This page will contain news stories about Gwar, as they become available.GwarGwar is a novelty rock/heavy metal/punk band that was formed in 1985-1986 in Richmond, Virginia. Gwar are probably best known for their elaborate fantasy and horror inspired stage shows which have sometimes run afoul of obscenity statutes. The band was the result of the linkup between Hunter Jackson and Dave Brockie, the singer for a punk band called Death Piggy. Jackson was working on a movie at the time the two met. Entitled Scumdogs of the Universe, it featured a plot involving intergalactic barbarians. Jackson and Brockie combined these ideas, and since then the gimmick used by Brockie's band (re-dubbed Gwar) has been dressing up as alien warriors. Their costumes are generally made of foam latex, and they further the gimmick in concerts by dousing blood and gore on their audiences. Another hallmark of Gwar's live show is their mock executions of media icons, ranging from O.J. Simpson to your garden-variety redneck. Gwar were banned from performing in their home city due to their raucous stage performances; since then they have appeared under the pseudonym Rawg. Band members and associates often have cookouts at their house, dubbed "Gwar-BQ's." The video for "Saddam a Go-Go" from This Toilet Earth appeared in the hit movie Empire Records. Gwar was/is primarily a band of former art students, and this is reflected in the obscure references made in some of their songs. Gwar fans are known as Bohabs. Line-upCurrent
Retired members
DiscographyHell-OIn 1988, their first album, Hell-O (Shimmy Records) was released. Gwar's angle is that of a morbid punk band (a la The Mentors), with songs deriding the USA (such as "Americanized" and "Ollie North") as well as those of general grotesqueness ("Slutman City", "Bone Meal"). Hunter Jackson makes his first appearance in "Techno's Song" and "I'm in Love (With a Dead Dog)" showcased a tender episode in canine-alien relations. The famous "Gwar Theme" is a memorable car-eating anthem. Jacques-Yves Cousteau makes a bizarre cameo as well, in a song that could possibly be influenced by Dadaism. (In another reference, the liner art does a stab at Picasso's Guernica, which is renamed Gwarnica.) Scumdogs of the UniverseGwar's first album on Metal Blade Records was released in 1990. As the title implies, it is a concept album about the Scumdogs' reign of terror on planet Earth. The production is very refined compared to the independent first attempt. Gwar began to experiment with samples to some degree (e.g. in the song, "Maggots"). The songs are more socially relevant in this album as well. Examples include "Slaughterama" (which involves Gwar killing hippies and skinheads) and the opening track, "Salaminizer", which was inspired by/based off a song by the breakthrough rap group NWA. As well, "Black and Huge" is basically a love song by a sterotypically well-endowed African-American expressing his lustful intentions towards a white girl in the line "You know I'm just a limp Mega-Prick, I'm looking for a stupid white chick". Other references include history ("Vlad the Impaler") and mythology ("Horrors of Yig"). The rest of the album is centered around twisted jokes about insane medical practices/sexual perversion. This album is viewed by many as their ultimate masterpiece. America Must Be DestroyedTheir second major-label recording in 1992 was inspired by Dave Brockie's fight with police officers while touring. The controversy revolved around Brockie's rubbery penis adornment. Brockie was revolted by this attack on his rights and so he created a concept album revolving around an elite "Morality Squad" that attacked the members of Gwar and stole Oderus's penile attachment (aka Cuttlefish of Ctulu, a phallic hellbeast that normally dangles from his crotch). The opening song, "Ham on the Bone" (which has a nod to grindcore) explains this robbery. The story then shifts to Gwar headquarters in Antarctica, where Oderus's slaves are ordered to shoot up a dinosaur egg with crack. The result is the mighty Gor Gor, a Tyrannosaurus Rex that wreaks havoc on America. Meanwhile, the Morality Squad has enlisted the help of Father Bohab (a Catholic priest) to crucify Gwar in the media. Gwar marches out to battle, and you can take the story from there. Other songs of interest include "Have You Seen Me?", "Poor Ole