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Original W.A.S.P. drummer Tony Richards has died of undisclosed causes at 69.
The glam metal hit-makers’ mainstay singer/guitarist Blackie Lawless broke the news via social media on Thursday, remembering Richards for his striking look and ability behind the kit.
The drummer was only part of W.A.S.P. for two years, but played on the Los Angeles band’s 1984 self-titled debut album, which has since been certified Gold in the US, Canada and Japan. The album spawned the single I Wanna Be Somebody, which charted in Finland, New Zealand and the UK and is one of the band’s most-played songs live.
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“The entire W.A.S.P. camp are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our original drummer, Tony Richards,” Lawless writes on W.A.S.P.’s socials. “When the band was first started we were four extremely strong personalities. Tony was absolutely equal to any of the others that were in the band.
“His personality was infectious. He looked fantastic in photos. But his ability to play made him really who he was. To watch him play riveted you no matter where you were in the room. When he was gone from the band we were wounded in a way that we never really quite recovered from. He was equally a part of that first album and when that record is heard to this day his personal stamp will forever be a part of the totality of that recording.
“He will forever be missed. We in the W.A.S.P. camp would like to wish his family our deepest condolences.”
W.A.S.P co-founder and ex-guitarist Chris Holmes has also paid tribute, writing on Instagram: “Goodbye Tony. My friend and one of the nicest fella[s] you could know!!”
Born on June 19, 1957, Richards was already a sought-after drummer when he joined a fledgling W.A.S.P. in 1982, having previously been part of L.A. band Dante Fox (who later rebranded as multi-Platinum-selling rockers Great White). He parted ways with W.A.S.P. at the beginning of their 1984–85 tour cycle and was replaced by Steve Riley.
In 2022, Lawless spoke to Blabbermouth about his regret in losing Richards from W.A.S.P.’s lineup: “Tony was one of those five-point guys. He looked great, looked great in photos, and performed great. [He] could sing his ass off and perform his butt off. When we lost him, we were mortally wounded, and we knew it.”
