Gwar
(usually typeset as GWAR
) is an American thrash metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1985. The band is best known for their elaborate sci-fi/horror film inspired costumes; raunchy, obscene lyrics; and graphic stage performances, which consist of humorous re-enactments of political and moral taboo themes.
|
GWAR TICKETS
|
Musical style
Originally, the group's musical style was largely influenced by
punk rock and the band composed short, simple songs, which would evolve over the years into heavily
hardcore-influenced
crossover thrash, with Gwar's musical experimentation becoming present in
Scumdogs of the Universe
,
America Must Be Destroyed
and
This Toilet Earth
. Later, this experimental sound would partially eclipse their heavy metal style and Gwar would become a chaotic blend of genres that would be most noticeable on
Ragnarok
and
Carnival of Chaos
(the latter showcasing the most variety in musical styles of any point in Gwar's career). 1999's
We Kill Everything
would present an unusual sound, but based largely on Gwar's
Hell-O
era sound, resulting in an album that the band dismisses as their worst. Indeed, the band's rejection of
We Kill Everything
would drive them to return to their
thrash metal sound with
Violence Has Arrived
, which would later evolve into a more technical form of thrash, present in
War Party
and
Beyond Hell
.
Stage Performance
The band's characteristic costumes are generally made of foam latex,
styrofoam, and hardened rubber. The costumes cover very little, with the rest of their bodies accentuated with makeup. They further their production in concert by spraying their audiences with fluids. Most of the fluids are made of water and powdered food coloring which, for the most part, flakes off or washes out easily. The thicker fluids are made from a clear
seaweed extract called
carrageenan which is also used in ice cream and milkshakes.
[1] Gwar does not use syrups or stage blood because they dry solid and can damage the band's costumes.
[2] In concert, Gwar has been known occasionally to perform their
encore without costumes.
Another trademark of Gwar's live show is their lampooning of celebrities and figures in current events. Targets of Gwar's humor have included
O. J. Simpson,
John Kerry,
Mike Tyson,
George W. Bush (as well as every other President since
Ronald Reagan),
Jerry Garcia,
Osama Bin Laden,
Michael Jackson,
Steve Wilkos,
Al Gore,
John McCain,
Hillary Clinton,
Barack Obama,
Paris Hilton,
Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Adolf Hitler,
Bernard Madoff,
Jerry Springer, and many others. The band also makes frequent references to political and historical figures,
fantasy literature, and
mythology. For instance, the song "Whargoul" makes reference to
Minas Morgul as well as the eternal warrior of
Michael Moorcock. Gwar also has many references to
H. P. Lovecraft themes (Antarctica, Yig, Giant Penguins, Fleshy Insanities, etc.). In addition, the title of their fifth album
Ragnarok
comes from
Norse mythology. They were nominated for two Grammys, one for Best Metal Performance "
S.F.W." and one for Best Long Form Music Video "
Phallus in Wonderland". The band also performed
fire dancing until the character "
Slymenstra Hymen" left the band.
Biography
1984–1989
Gwar was the result of two separate projects that eventually combined into one.
Dave Brockie was the vocalist for a punk band named
Death Piggy that often staged mini-plays and used crude props to punctuate their often ridiculous music. Death Piggy would occasionally practice in a room at the Richmond Dairy, a deserted
bottling plant that had been taken over by
hippies. The hippies would rent out interior areas to various artists and musicians. It was at the Richmond Dairy that
Death Piggy met
Hunter Jackson and
Chuck Varga, both attendees of
Virginia Commonwealth University who had set up "
The Slave Pit", a production space for
Scumdogs of the Universe
, a movie they intended to make.
[3] Jackson would create props for Death Piggy to use on stage. On occasion, Death Piggy would wear costumes Jackson and Varga had created for their movie in order to open up for themselves under the name "GWAARGGGH
|!", eventually shortened to Gwar. Gwar would end up eclipsing and later absorbing Death Piggy.
