The Crimson Idol

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The Crimson Idol
Studio album by W.A.S.P.
Released	1992
Recorded	Forth Apache Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	58:05
Label	Capitol Records
Producer(s)	Blackie Lawless
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
W.A.S.P. chronology
The Headless Children (1989)	The Crimson Idol (1992)	First Blood Last Cuts (1994)

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 called Jonathan.

The album was originally recorded as a Blackie Lawless solo album, but he bowed to record company pressure to release it under the W.A.S.P. moniker.

Contents 1 The story 2 List of characters 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 4.1 Band 4.2 Other credits 5 Singles 6 Re-release 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] The story

The story of The Crimson Idol revolves around a teenager named Jonathon. He is the son of William and Elizabeth Steel, and brother of Michael Steel. Michael is the favorite son who can do no wrong. Jonathon on the other hand, 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.

He purchases the guitar and plays 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 Jonathon a star, and introduces Jonathon to Alex Rodman, who will become his manager. Jonathon becomes a rock star, but he finds out that life is not as glamourous as it seems. Jonathon has fame and fortune, but not the one thing he always wanted, the love and acceptance of his parents.

One night before a concert, Jonathon 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 of which being "we have no son."

Jonathon realizes that he will never be accepted by his parents and decides to commit suicide. During the aforementioned concert, Jonathon removes the strings from his guitar, shapes them into a noose and hangs himself.

[edit] List of characters

• Jonathon Aaron Steel
• Jonathon's brother
• Elizabeth Steel (Jonathan's mother)
• William Steel (Jonathan's father)
• The Mirror
• Chainsaw Charlie
• Alex Rodman
• The Gypsy
• Doctor Rockter
• The King of Mercy

[edit] Track listing

1. "The Titanic Overture" (Blackie Lawless) – 3:23
2. "The Invisible Boy" (Lawless) – 4:04
3. "Arena of Pleasure" (Lawless) – 4:06
4. "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)" (Lawless) – 7:36
5. "The Gypsy Meets the Boy" (Lawless) – 4:08
6. "Doctor Rockter" (Lawless) – 3:43
7. "I Am One" (Lawless) – 4:27
8. "The Idol" (Lawless) – 5:20
9. "Hold on to my Heart" (Lawless) – 4:14
10. "The Great Misconceptions of Me" (Lawless) – 9:29

• All songs written, composed, arranged and produced by Blackie Lawless

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Band

• Blackie Lawless – vocals, lead guitars, rhythm guitars, bass guitar, keyboards
• Bob Kulick – lead guitar
• Frankie Banali – drums
• Stet Howland – drums

[edit] Other credits

• Produced by Blackie Lawless
• Engineered and mixed by Mikey Davis at Forth Apache Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA
• Arranged by Blackie Lawless
• Assistant engineer: Ross Robinson
• Mastering by Ian Cooper
• Design and art direction by Kosh Brooks Design
• Photography by Gene Kirkland

[edit] Singles

• "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)"
• "The Idol"
• "I Am One"
• "Hold on to my Heart"

[edit] Re-release

The album was re-released by Zomba Records in 1998. The re-release featured one extra track called "The Story of Jonathan (The Prologue to the Crimson Idol)" and a bonus disc with b-sides, including 3 non-album tracks and several live songs.

Bonus disc

1. "Phantoms in the Mirror"
2. "The Eulogy"
3. "When the Levee Breaks" (Led Zeppelin cover)
4. "The Idol" (Live acoustic)
5. "Hold on to my Heart" (Live acoustic)
6. "I Am One" (Live at Donington 1992)
7. "Wild Child" (Live at Donington 1992)
8. "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)" (Live at Donington 1992)
9. "I Wanna Be Somebody" (Live at Donington 1992)
10. "The Invisible Boy" (Live at Donington 1992)
11. "The Real Me" (Live at Donington 1992)
12. "The Great Misconceptions of Me" (Live at Donington 1992)

[edit] See also

• W.A.S.P.

[edit] External links

• http://www.waspnation.com/crimson.html
• http://www.thecrimsonidol.com/