Tom", and "The Road Behind". Musically, it is a mix of rock and roll and blistering sludge metal, and it is even harsher-sounding than the previous album. A video, Phallus in Wonderland, was released as a supplement to the album's storyline. This album was followed by The Road Behind, an EP that contained that single and a riveting live version of "Have You Seen Me?" (which contained a notorious Ween sample at the end). The single "S.F.W." (a staple of their live shows) was supposedly released on this album as a bonus track, but this has been discounted by the band. This Toilet EarthIn 1994, Gwar released what was to be one of their oddest and most bittersweet albums. It was the first album to be censored, due to their gain in popularity as a result of MTV exposure. The music and artwork is almost cartoonish when compared to the previous albums, and the instrumentation has expanded to include horns (in the opener, "Saddam a Go-Go") that reinforce the goofiness. Storywise, the enemy is now Skulhedface, an alien queen who was deformed in a Synnite Warrior raid on her planet centuries before. In retaliation, she travels to Antarctica, encounters Gwar while they are hibernating, and steals their Jizmoglobin, or life force. Her midget slave Flopsy and she then create a creature made up of the melded parts of evil historical figures (such as Hitler) called the Flesh Column. Skulhedface disguises herself as an evil executive for the Glomco corporation, and uses propaganda to turn Gwar into sickeningly cuddly cartoon characters. Meanwhile, Gwar discovers that the World Maggot is their only opportunity to escape Earth, but Skullhedface stands in their way. Oderus & Co. must regain their Jizz and catch the maggot in time. As for the music, it is varied and ranges from poppy ("Jack the World") to gruesome ("Sonderkommando") to goofy ("Pepperoni") and to the unmentionable ("B.D.F."). It is a blend of chaotic styles that is reminiscent of Faith No More and Frank Zappa. Skulhedface was the movie released to document this album. "Jack the World" was also featured in the Beavis and Butthead video game for the Sega Genesis. RagNaRokWhile This Toilet Earth was highly eclectic in instrumentation, RagNaRok (1995) contains the most varied vocal stylings, as the majority of the band lends their lungs to the tracklist. RagNaRok is essentially a heavy metal album and it is spiced with a story about the end of the world. The story involves Oderus and his alien sister Slymenstra being forcibly mated with the aid of rogue space aliens. Meanwhile, a comet hurdling towards planet earth is inciting the populace to revolt, and anarchy has set in all over the globe. An AIDS-like plague has crippled the masses, who await the meteor's arrival and their subsequent death. However, it turns out that the comet is actually Cardinal Syn, a robotic agent of harsh Catholic dogma. Syn is representing the Warrior Pope, who is demanding that all bow down to him and obey his insane whims. But Syn is drawn to Slymenstra's alien baby, for a reason that is left for the listener to uncover... As it could be supposed, the concept is about the ridicule of Christianity (especially in the song, "Martyr Dumb"). The highlights of the album include "Dirty, Filthy" (a rousing comedy anthem), the title track, and "Meat Sandwich". In other news, Drakulich does a mock-rapping bit as Sleazy P. in "Think You Oughta Know This", and there is an energetic duet between Oderus and Slymenstra in "Fire in the Loins". In the closer, for once, Gwar actually shows a serious side in detailing their problems with protestors (the ballad, "None But the Brave"). Finally, the instrumental "Surf of Syn" shows the technical side of the band in full force. Carnival of ChaosThe band on Carnival of Chaos (1997) seems to be influenced even more by Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. It can be best described as Gwar's bid for musical expansion. There are likely more styles experimented with here than on any other album. It is perhaps most notable as their longest album, and also as the album that contains Stampe's solo number: "Don't Need a Man". Hunter Jackson also returns in "The Private Pain of Techno Destructo", and there is an odd ballad about the rotting corpse of Sammy Davis Jr. which is worthy of mention. "In Her Fear" is Oderus's swan song, and Beefcake the