180px character - live at Reds,
Edmonton
The first known line-up for Gwar consisted of Ben Eubank (vocals),
Dave Brockie (guitar), Steve Douglas (guitar), Chris Bopst (bass guitar), Sean Sumner (Drums) and
Hunter Jackson. However, this line-up would be short lived and suffer multiple changes in the following months, with Ben Eubanks quitting after just one or two shows and being replaced by Joe Annaruma, who would also quit and be replaced by guitarist
Dave Brockie as the band's vocalist (See
line-up for more information). The band eventually somewhat solidified into a line-up consisting of
Hunter Jackson, Don Drakulich (Alias
Sleazy P. Martini), Chuck Varga, Mike Delaney, Mike Bonner, Scott Krahl, Dave Musel and Dave Brockie (Alias
Oderus Urungus, no longer Gwar's guitarist, but permanent vocalist), with Heather Broome (
The Temptress) joining later that year and Colette Miller (
GWAR Woman) joining in 1986. Heather Broome would quit in 1986 and Mike Delaney retired in 1987. Dewey Rowell (
Flattus Maximus), Michael Bishop (
Beefcake the Mighty) and Rob Mosby (
Nippleus Erectus) would be recruited in 1987 along with Steve Douglas (
Balsac the Jaws of Death) who rejoined the band after having left early in its history. Lisa Harrelson would become the new "
GWAR woman" after Colette Miller left sometime that year. It was this line-up with which the band's debut,
Hell-O
, a crossover
heavy metal/
punk rock album, was released in 1988 under
Shimmy Disc Records; the original production was very poor, and it is believed that the album was recorded in just one weekend.
The band would start touring in support of the album, with Steve Douglas leaving that same year, later to form the alternative band Log, and being replaced by current rhythm guitarist,
Michael Derks, who took over Douglas' alias as Balsac the Jaws of Death.
However, the band's line-up would undergo further changes before 1990, with Rob Mosby leaving in 1989 and being replaced by Pete Luchter, who would also quit to be replaced temporarily by Jim Thompson, who had been in the band prior to the release of
Hell-O
. Thompson however, would also quit and be finally replaced by the current Gwar drummer, Brad Roberts, alias
Jizmak Da Gusha.
1990–1994
With Gwar's line-up somewhat solidified, the band would set up to record
Scumdogs of the Universe
. The album met a moderately large mainstream success and would mark the start of a career under the
Metal Blade Records record label. The band would tour extensively in support for this album, releasing the
Live from Antarctica
VHS tape in July, 1990, containing, amongst other things, the band's first music video for the song
Sick of You
.
In August 1990, Michael Derks had a daughter, dubbed Smalsac by MTV. He took a short break from the band to care for her. Meanwhile, the remaining members of Gwar went on to appear on the
Jerry Springer Show and in the movie
Mystery Date.
Scumdogs of the Universe
was originally released through the U.K. label Master before being picked up by Metal Blade in 1991. In the group's hunt for a larger label, they auditioned for
Relativity Records, one of the bigger indie metal labels. The group killed their audition when they showed up in costume and
Danielle Stampe let loose a blood capsule from her
codpiece onto one of the office chairs, simulating menstruation.
The band suffered further line-up changes during this period, with Dewey Rowell leaving the band in 1991 and not being replaced until 1992 by Pete Lee, after the recording of
America Must Be Destroyed
.
However, this success would not be met without controversy. During this period, Gwar was banned in
North Carolina because Brockie was wearing his "Cuttlefish of Cthulhu" prosthetic penis, which led to his arrest; this incident was the inspiration for Gwar's third album,
America Must Be Destroyed
, released in 1992. The album was accompanied by the movie
Phallus in Wonderland
, which documented the main concept and contained music videos for the album. This movie would be nominated for a
Grammy Award in 1993, the year during which Mike Bishop would also leave the band, after the recording of
This Toilet Earth
, being replaced by Casey Orr, from the band
Rigor Mortis.
This Toilet Earth
was released on 1994, meeting moderate success and with the videos for Saddam a Go-Go and their most popular song, "The Road Behind" being aired on
Beavis and Butt-head; however, this would also mark the beginning of the band straying from their trademark sound, as the album contained heavily experimental songs instead of the more focused heavy metal of the previous two albums.
1995–2000
Through the last few years, Gwar had managed to build a cult fanbase. However, their mainstream success would start to slowly wane; this, accompanied by multiple line-up changes, would cause the band to fade into the underground. Gwar would then enter a period that was considered a "low point" by members of the band (especially
Dave Brockie), and would start experimenting with obscure genres of music even more than before.
