W.A.S.P. - 1984 - I Wanna Be Somebody - I Wanna Be Somebody

You say you don't wanna run and hide

A face that no-one knows

And everyone ya meet, you're gonna show

You're nobody's slave, nobody's chains are holdin' you

You hold your fist up high

And rule the zoo

Oh, you just got to be

Up high where the whole world's watchin me

Cos I, I got the guts to be somebody ...to cry out

I Wanna Be Somebody, Be somebody soon

I Wanna Be Somebody Be somebody too

You say you don't wanna starve

Or take the table crumbs that fall

You don't wanna beg or plead at all

You don't want no nine to five

Your fingers to the bone

You don't want the rock piles' bloody stones

Oh, you just got to be

Up high where the whole world's watchin me

Cos I, I got the guts to be somebody ...to cry out

I Wanna Be Somebody, Be somebody soon

I Wanna Be Somebody Be somebody too

I want shiny cars and dirty money

Lots of rock and roll

I will live in fame and die in flames

I'm never gettin' old

I Wanna Be Somebody, Be somebody soon

I Wanna Be Somebody Be somebody too

I'm gonna be somebody, I'm gonna be somebody

Early metal & hard rock from Missouri, Active in the latter half of the 70s.
Comprising Nick Christopher (vocals), Steve Myers (guitar), Tim McCorkle (bass) and Louis McCorkle (drums), US rock band Granmax were powerfully animated by rhythm siblings, the McCorkle brothers. Otherwise there was little immediately distinctive about their two late 70s albums for Panama Records, though some claim their style to be antecedent to much of the late 70s west coast hard rock sound. Certainly there are elements of innovation at play on both A Ninth Alive and Kiss Heaven Goodbye.

On the tour that followed the first album, the band wore white costumes with their logo printed in black, all presented with laser-dominated lighting that made them appear to be suspended in mid-air. In 1978, after signing with Panama Records and adding in the line-up a lead vocalist (Nick Christopher), Granmax recorded "Kiss Heaven Goodbye," an album featuring a more prominent rhythm section, which gave the songs much more power, pushing the sound and style in a direction that anticipated the American heavy metal of the 1980s. The album received critical acclaim. The band disbanded following the closure of Panama Records.

As I watched Lamb Of God tear through "Now You've Got Something to Die For" during their headlining set at Zakk Wylde's Berzerkus Festival at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island this past Saturday (Aug. 29), it dawned on me - "Holy Crap, 'Ashes of the Wake' turns 22 years old on Aug. 30..." I also had a "holy crap" moment when I remembered that this summer marks 20 years since I saw LOG live for the first time (the Unholy Alliance Tour with Slayer in Camden, NJ). It's insane to think how powerful and fresh LOG still sound even after more than two decades - and as he proved that night at Jones Beach Theater, Randy Blythe is still a for to be reckoned with onstage.

Watch Lamb Of God playing the aforementioned song in this clip. Also watch highlights from the entire day at Berzerkus Festival (which also included sets from Black Label Society, Down, Suicidal Tendencies, and Zakk Sabbath) here:

https://youtu.be/nNhDL_hYj_0?si=csdsgvSiEkdSjELp

And stay tuned for more things to come from this space, including stories from concerts like this!

Suicidal Tendencies onstage is always a chaotic fun time. But seeing Mike "Cyco Miko" Muir and co play Zakk Wylde's Berzerkus Festival at Jones Beach Theater this weekend (Aug. 29, 2026) was the first time I saw them with Ben Weinman in the band. And hands down, the Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist amps up the chaos on stage with Suicidal Tendencies. Case it point, watch this clip from their set in Long Island, NY (also featuring Cyco Miko singing in the crowd and Tye Trujillo - son of Robert Trujillo who's also a hell of a bassist and doing his dad proud in his former band).

Fun story: at one point, Cyco Miko notices a young fan in the front (couldn't have been older than six). He reaches out and invites the young fan to join him on stage. Right as he gets passed to Mike and about to land onstage, the youngster gets stage fright and reaches back for his dad in the crowd. Mike laughed at the sweet moment (I even cracked the joke that he made the right call 😆), and then handed him one of his sweat bands. Definitely the tender moment of the day!

Also watch more highlights from Berzerkus Festival (which included sets from Lamb Of God, Black Label Society, Down and Zakk Sabbath):

https://youtu.be/nNhDL_hYj_0?si=2pf-0asSsr0P--3t

Stay tuned for more things to come from this space, including stories from concerts like this!