Watch W.A.S.P. play Animal for the first time in 16 years at Las Vegas show

Blackie Lawless live on stage in 2022 — (Image credit: Medios y Media/Getty Images)

Los Angeles heavy metal veterans W.A.S.P. recently dusted off a classic track that many fans believed they'd never hear live again - not least because frontman Blackie Lawless swore off ever playing it again way back in 2009.

Animal (Fuck Like A Beast) was W.A.S.P.'s first single and originally intended for release on their 1984 self-titled debut album, but wasn't included at the last minute as the band's label feared it might see the record blacklisted thanks to Animal's provocative title and lyrics. In fact, the song would famously become hand-picked by the P.M.R.C. for their 'Filthy Fifteen' list, ensuring Animal's place in history as one of heavy metal's most controversial songs of the 80s.

Despite all that (or, indeed, perhaps because of all that), the track remained a firm fan favourite and was a staple of W.A.S.P.'s live shows for decades. That is, until Lawless surprisingly decided to ditch it from the band's sets for good in the late 00s due to Lawless re-embracing his religious beliefs.

The song hasn't been seen in a W.A.S.P. set for over 16 years, but two weeks ago (October 28), Lawless et al surprised delighted fans at a show at Las Vegas' House Of Blues by bringing it back. After finishing a first encore with another W.A.S.P. classic, Blind In Texas, the band teased Animal's return by airing a video referencing the P.M.R.C., before officially announcing the song and playing a (slightly abridged) version of the track for the first time since since a show in Chicago in March 2006. The song has, amazingly, remained in W.A.S.P.'s sets since.

Watch the historic return of Animal (Fuck Like A Beast) below.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.