Tony Richards 1957 – 2026
Musicians
Celebrities, Musicians, Musicians and Composers
Biography
Tony Richards was an American drummer best known as the original drummer of the heavy metal band W.A.S.P., whose playing powered the group’s early sound. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 19, 1957, he moved to Los Angeles in 1980 and played in Dante Fox, the group that later became Great White, before joining W.A.S.P. in 1982. He played on the band’s self-titled debut album in 1984 and on the single “Animal (F**K Like a Beast),” the song later targeted in the PMRC hearings. Band leader Blackie Lawless announced his death in November 2026, saying the W.A.S.P. camp was deeply saddened by the passing of its original drummer. Richards was 69, the third former W.A.S.P. drummer to die this decade.
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