever will. WASP is a very heavy yet very melodic genuine Metal band that has some, though few, elements of "Hair" in their music. Here's my synopsis of their "Best of" album.
The very first thing you will detect in the album is the snarling vocals that is very true to my, and my staff at MetalTrinity.com's form of Metal. After that, driving beats and powerful chorus based melodies will get your head banging pretty heavy. All the accentual WASP material is on this great disc and there's even a cover of Saturday Night's Are Right for Fighting. Wonder what that's like?
Imagine Elton Jon in the 1970's, before his Disney diluted music, and add an element of bipolar insanity to it. Great stuff!
This is the kind of Metal that was the way Metal is SUPPOSED to be. It was socially unacceptable and was complained about by ugly female politicians, and there was absolutely no rap influence at all. No Rap [Junk], No Weak Stuff, HEAVY METAL to the bone. You've gotta love it! You've just gotta love it so!

Half of this album is great as WASP can be. Another half is not. I wonder about some track choices... Why two tracks from Helldorado and less from Headless, Still Not... and KFD?

The Elton-cover is okay, but not great. Then we get the great stuff, Animal, first album, second album. Then We only get one track from Electric Circus and down we go from there. Several good tracks and whole albums get dismissed and then we get two mediocre songs from Helldorado. Not good.

Overall, I listen to this album almost daily, but never to the finish. I always change the disc, or start again from track 1, when the album is nearing it's end.

This is a fairly strong retrospective of an extremely talented and aggressive rock band, that unfortunately goes a little too hard in promoting them as aggressive, and unfortunately misses out on some of the bands strongest slower work, such as "Hold on to my Heart", "Forever Free", and "Breathe", 3 of the strongest rock ballads you ever could find. I remember when THE HEADLESS CHILDREN came out, and "Forever Free" came out and blew me away. I was sure it would be a huge hit. I guess I forgot about what a nasty rep can do to a band. Anyways, despite these omissions, this compilation hits most of the high points, including "F--- Like a beast", "Mean Man", "Love Machine", "Blind in Texas", and especially "Wild Child" my favorite WASP song. For those that don't know WASP, this is probably the best place to start. If you don't know, this band sort of resembles Motley Crue with the aggression and volume turned way up. For true metal fans you can't go wrong with this stuff. Buy this one first, but be sure to get THE CRIMSON IDOL (their amazingly sedate concept album), THE HEADLESS CHILDREN, and especially the underrated STILL NOT BLACK ENOUGH (which has no tracks on this compilation unfortunately). WASP rules!

I have loved W.A.S.P. since they came onto the scene in he early 80's. Lots of folks dismissed them as a Crue knockoff, but that was an unfair criticism (most bands WERE Crue knockoffs!). Blackie Lawless has always been a true rocker at heart-NOT a poser or coattail rider. They never achieved arena-headliner status bt I don't thin that was ever their destiny. I personally put W.A.S.P. in a category with Motorhead: a real band that delivers the goods-trends be damned! I have a feeling that Blackie will be around for a long time to come. His musical progression has grown a lot over the years-compare "I Wanna Be Somebody" to "KFD". Thank you, Mr. Lawless, if you're reading this, for your music all these years!

For all wasp fans out there this album brings it all back. From age 16 i've listened to them and still rock on when i play their albums.. contoversy of them being a "perverted band" I still believe they are the Best!!. This album will show their true talent.. The first album Animal got them a gold record!!.. not many bands were able to do that, fortunately blackie made that possible.. from there the rest of the albums were awesome.. buy this one, then get Last Command highly reccomended.. Then get K.F.D . for any wasp fan you cant get enough.

W.A.S.P once again deliver another disc full of "fun" and "entertainment" for the price of admission.Remember those things? This band is very underated in my opinion as this CD will testify.Jammed packed with classic shock rock anthems this CD will give the curious an accurate idea of what this band is all about. I'd bet my bottom dollar that if W.A.S.P had been brave enough to record "Saturday Night" ten years ago it may have been the song to break them open to a wider audience. The material on offer here harks in the most to the supremo period being albums number one "W.A.S.P", and disc two "The Last Command" which should be your next purchase once you've absorbed the trax available here. THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE and THOROUGHLY RECOMMENDED!

W.A.S.P. are one of the 1980s most outrageous Metal acts combining shock rock tactics with Arena Rock and Glam Metal,but giving there music a meaner edge before morphing into a surprisingly progressive act by the end of the decade.

The band is a metal essential,but is not very well represented on this compilation,which passes up several decent tracks in favor of songs of mediocre quality.

The first track is a pointless cover of Elton John's "Saturday Night's alright for Fightin",which is totally uneccesary,especially considering the band's covers of "I Don't Need No Doctor" and "Easy Livin" were far superior.

It's great to see there controversial single,"Animal(**** like a beast)",which is not included on there debut and is a Metal essential.

The debut album is represented well by classics like "I Wanna Be Somebody","Love Machine" and "On Your Knees",which all are great classic cockrock songs.

Still,it's strange to not see the excellent ballad,"Sleeping in the Fire" not present.

There second release,"The Last Command" is represented by the two hits(Blind in Texas and Wild Child,as well as Sex Drive) and a good B-side in "Show No Mercy",but fan favorites like "Ballcrusher","Jack Action" and the title track are missing.

Inside the Electric Circus only has one track,the admittebly essential,"95-Nasty",but there could have been at least another track to better represent that album.

The excellent,"The Headless Children" IS respresnted by the fan favorite in "Mean Man",but the track is hardly typical of that album which was more progressive and expansive and first time listeners may not realize it by the track chosen.

Than there first concept record is highlighted by that album's classic,"Chainsaw Charlie" and that was a smart move since that track acts as a nice bridge between there present and past and is one of the band's greatest.

The rest of the tracks are the expendable,"Unreal" and two forgettable tracks from the lame,"Helldorado" which are the title track and "Dirty Balls".

If you really want to learn about this band,or re-discover there form of metal,than acquire there first two albums and "The Headless Children".You could even get the very good live album,"Live in the Raw",which is a good example of there early 80s era.

Only diehards and beginners will enjoy this comp.

Get it for the B-sides if you must get it,otherwise get the classic albums.