The above image of W.A.S.P., courtesy of USA Today, who dropped the ball reporting on Tony Richards death.
METAL SLUDGE / November 14th 2026 – The USA Today and their respective entertainment section have just garnered an F- from the heavy metal and rock world with their recent epic failure.
In short… the USA Today published an article (which as of this posting is still on their server) sharing the news of the passing of classic W.A.S.P. drummer Tony Richards, but inadvertently used a photo of guitarist Randy Piper instead.
The National newspaper publication which was founded the same year W.A.S.P. was (1982) have shared the sad news on November 13th and dropped the ball more than once.
Aside from highlighting a photo of Piper as Richards, the group image they used did not include Richards either… but oddly did include the late Steve Riley.
The article written by Anthony Robledo also shared a group image of W.A.S.P. but the problem here is that this photo does not include Richards either.
The group photo features the band’s frontman Blackie Lawless, along with both original guitarists Chris Holmes and Randy Piper, and drummer Riley who ironically replaced Richards in 1984 shortly after the band’s debut album was released.
In that same W.A.S.P. group photo, they also mislabeled Riley as Piper. (see image below)
Sadly, Steve Riley did pass away back in October of 2023, but guitarist Randy Piper is very much still alive.
In the article, the solo image of Randy Piper appears with the following caption: “Portrait of American heavy metal musician Tony Richards of WASP posing backstage at the Riviera Theater in Chicago on Jan. 19, 1986. Paul Natkin / Getty Images.”
Metal Sludge reported on Richards passing earlier in the week in our article: “RIP … Ex-W.A.S.P. drummer Tony Richards Dead at 69”
Richards was part of the original W.A.S.P. lineup from 1982 through his departure in late 1984 soon after the band released their ‘self-titled’ debut album “W.A.S.P.”
Metal Sludge have shared a classic image of Tony Richards (see below) during his time in W.A.S.P. and once again send condolences too his family and friends.
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