It was under these circumstances that they would release
Ragnarok
in 1995, an album characterized by a unique sound, including the use of
keyboards, something largely unseen before by the band, as well as a much larger use of secondary vocalists. The record is considered to have been largely unnoticed after the success of the last three albums. Despite this, the band would record two videos for the album, "Surf of Syn" and "Meat Sandwich" as well as release
Rendezvous with RagNaRok
to support the album's plot through footage from the supporting tour.
The band's first side project,
X-Cops, would also come to life after the Ragnarok tour, releasing their only full length album,
You Have the Right to Remain Silent...
, the same year.
The band's next record would come out in 1997 under the name
Carnival of Chaos
, proving to be the epitome of this experimental period containing songs from many different genres, including the classic
Heavy Metal, but also
hard rock,
country, and even
jazz.
Carnival of Chaos would be the last album with Pete Lee on guitar, being replaced by Tim Harriss who had previously been in the band around 1986 and was featured as a guest guitarist on
America Must Be Destroyed
. For the recording of
We Kill Everything
between late 1998 and early 1999,
Michael Bishop would temporarily rejoin the band as the bassist during the absence of Casey Orr. The record, largely influenced by
punk rock, is the band's least favorite album and thus its songs are rarely played live.
Following this, co-founder
Hunter Jackson left the group in 2000 to focus on personal projects.
Danielle Stampe left the band to focus on a personal project named
Girly Freakshow
; however, she rejoined the band temporarily for the Bitch Is Back tour in 2002.
2001–2005
thumb
Due to the band's distaste for the previous album, Gwar's sound changed considerably for the next recording. With Tim Harriss gone, Zach Blair was hired to fill his spot as
Flattus Maximus, Casey Orr also having returned to the band as
Beefcake the Mighty for the recording of the band's first entirely
thrash metal album in years:
Violence Has Arrived
, released on November 6, 2001, the album being seen as a "comeback" of sorts and setting off changes that resulted in the current state of the band.
Violence Has Arrived
was, however, the band's last album on
Metal Blade Records, with the band leaving the label soon after the recording and releasing of it.
In 2002 Zach Blair left Gwar to form the power-pop band Armstrong along with drummer Brad Roberts to release a single album titled
Dick the Lionhearted
.
As the band focused on a heavier, more brutal sound near the end of this period, it would also result in the creation of another side project, the
Dave Brockie Experience, a band created by frontman
Dave Brockie along with rhythm guitarist
Mike Derks and drummer
Brad Roberts as a way of continuing the comedic sound found on albums like
We Kill Everything
while maintaining a more serious focus in releases by Gwar. They released their first LP in March 20, 2001,
Diarrhea of a Madman
.
This was not the end of Gwar's new focus on heavy sound, as was proven with the release of
Violence Has Arrived
by their most successful album in several years,
War Party
in 2004 on their new record label,
DRT Entertainment. The album met with a large underground success, as it followed the same path
Violence Has Arrived
did, but this time with a more serious and technical edge, partially thanks to the efforts of new lead guitarist Cory Smoot (
Flattus Maximus) and bass guitarist Todd Evans (
Beefcake the Mighty). Videos were released for "Bring Back the Bomb" and "War Party," and the band was invited to play on the
Sounds of the Underground tour in 2005. That same year the band released
Live from Mt. Fuji
, the band's first live album besides the then-extremely rare
You're All Worthless and Weak
, released in 2000 (and re-released in 2006) on
Slave Pit Records.
2006 - Present and 25th Anniversary
Gwar started working on their new album (Then tentatively titled
Go to Hell!
) in January 2006. The same month, Gwar also opened a gallery show called at
Art Space gallery in Richmond to display the many props, costumes, cartoons, paintings produced by The Slave Pit, Gwar's art and effects studio.
On
February 23,
2006, Gwar's official website, Gwar's official Japanese website (www.Gwarjapan.net) and Oderus Urungus' official homepage announced Gwar's latest album,
Beyond Hell
, for which, at the urging of
DRT Entertainment, a cover version of
Alice Cooper's "
School's Out" was recorded and released.
[4] The music video, was directed by on July 2, 2006. The part of the "school marm" has been mistakenly identified as Devin Townsend, the producer of the "Beyond Hell" CD. It is actually Scott Krahl, a long-time Gwar "slave" and inventor of Gor-Gor. "School's Out" was nominated for Best Video of 2006 on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball.
The
Blood Bath and Beyond
DVD was released in June 20, 2006, containing exclusive behind the scenes and vintage footage of the band.
