Editing W.A.S.P. (band) (section)

===Mainstream success (1986–1989)===
With the lineup changes made, they recorded their third album, titled ''[[Inside the Electric Circus]]''.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> It was released in October 1986,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> and a near year-long world tour in support of the album followed, including supporting [[Iron Maiden]] on their [[Somewhere on Tour|''Somewhere in Time'' tour]] in Europe,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=tour06_sit/tour06_sit&lang=eng&link=tours|title=The Iron Maiden Commentary - Tours - Somewhere On Tour 1986-87 - Dates and Venues|website=ironmaidencommentary.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> and a headlining North American tour with [[Slayer]], [[Raven (British band)|Raven]] and [[Saxon (band)|Saxon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metallipromo.com/slay.html|title=Slayer|website=metallipromo.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> ''Inside the Electric Circus'' received a mixed reaction from the music press: it was considered a big hit with W.A.S.P. fans, while critics, on the other hand, dismissed it as "7th-grader rock".{{Citation needed|date=May 2007}} Songs like "Shoot From The Hip" and the minor hit single "95-N.A.S.T.Y." helped the band live up to the reputation of one of the possible meanings of their band name, "We Are Sexual Perverts". However, Blackie Lawless himself, known to be a harsh critic of his own work, cited in the album's re-release liner notes that ''Inside the Electric Circus'' was "[a] tired record by a tired band." Ultimately it was an unfavorable critical review of the single "95-N.A.S.T.Y." that convinced Lawless to take some time off and reconsider the band's creative direction.

In 1987, W.A.S.P. had their song "Scream Until You Like It" included on the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Ghoulies 2]]''. The same year, a few dates during the ''Inside the Electric Circus'' tour were recorded and on November 27, 1987, the [[Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center|Long Beach Arena]] concert was released as the ''[[Live... in the Raw]]'' album.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> By this time, Riley had left W.A.S.P. to join [[L.A. Guns]], and was replaced by local drummer Chad Nelson.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Then-eighteen-year-old Glenn Soderling, who had recorded an album in 1983 with the band [[Pandemonium (band)|Pandemonium]], then joined the band,<ref name="orkut.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs?tid=5540187123813278051&cmm=424191&hl=pt-BR |title=orkut |publisher=orkut |access-date=April 24, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501025524/http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs?tid=5540187123813278051&cmm=424191&hl=pt-BR |archive-date=May 1, 2012 }}</ref> but did not play any shows due to Holmes' illness.<ref name="orkut.com"/> Soderling left during rehearsals<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://glennsoderling.com/|title=Glenn Soderling|website=glennsoderling.com|access-date=January 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126015603/http://glennsoderling.com/|archive-date=January 26, 2018}}</ref> and was replaced by Kelly Martella for their [[Donington Park|Donington]] appearance and a ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' performance of "Scream Until You Like It" on the [[BBC]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/e1db8d639798e33f47b1efacbbcf0fc7/l.jpg |title=Monsters of Rock Festival |publisher=A3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com |access-date=April 24, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140425083600/http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/e1db8d639798e33f47b1efacbbcf0fc7/l.jpg |archive-date=April 25, 2014 }}</ref> Martella went on to join the band Silent Rage in 1988. Soderling later surfaced under the name "Tripp Holland" in the band Engines of Aggression<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ovguide.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709135927/http://www.ovguide.com/glenn-soderling-9202a8c04000641f80000000174e756e%23|url-status=dead|title=OVGuide &#124; Online Video Guide|archive-date=July 9, 2017|website=Ovguide.com}}</ref> with former [[Tomorrow's Child]] members [[Rik Schaffer]] and Craig Dollinger,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Engines_Of_Aggression-l-en.html|title=Engines Of Aggression - discography, line-up, biography, interviews, photos|website=Spirit-of-metal.com|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807024453/http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Engines_Of_Aggression-l-en.html|archive-date=August 7, 2017}}</ref> and is currently making music for TV shows as staff writer with Supersonic Noise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_1272876/bio|title=Tripp Holland - Rock from Seattle - Los Angeles - Ny, NY|last=eMinor|website=ReverbNation|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611044546/https://www.reverbnation.com/artist_1272876/bio|archive-date=June 11, 2016}}</ref>

W.A.S.P.'s fourth studio album, ''[[The Headless Children]]'', was released in April 1989, and was their first album without any overtly sexually explicit songs.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The album reached the band's highest chart position with No. 48<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/277767/wasp/chart?sort=position&f=305|title=W.A.S.P. - Chart history - Billboard|website=Billboard.com|access-date=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314074747/http://www.billboard.com/artist/277767/wasp/chart?sort=position&f=305|archive-date=March 14, 2016}}</ref> on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] before falling off the charts in 13 weeks. However, it was W.A.S.P.'s most critically acclaimed work up to that point and, according to a recent Lawless interview,{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} it is now the highest-selling W.A.S.P. album to date. The drumming duties for the album were handled by former [[Quiet Riot]] drummer [[Frankie Banali]].<ref name="LarkinHR"/> It features two of the band's most highly acclaimed songs, the [[power ballad]] "Forever Free" and a cover of [[The Who]]'s "[[The Real Me (The Who song)|The Real Me]]". W.A.S.P. went on tour in the United States with [[Accept (band)|Accept]] and [[Metal Church]] to support ''The Headless Children'', playing at smaller venues such as clubs and theaters, as opposed to the arenas and stadiums that had propelled the band into success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metallipromo.com/mchurch.html|title=Metal Church|website=metallipromo.com|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>