Mighty gives a memorable ballad in "Hate Love Songs". A few more jokes ("Scallop Boat", "Gonna Kill U", "I Suck on My Thumb"), round out the album. We Kill EverythingGwar returned in 1999 with We Kill Everything, which hearkens back to their hardcore roots. This a whimsical album full of punkish potboilers, taking a note from Primus in its surrealistic goofiness. As detailed within the liner notes, Gwar meets a new alien warrior, Scroda Moon (Hunter Jackson) who has to find the pieces of a broken tablet which, when put together, will allow them access to a Portal Potty (or a giant, magical toilet) that can warp them off Earth for good. The band once again offers the funny ("Fishfuck") the gross ("Babyraper"), and the weird ("Penile Drip", in which Oderus does his best Brak impression). "Short History of the End of the World" and "Jagermonsta" are excellent examples of thrash-punk, while Mike Derks lends his vocals to the almost sensitive ballad, "Mary Anne". This album is mostly a collection of gruesomely funny jokes ("Fucking an Animal" and "Nitro Burning Funny Bong"), and contains a bit less brutality than their previous works. Violence Has ArrivedViolence Has Arrived (2001), re-attains the brutal focus of their earlier albums. It is similar to Scumdogs, in that Brockie is now the dominant voice of the band again, and the theme is centered on generalized carnage. Gwar takes on more "medieval" themes this time around, such as torture ("The Wheel") and conjures up some truly ugly imagery in songs such as "Licksore", "Beauteous Rot", and "The Apes of Wrath". War PartyAfter Violence Has Arrived, Gwar switched labels from Metal Blade to DRT Entertainment. Their new album is called War Party and was released October 26, 2004. War Party continues the decidedly more metal focus reintroduced in Violence Has Arrived. War Party is the most political GWAR album since America Must Be Destroyed tackling such subject matter as the 2004 american election and the war in Iraq in such songs as "Bring Back the Bomb", "The Krosstika", "War Party", "The Reaganator" and "Can't Kill Terror". Dave Brockie has said "...basically GWAR pledges support to the powers who support the war, and we make such a right-wing statement that the right wing would be ashamed to have us." GWAR still has more gratuitous violent imagery in "Womb With a View" and "Bonesnapper" and retains some trademark silliness in the Beefcake hollered french punk song "The Bonus Plan". War Party was supported in fall 2004 by the Mock the Vote tour. Related bands
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War Party was supported in fall 2004 by the Mock the Vote tour. INXS returned to the news in 2004 when it was announced that a new reality television program titled Rock Star would feature a contest to find a new lead singer for the band. Dave Brockie has said "...basically GWAR pledges support to the powers who support the war, and we make such a right-wing statement that the right wing would be ashamed to have us." GWAR still has more gratuitous violent imagery in "Womb With a View" and "Bonesnapper" and retains some trademark silliness in the Beefcake hollered french punk song "The Bonus Plan". However, he left INXS in 2003, only recording a song called I Get Up, released as a single (which charted in the top 100 on the Australian ARIAnet Singles Chart) in the same year, and it was used in the Rugby Union World Cup 2003. War Party is the most political GWAR album since America Must Be Destroyed tackling such subject matter as the 2004 american election and the war in Iraq in such songs as "Bring Back the Bomb", "The Krosstika", "War Party", "The Reaganator" and "Can't Kill Terror". Jon Stevens began singing with INXS in 2000 and was officially named a member of the band in 2002. War Party continues the decidedly more metal focus reintroduced in Violence Has Arrived. Since Hutchence's death, INXS has continued, using Jimmy Barnes and Terence Trent D'Arby as temporary lead singers. Their new album is called War Party and was released October 26, 2004. On November 22, 1997 Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room, an apparent victim of suicide (some speculate his death was actually an accident, the result of autoerotic asphyxiation). After Violence Has Arrived, Gwar switched labels from Metal Blade to DRT Entertainment. The band worked closely with several other Australian artists, such as The Models and Jenny Morris, helping to establish their careers. Gwar takes on more "medieval" themes this time around, such as torture ("The Wheel") and conjures up some truly ugly imagery in songs such as "Licksore", "Beauteous Rot", and "The Apes of Wrath". Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, INXS was a major force in Australian popular music, leading the way into worldwide popularity for several Australian bands. Violence Has Arrived (2001), re-attains the brutal focus of their earlier albums. It is similar to Scumdogs, in that Brockie is now the dominant voice of the band again, and the theme is centered on generalized carnage. 1994 brought the first of many 'Greatest Hits' compilations. This album is mostly a collection of gruesomely funny jokes ("Fucking an Animal" and "Nitro Burning Funny Bong"), and contains a bit less brutality than their previous works. 1993's Full Moon, Dirty Hearts was their attempt to capitalize on the grunge movement, and while it received mixed reviews, it plunged the band further into obscurity. "Short History of the End of the World" and "Jagermonsta" are excellent examples of thrash-punk, while Mike Derks lends his vocals to the almost sensitive ballad, "Mary Anne". However, the band's belated attempts to follow up on the success of Kick, 1990's X and 1992's Welcome to Wherever You Are found them struggling to stay relevant as alternative rock began to dominate the airwaves and more traditional rockers like INXS (fronted by Hutchence, who lived the rock-star lifestyle by dabbling in film acting and dating several models and public personalities including Kylie Minogue and Paula Yates), fell out of favor. The band once again offers the funny ("Fishfuck") the gross ("Babyraper"), and the weird ("Penile Drip", in which Oderus does his best Brak impression). The band's worldwide peak of popularity came with 1987's Kick, a punchy, confident set of pop-rock gems that yielded three top-ten US singles, including the number-one hit "Need You Tonight". As detailed within the liner notes, Gwar meets a new alien warrior, Scroda Moon (Hunter Jackson) who has to find the pieces of a broken tablet which, when put together, will allow them access to a Portal Potty (or a giant, magical toilet) that can warp them off Earth for good. By 1985's breakthrough album Listen Like Thieves the band had perfected a matured sound influenced by The Rolling Stones and U2 but true to the band's original roots in the Aussie pubs; that album spawned several hits, including the top-10 "What You Need". This a whimsical album full of punkish potboilers, taking a note from Primus in its surrealistic goofiness. The band, which had started out as a New Wave act featuring more synthesizers than guitar, gradually moved in a more straight-ahead Rock oriented direction through the first half of the 1980s. Gwar returned in 1999 with We Kill Everything, which hearkens back to their hardcore roots. INXS and its follow-up, 1981's Underneath the Colours (produced by Richard Clapton) were hits in their native Australia, and their third album, Shabooh Shoobah was released worldwide but it wasn't until their Nick Launay-produced fourth album, The Swing in 1983 that the band received significant attention in the US or UK, as the single "Original Sin" became a minor pop radio hit and the band's charismatic singer Michael Hutchence gained attention for his MTV-ready looks. A few more jokes ("Scallop Boat", "Gonna Kill U", "I Suck on My Thumb"), round out the album. INXS began under the name The Farriss Brothers but the band changed their name to INXS in 1979, just prior to the release of their self-titled debut album in 1980. "In Her Fear" is Oderus's swan song, and Beefcake the Mighty gives a memorable ballad in "Hate Love Songs". The band was formed in 1977 and comprised of Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence, Tim Farriss, Jon Farriss, Garry Gary Beers and Kirk Pengilly. which is worthy of mention. INXS is an Australian rock group. Hunter Jackson also returns in "The Private Pain of Techno Destructo", and there is an odd ballad about the rotting corpse of Sammy Davis Jr. INXS) #19 UK. It is perhaps most notable as their longest album, and also as the album that contains Stampe's solo number: "Don't Need a Man". 2001 "I'm So Crazy" (Par-T-One vs. There are likely more styles experimented with here than on any other album. from "Definitive INXS"