Gwar performed a special "half-time" show at the
Sounds Of The Underground 2006 Tour along with headliners
As I Lay Dying,
Trivium,
Behemoth,
Cannibal Corpse,
The Chariot,
The Black Dahlia Murder,
Terror,
Killswitch Engage,
Through the Eyes of the Dead,
In Flames,
HORSE the band,
Unearth,
It Dies Today,
Job for a Cowboy,
3 Inches of Blood,
Shadows Fall,
This Is Hell,
Ringworm,
Converge,
Machine Head, and
Still Remains.
Gwar went on to Headline the following year's The Sounds of the Underground Tour in 2007.
The entire Gwar concept seems to be gaining acceptance elsewhere, judging by the success of
Lordi, a
Finnish hard rock band, which won the 51
st Eurovision Song Contest 2006, in
Athens, Greece, on May 20, 2006. Lordi's costumes are similar to Gwar's, though the music style, message (Gwar being far more political), and attitude are different and Lordi states their influences are from KISS, Alice Cooper and horror movies. Gwar have been executing
Mr. Lordi at the beginning of each of their sets on the
Sounds of the Underground tour.
Vocalist
Oderus Urungus is also featured on the newest
Strapping Young Lad album
The New Black as a guest vocalist on the song "Far Beyond Metal". Oderus' lines in the song are taken directly from the Gwar song "Maggots" ("now in the halls of the Necrolord…" etc.). Scott Krahl is in the "Schools Out" video as a female teacher, of whom Oderus makes out with and proceeds to mount at the end of the video.
Beyond Hell
was released on August 29, 2006, with Gwar touring to support the album and being helped by the creation of new props for this tour, including several characters from Beyond Hell's plot, including Jitler and Jewcifer. Gwar was also present at the third annual
Rock & Shock festival from October 13 to 15 as a part of this tour.
On
April 7,
2007 Gwar not only released their long awaited video for the song
Eighth Lock off of
Beyond Hell, but also announced that they have a headlining slot on
Sounds of the Underground 2007 alongside
Shadows Fall,
Chimaira,
Job for a Cowboy,
Amon Amarth,
Goatwhore, and
Suicidal Tendencies.
In Spring 2008 Todd Evans left Gwar to focus efforts on his side project Mobile Deathcamp. Shortly after Todd's sudden departure, Casey Orr was confirmed to fill his former spot as Beefcake the Mighty.
Sleazy P. Martini is to return to the rock stage with Gwar on their Electile Dysfunction '08 tour in the fall of 2008.
[5]
In 2009, Gwar celebrated their 25th year as a band.
Gwar will also be in some major festivals this year. The band will be playing the Bamboozle festival in May, then performing at
Wacken Open Air in Germany in July. In August they will perform at the Brutal Assault festival in the Czech Republic, and they were scheduled to be returning to the UK for
Bloodstock Open Air in Burton-On-Trent, Derbyshire but they officially dropped out.
Gwar's eleventh studio album,
Lust in Space
, was released on August 18, 2009, through Metal Blade Records. They performed at the 2009 Gathering of the
Juggalos to promote their new album and will be touring countrywide in 2009 as well with Lamb of God and Job For A Cowboy.
In an interview short after Lust in Space was released, Oderus stated that there will be another new GWAR album before the 25th anniversary is over, and also a box set filled with imports.
Etymology
| }}
}}|GWAR}}
}}
Despite various explanations that Gwar is an acronym for something, band members have insisted from its inception that the letters do not stand for anything. Indeed, the official website of
Slave Pit Inc. indicates that Gwar is a shortened version of "GWAARGGGH
|!" the name the band used originally when opening up for
Death Piggy. Lead singer and founding member Dave Brockie has been quoted as saying "...it doesn't mean Gay Women Against Rape. It doesn't mean Great White Aryan Race. It doesn't mean Gay Weird Anal Reprobates. It doesn't even mean God What an Awful Racket. It just means Gwar, which means everything pretty much."
