Blackie Lawless facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blackie Lawless
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Lawless performing in 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steven Edward Duren |
| Born | September 4, 1956 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Heavy metal, Christian metal, shock rock, glam metal, hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1975–present |
Steven Edward Duren (born September 4, 1956), known as Blackie Lawless, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is most famous as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band W.A.S.P.. He was originally the band's bassist.
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Early life
Steven Duren was born in Tampa, Florida. He grew up in Staten Island, New York City. He had a Christian upbringing and was very involved in church as a child.
In his teenage years, Duren explored different ideas for a short time. He sometimes used these themes in his music. However, in recent years, he has returned to his Christian faith.
Blackie Lawless is the nephew of Major League Baseball pitcher Ryne Duren. Lawless thought about becoming a professional baseball player. But he chose music instead. He says his older brother helped him learn to play the guitar.
Music career
Lawless started his music career playing in bands like Black Rabbit and Orfax Rainbow. In 1975, he joined the glam rock band New York Dolls as a guitarist for a short tour.
After that tour, he moved to California. He helped start a band called Killer Kane. At this time, he used the stage name "Blackie Goozeman." A year later, he formed a new band called Sister in 1976. Randy Piper, who would later join W.A.S.P., was also in Sister. Later, Nikki Sixx (from Mötley Crüe) and Chris Holmes also played in Sister.
In 1979, Lawless formed another band called Circus Circus, again with Randy Piper. In 1981, Lawless joined the band London. He played a few shows and recorded some demo songs with them.
In 1982, Blackie Lawless formed the band W.A.S.P. He switched from guitar to bass for a while. The band's first lineup included Randy Piper, Chris Holmes on lead guitar, and Tony Richards on drums.
W.A.S.P.
W.A.S.P. has had many different band members over the years. Blackie Lawless is the only original member left. He writes most of the band's songs. Many of his songs talk about faith or big world events, influenced by his Christian background. Lawless has said in recent interviews that he has returned to his Christian faith.
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Lawless says he was inspired by bands like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, the Beatles, Kiss, and Alice Cooper. His stage shows are also influenced by Alice Cooper and Kiss. He often imitates their performances.
In the mid-1980s, W.A.S.P. faced some challenges. Their music was very strong and sometimes controversial. Blackie Lawless spoke out to defend heavy metal music during this time.
Despite these challenges, the band became very successful from 1985 to 1988. They had several popular songs, including "L.O.V.E. Machine," "I Wanna Be Somebody," and "Wild Child." In 2022, Lawless mentioned that the band uses pre-recorded music during their live shows.
In an interview from 1989, Blackie Lawless said he once wanted to become a senator.
See also
In Spanish: Blackie Lawless para niños