It can be best described as Gwar's bid for musical expansion. 1997 "Elegantly Wasted" #27 US, #20 UK, #44 AU. Bungle. from "Elegantly Wasted"
In the closer, for once, Gwar actually shows a serious side in detailing their problems with protestors (the ballad, "None But the Brave"). 1993 "Please (You Got That...)" #35 AU. in "Think You Oughta Know This", and there is an energetic duet between Oderus and Slymenstra in "Fire in the Loins". 1993 "The Gift" #11 UK, #12 AU. In other news, Drakulich does a mock-rapping bit as Sleazy P. from "Full Moon, Dirty Hearts"
As it could be supposed, the concept is about the ridicule of Christianity (especially in the song, "Martyr Dumb"). 1992 "Not Enough Time" #28 US. But Syn is drawn to Slymenstra's alien baby, for a reason that is left for the listener to uncover.. 1992 "Taste It" #21 UK, #37 AU. Syn is representing the Warrior Pope, who is demanding that all bow down to him and obey his insane whims. 1992 "Baby Don't Cry" #20 UK. However, it turns out that the comet is actually Cardinal Syn, a robotic agent of harsh Catholic dogma. 1992 "Heaven Sent" #31 UK, #14 AU. An AIDS-like plague has crippled the masses, who await the meteor's arrival and their subsequent death. from "Welcome to Wherever You Are"
"Jack the World" was also featured in the Beavis and Butthead video game for the Sega Genesis. from "The Lost Boys" soundtrack
must regain their Jizz and catch the maggot in time. 1990 "Suicide Blonde" #9 US, #11 UK, #3 AU. Skulhedface disguises herself as an evil executive for the Glomco corporation, and uses propaganda to turn Gwar into sickeningly cuddly cartoon characters. Meanwhile, Gwar discovers that the World Maggot is their only opportunity to escape Earth, but Skullhedface stands in their way. Oderus & Co. from "X"
Storywise, the enemy is now Skulhedface, an alien queen who was deformed in a Synnite Warrior raid on her planet centuries before. 1988 "New Sensation" #3 US, #25 UK, #8 AU. The music and artwork is almost cartoonish when compared to the previous albums, and the instrumentation has expanded to include horns (in the opener, "Saddam a Go-Go") that reinforce the goofiness. 1988 "Devil Inside" #2 US, #6 AU. In 1994, Gwar released what was to be one of their oddest and most bittersweet albums. It was the first album to be censored, due to their gain in popularity as a result of MTV exposure. 1987 "Need You Tonight" #1 US, #2 UK, (1988 release), #3 AU. The single "S.F.W." (a staple of their live shows) was supposedly released on this album as a bonus track, but this has been discounted by the band. from "Kick"
This album was followed by The Road Behind, an EP that contained that single and a riveting live version of "Have You Seen Me?" (which contained a notorious Ween sample at the end). 1986 "Different World" #28 AU. A video, Phallus in Wonderland, was released as a supplement to the album's storyline. from "Crocodile Dundee" soundtrack
Gwar marches out to battle, and you can take the story from there. 1985 "What You Need" #5 US (1986 Release), #2 AU. Meanwhile, the Morality Squad has enlisted the help of Father Bohab (a Catholic priest) to crucify Gwar in the media. 1985 "This Time" #81 US, #19 AU. The story then shifts to Gwar headquarters in Antarctica, where Oderus's slaves are ordered to shoot up a dinosaur egg with crack. The result is the mighty Gor Gor, a Tyrannosaurus Rex that wreaks havoc on America. from "Listen Like Thieves"
Brockie was revolted by this attack on his rights and so he created a concept album revolving around an elite "Morality Squad" that attacked the members of Gwar and stole Oderus's penile attachment (aka Cuttlefish of Ctulu, a phallic hellbeast that normally dangles from his crotch). 1984 "Burn for You" #3 AU. The controversy revolved around Brockie's rubbery penis adornment. 1984 "I Send a Message" #77 US, #3 AU. Their second major-label recording in 1992 was inspired by Dave Brockie's fight with police officers while touring. 1983 "Original Sin" #58 US (1984 Release) #1 AU. This album is viewed by many as their ultimate masterpiece. from "The Swing"