[6]
Line-up
(1985)
|
- Johnny Slutman (Dave Bywalec) – vocals
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – guitar
- Mr. Magico (Russ Bahorsky) – guitar
- Jaws of Death (Steve Douglas) – guitar
- BalSac (Chris Bopst) – bass guitar
- Sean Sumner – drums
|
(1985–1986)
|
- Joey Slutman (Joe Annaruma) – vocals
- Stephen Sphincter (Ron Curry) – guitar
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – guitar
- BalSac (Chris Bopst) – bass guitar
- Hans Sphincter (Jim Thomson) – drums
|
(1986)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Tim Harriss – guitar
- BalSac (Chris Bopst) – bass guitar
- Hans Sphincter (Jim Thomson) – drums
|
(1986–1987)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Cornelius Carnage (Greg Ottinger) – guitar
- BalSac (Chris Bopst) – bass guitar
- Hans Orifice (Jim Thomson) – drums
|
(1987–1988)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Dewey Rowell) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Steve Douglas) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Nippleus Erectus (Rob Mosby) – drums
|
(1988)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Dewey Rowell) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Nippleus Erectus (Rob Mosby) – drums
|
(1989)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Dewey Rowell) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Lee Beato (Pete Luchter) – drums
|
(1989)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Dewey Rowell) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Hans Orifice (Jim Thomson) – drums
|
(1990–1991)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Dewey Rowell) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(1991–1992)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(1992–1993)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Pete Lee) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(1994–1997)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Pete Lee) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Casey Orr) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(1998–1999)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Tim Harriss) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Michael Bishop) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(1999–2002)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Zach Blair) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Casey Orr) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(2002–2008)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Todd Evans) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(2008)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Casey Orr) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
|
(2008-present)
|
- Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) – vocals
- Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) – guitar
- Balsac the Jaws of Death (Mike Derks) – guitar
- Beefcake the Mighty (Casey Orr) – bass guitar
- Jizmak Da Gusha (Brad Roberts) – drums
- Sleazy P. Martini (Don Drakulich) - manager, vocals
|
Current
- Oderus Urungus
(lead vocals – Dave Brockie)
- Flattus Maximus
(lead guitar, backing vocals – Cory Smoot)
- Balsac the Jaws of Death
(rhythm guitar, backing vocals – Mike Derks)
- Beefcake the Mighty
(bass guitar, backing vocals - Casey Orr)
- Jizmak Da Gusha
(drums, percussion – Brad Roberts)
- Sleazy P. Martini
(manager, vocals - Don Drakulich)
;Side members
These are members not involved musically or in the Gwar stage show anymore while still working to varying degrees with the band.
- Sexecutioner
- Bozo Destructo
- Techno Destructo
- Sawborg Destructo
(The Brother of Techno Destructo)
;Slaves
- Matt Maguire ("Mattron"/"MX2")
- Bob Gorman ("Muzzle Slave")
- Scott Krahl ("Cock & Balls Slave")
- Nate Krishna ("SlaveDizzle")
- Joe Douglas ("Spewie")
(Guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, keyboard, vocals, saxophone, tuba, triangle, clarinet, bass clarinet, french horn, violin, oboe, flute, harp, organ.)
Retired members
;Vocalists
- Joey Slutman (Joe Annaruma)
- Johnny Slutman (Ben Eubanks)
;Backing vocalists
- Techno Destructo and Scroda Moon (both by Hunter Jackson)
- Sleazy P. Martini (Michael D. Moore, 1985)
- Amazina/Gwar Woman (Colette Miller, 1986–1988)
- Mike Delaney (as Sexecutioner, replaced by Chuck Varga)
- Slymenstra Hymen (Danielle Stampe)
;Guitarists
As Balsac the Jaws of Death
:As
Flattus Maximus
- Dewey Rowell
- Pete Lee
- Tim Harriss
- Zach Blair
- Brian Fechino (in studio on America Must Be Destroyed
)
:Other
- Mr. Magico (Russ Bahorsky)
- Stephen Sphincter (Ron Curry)
- Cornelius Carnage (Greg Ottinger)
- John Cobbett
;Bassists
As Beefcake the Mighty
- Michael Bishop
- Todd Evans
:Other
- Stephen Sphincter (Ron Curry)
- BalSac (Chris Bopst. Note: Originally not the same character as Balsac the Jaws of Death)
;Drummers
- Unnamed character (Sean Sumner) (deceased)
- Hans Sphincter/Hans Orifice (Jim Thompson)
- Nippleus Erectus (Rob Mosby)
- Lee Beato (Pete Luchter)
;Keyboardists
;Slaves
- Danny Black
- Mike Bonner
- Davis Bradley III
- Hunter Jackson
Gwar also has a plethora of members, most of which are referred to simply under the collective label of "slaves" (see above). The Gwar slaves are involved in many other aspects of the band, including costume design, music mixing and editing, running
Slave Pit Records, the record label owned by the members of Gwar, and the creation of the now defunct Gwar comic book,
Slave Pit Funnies
.