The rest of the album is centered around twisted jokes about insane medical practices/sexual perversion. 1983 "Black and White" #24 AU. Other references include history ("Vlad the Impaler") and mythology ("Horrors of Yig"). 1983 "To Look at You" #36 AU. As well, "Black and Huge" is basically a love song by a sterotypically well-endowed African-American expressing his lustful intentions towards a white girl in the line "You know I'm just a limp Mega-Prick, I'm looking for a stupid white chick". 1982 "Don't Change" #80 US (1983 Release), #14 AU. Examples include "Slaughterama" (which involves Gwar killing hippies and skinheads) and the opening track, "Salaminizer", which was inspired by/based off a song by the breakthrough rap group NWA. 1983 "The One Thing" #30 US, #14 AU. The songs are more socially relevant in this album as well. from "Shabooh Shoobah"
As the title implies, it is a concept album about the Scumdogs' reign of terror on planet Earth. 1980 "Just Keep Walking" #38 AU. Gwar's first album on Metal Blade Records was released in 1990. from "INXS"
The famous "Gwar Theme" is a memorable car-eating anthem. The Years 1979-1997 (2002). Hunter Jackson makes his first appearance in "Techno's Song" and "I'm in Love (With a Dead Dog)" showcased a tender episode in canine-alien relations. Definitive INXS/The Best of INXS (2002) #144 US, #15 UK. Gwar's angle is that of a morbid punk band (a la The Mentors), with songs deriding the USA (such as "Americanized" and "Ollie North") as well as those of general grotesqueness ("Slutman City", "Bone Meal"). Shine Like it Does: The Anthology (1979-1997) (2001). In 1988, their first album, Hell-O (Shimmy Records) was released. Elegantly Wasted (1997) #16 UK #41 US. Gwar fans are known as Bohabs. The Greatest Hits (1994); #112 US, #3 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Gwar was/is primarily a band of former art students, and this is reflected in the obscure references made in some of their songs. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (1993) #53 US, #3 UK. Band members and associates often have cookouts at their house, dubbed "Gwar-BQ's." The video for "Saddam a Go-Go" from This Toilet Earth appeared in the hit movie Empire Records. Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992); #16 US, #1 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Gwar were banned from performing in their home city due to their raucous stage performances; since then they have appeared under the pseudonym Rawg. Live Baby Live (1991); #72 US, #8 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Simpson to your garden-variety redneck. X (1990); #5 US, #2 UK, US Sales: 2,000,000. Another hallmark of Gwar's live show is their mock executions of media icons, ranging from O.J. Kick (1987); #3 US, #9 UK, US Sales: 6,000,000. Their costumes are generally made of foam latex, and they further the gimmick in concerts by dousing blood and gore on their audiences. Listen Like Thieves (1985); #11 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. Entitled Scumdogs of the Universe, it featured a plot involving intergalactic barbarians. Jackson and Brockie combined these ideas, and since then the gimmick used by Brockie's band (re-dubbed Gwar) has been dressing up as alien warriors. The Swing (1984); #52 US, US Sales: 1,000,000. Jackson was working on a movie at the time the two met. Dekadance (1983); #148 US. The band was the result of the linkup between Hunter Jackson and Dave Brockie, the singer for a punk band called Death Piggy. INXSIVE (1982). Gwar are probably best known for their elaborate fantasy and horror inspired stage shows which have sometimes run afoul of obscenity statutes. Shabooh Shoobah (1982); #46 US, US Sales: 500,000. Gwar is a novelty rock/heavy metal/punk band that was formed in 1985-1986 in Richmond, Virginia. Underneath the Colours (1981). Armstrong. INXS (1980); #164 US. Kepone. Death Piggy. X-Cops. DBX. Nippleus Erectus (old drummer character-???). Techno-Destructo (GWAR Enemy - Hunter Jackson). Musel (keyboards - Dave Musel). Sexecutioner (vocals - Chuck Varga). Martini (manager - Don Drakulich). Sleazy P. Slymenstra Hymen (GWAR Woman, vocalist - Danyelle Stampe). Balsac the Jaws of Death (guitar - Mike Derks, various). Jizmak Da Gusha (drums - Brad Roberts). Beefcake the Mighty (bass - Todd Evans, Casey Orr, Mike Bishop). Flattus Maximus (lead guitar - Corey Smoot, Zach Blair, Pete Lee, Tim Hariss, Dewey Rosell ). Oderus Urungus (throat singer - Dave Brockie). |