Discography
Studio albums and EPs
- Hell-O
(1988)
- Scumdogs of the Universe
(1990)
- The Road Behind
EP (1992)
- America Must Be Destroyed
(1992)
- This Toilet Earth
(1994)
- Ragnarok
(1995)
- Carnival of Chaos
(1997)
- We Kill Everything
(1999)
- Violence Has Arrived
(2001)
- War Party
(2004)
- Beyond Hell
(2006)
- Lust in Space
(2009)
Compilation albums
- Slaves Going Single
(2000)
- Let There Be Gwar
(2004)
Live albums
- You're All Worthless and Weak
(2000)
- Germany Must Be Destroyed
(2000)
- Live from Mt. Fuji
(2005)
Videography
- Shimmy Disc Video Compilation V.1
(1988)
- Rawgwar
(1989)
- The Next Mutation
(1989)
- Live from Antarctica
(1990)
- Phallus in Wonderland
(1992)
- All the Sex
(1992)
- Twice the Violence
(1992)
- Tour De Scum
(1992)
- TVD
(1994)
- Skulhedface
(1994)
- ''Return of Techno-Destructo (1996)
- Rendezvous with Ragnarok
(1997)
- Surprising Burst of Chocolaty Fudge
(1998)
- Dawn of the Day of the Night of the Penguins
(1998)
- It's Sleazy
(2000)
- The Gwarnage Campaign
(2002)
- Blood Drive 2002
(2002)
- Ultimate Video Gwarchive
(2002)
- War Party Tour 2004
(2004)
- Blood Bath and Beyond
(2006)
- Beyond Hell Live
(2007)
Grammy Awards and nominations
Gwar has been nominated for two
Grammy Awards, but lost to
Metallica and
Nine Inch Nails.
"
S.F.W" -
Best Metal Performance, 1996 (nomination). Lost to
Nine Inch Nails.
"
Phallus in Wonderland" -
Best Long Form Music Video 1993 (nomination). Lost to
Metallica.
Other information
Appearances
- Gwar received a large dose of publicity from their appearance on The Jerry Springer Show
, exposing the world of shock rock. Early on in the show, Jerry brought out El Duce, lead singer for The Mentors, a rock group known for their extremely vile lyrical and visual themes. El Duce spoke at length about his stage show in which women have claimed to be raped, displaying his misogynistic personality, and even claiming that he "probably has some bastard kids around the country." Also present for this episode was Jeni, a performer in the shock rock band the Spo-Its. Jerry later brought out Gwar, full costumed and in character, as a ballast to El Duce. Gwar slowly won over the audience (who initially booed them) with their sense of humor, showing that they felt that their goal was giving the audience the same kind of fun they would get from a horror movie or funhouse. Springer was applauded for a clip he showed in which Gwar brought him out on stage at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio, pretending to kick and scream, introduced him to the crowd, and fed him to one of their monster stage props, the World Maggot. Next, Springer brought out a mother and son to sit with Gwar, the son was a huge fan of Gwar. The mother was angry and accused Gwar of promoting violence and the degrading of women. Though he was not anywhere as offensive or acidic as El Duce, Oderus Urungus stood up to the mother, accusing her of shifting the guilt over having a troublesome child, and pointed out that it would be much better for her son to be at a show full of puppets and fake blood than seeing The Mentors assault women live on stage.
- Oderus Urungus and Beefcake the Mighty were interviewed on The Joan Rivers Show
in 1990. Like their Jerry Springer
appearance, it was mainly on the topic of shock rock. Oderus and Beefcake were greeted with a lukewarm response but won the audience over quickly with a combination of their costumes, joke, and mannerisms. Oderus and Beefcake also spoke with a foreign accent (Oderus with a Eastern European one and Beefcake with an Italian) throughout the interview.
- Gwar also did the music for an episode of the show Codename: Kids Next Door
titled "Operation F.O.O.D.F.I.T.E." They played altered versions of both "The Private Pain of Techno Destructo" and "Gor-Gor", changing the lyrics to fit the storyline (which centers around a villain's repeated attempts to get the kids to eat healthy food). Unable to find the original music tracks for the songs, they re-recorded them specifically for the episode. In the music credits, they went under the name of RAWG for this show. [7]
- Gwar appeared on an episode of Viva la Bam
, where they performed during a dirt bike and monster truck show put together by Bam and his friends. [8]
- Gwar appeared in South Beloit High School on October 29, 2008
- Gwar appeared on the movie Empire Records
on a TV that the character Mark, played by Ethan Embry, was watching while eating brownies made with "extra sugar". Mark hallucinates about joining Gwar and performing in their music video (which he is still watching) and is then killed brutally, while still watching himself. [9]
- In 1995, Gwar's "Saddam A Go-Go" was featured on the hit video game Beavis and Butt-Head in Virtual Stupidity, this was a music video accessed in Beavis and Butt-Head's House.
- Gwar appeared in Part 5 of Episode #3 of the Fox Sports program "Core Culture", titled "Backstage Pass". The west coast broadcast featured an interview clip with local performer Stephen Kiel, a.k.a. Diabolical Kiel. The segment features the band on their visit to Portland, Oregon, and includes footage of them at the Burnside Skatepark, mingling with the crowd. The segment also features footage of their performance at the Roseland Theater. [10]
- Gwar also appeared playing in a night club in Mystery Date, a 1991 Movie starring Ethan Hawke. [11]
- In the movie S.F.W. Gwar not only made an appearance on MTV in the movie but the song they were performing was the movie's theme song, which is present on the movie's soundtrack album.
- Gwar were featured on the front page of satire website Something Awful on October 13, 2006. [12]
- Music magazine Blender's website has created two Gwar themed videos. The first features Blender.com reporter Joe Knaus during the Sounds of the Underground festival in 2006. There is also a quite humorous clip of Oderus feigning a on the streets on New York City as a Christmas gift to Gwar's crew and support acts prior the band's show at Irving Plaza in December 2006.
- In Alabama Thunderpussy's new music video for the song "Words of the Dying Man" 2007, Balsac the Jaws of Death makes an appearance, emerging from the shower to join the crowd.
- Gwar's first foray into the world of pro wrestling took place in Lorain, Ohio on January 30, 1999 on a show entitled "Guts, Gore, and Gwar '99". The show was promoted by what is now known as . In addition to appearances by Mad Man Pondo, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, and Samu, the show featured a "match" between Oderus Urungus and Techno Destructo.
- Attending a Gwar concert was the main goal that drove the action in the Beavis and Butthead video game for the Super Nintendo (SNES), Sega Game Gear, Sega Mega Drive, and Game Boy.
- Gwar's Oderus gives a candid out-of-costume interview (as Dave Brockie) in the documentary Working Class Rock Star
.
- Various members of GWAR appear, out of costume, in the background of the "Walk-off" scene in the movie Zoolander
- The band was featured in a faux commercial on the short-lived 1991 MTV show The Idiot Box
in which contestants could win a chance to "Sacrifice Your Daughter to GWAR".
- Gwar's Oderus Urungus has also appeared as a guest on Fox News' Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld covering such topics as why Mars is red and why the moon should be "bombed". [13]
Related bands
- Dave Brockie Experience
- Death Piggy
- Köszönöm (Side project by Mike Derks and Brad Roberts)
- Municipal Waste
- MC Rhythmless (Gwar rap side project)
- RAWG
- Wolfgang AM
- X-Cops
- Green Jellÿ
- Butthole Surfers (through Gibby Haynes, who produced several GWAR videos)
- Rise Against (through Zach Blair)
References
- DomainCleveland.com >> Interviews
- DomainCleveland Dave Brockie interview
- Years 1984 - 1989
- Ultimate Guitar Cory Smoot interview
- Gwar NEWS
- Crefradio.com Dave Brockie interview
- Operation: F.A.Q.S
- Viva La Bam Episode guide
- IMDB: Empire Records - Credits
- AOLVideo: Part 5, Core Culture, Episode #3 - "Backstage Pass"
- IMBD: Mystery Date - Credits
- The Gurf Manifesto, Gwar parody by Something Awful
- http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/07/09/gwars-oderus-urungu-gets-cool-gig-on-fox-news/