The band was the result of the collaboration between Hunter Jackson and Dave Brockie, then the singer for a punk band called Death Piggy. Jackson was working on a movie at the time the two met. The movie, entitled Scumdogs of the Universe, featured a plot involving terrifying intergalactic barbarians. Jackson and Brockie combined their ideas, re-named the band Gwar, and have been performing as ghoulish intergalactic warriors ever since. Their costumes are generally made of foam latex, styrofoam, and hardened rubber. It should be noted that the costumes they are wearing actually cover very little with the rest of their bodies being accentuated with makeup. They further their production in concert by dousing, spraying, and at times nearly drowning their audiences with imitation blood, semen, gore, and other bodily fluids. All the fluids are made of water and dye that washes out easily. It is rumored that corn syrup or a similar product has been used as a thickener.
Another trademark of GWAR's live show is their mutilations of celebrities and figures in current events. Victims of GWAR's antics have included O.J. Simpson, George W. Bush, Paris Hilton, 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, a setting in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books; and the title of their sixth album, Ragnarok, comes from Norse mythology.
GWAR, though by no means a small-time band, have not enjoyed as much mainstream recognition as many other bands. Around the time of their second album (Scumdogs of the Universe), they enjoyed a fair deal of success, due in part to Beavis and Butt-head. After that, however, GWAR's popularity waned and they were even featured on the VH1 program "Where Are They Now." Though not at the peak of their popularity, GWAR was recently invited to play on the Sounds of the Underground tour, which was very well received.
Gwar were, at one time, banned from performing in their home city of Richmond, Virginia due to their raucous stage performances. During that time they would appear in their home town under the pseudonym Rawg and play sans costumes. The ban was later lifted and the band can now play in Richmond again in full gory attire. GWAR was banned earlier in North Carolina for obscenity reasons (Brockie was arrested for wearing his "Cuttlefish of Cthulu" prosthetic penis; this incident was the inspiration for GWAR's America Must Be Destroyed album). 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 or Scumdogs.
The origin and meaning of the band's name has been left intentionally vague by its members, although the most widely accepted explanation (though false and denied by the band members) is that GWAR is an acronym for "God What an Awful Racket!" One rumor states that the name may have come from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel Watchmen, in which a poster reads, "Pink Triangle LIVE at the Gay Women Against Rape Benefit Concert." Other unsubstantiated rumors state that GWAR! is the sound monsters make in old horror movies, or that a fan at a club yelled "You should call your band..." and vomited before he could finish, making a sound close to the word GWAR. A final possibility, and the most viable as of yet, coming from sources close to the band suggests strongly that the name comes from the answer David Brockie gave to Hunter Jackson when asked what the band should be called. David Brockie simply responded with a mostly unintelligble word and isolated a single sound out of the rubble therefore creating GWAR.
On Sunday March 23, 2014, Brockie was found dead in his apartment by a band member. According to police, Brockie was found deceased and sitting upright in a chair.
Gwar's management confirmed the reports of Brockie's death on the official Gwar website at 4am on March 24, 2014. In an official statement released later that day, Gwar's manager Jack Flanagan said "It is with a saddened heart, that I confirm my dear friend Dave Brockie, artist, musician, and lead singer of GWAR passed away at approximately 6:50 PM EST Sunday March 23, 2014. His body was found Sunday by his band mate at his home in Richmond, VA. Richmond authorities have confirmed his death and next of kin has been notified. A full autopsy will be performed. He was 50 years old, born August 30, 1963. My main focus right now is to look after my band mates and his family. More information regarding his death shall be released as the details are confirmed." News of Brockie's death spread quickly with many of his fellow musical peers and bandmates responding through social media.
Mike Bishop, former member of Gwar, was one of the first to confirm Brockie's death. Bishop said "Dave was one of the funniest, smartest, most creative and energetic persons I've known. He was brash sometimes, always crass, irreverent, he was hilarious in every way. But he was also deeply intelligent and interested in life, history, politics and art. His penchant for scatological humors belied a lucid wit. He was a criminally underrated lyricist and hard rock vocalist, one of the best, ever! A great front man, a great painter, writer, he was also a hell of a bass guitarist. I loved him. He was capable of great empathy and had a real sense of justice.”
The Virginia State Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Dave Brockie's death was caused by an accidental heroin overdose on Tuesday, June 3 2014.
After the death of Dave Brockie, the character of Oderus Urungus was given a Viking funeral at the 2014 Gwar-B-Q, held at Hadad's Lake park. Concurrently, Michael Bishop formally rejoined Gwar and assumed lead vocal duties in the persona of Blöthar the Berserker. The band resumed touring, and on October 20, 2017 released the first album
sans founding members, The Blood Of Gods.
Slutman City
GWAR Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
wiped away many smiles. I've come from
my icy pit, just to rub your face in shit.
Slutman City--Life without shame--
Slutman City--So much flesh--to maim!
We grant you sweet release--from your
useless life. Of your heart I'll have a
piece--Impaled on my knife--Your world
of wisdom--A withered husk. Flies thrive,
human waste now rules the earth, but I
tell you you're not the first. Your cities
built on corpses, you best beware--Your
towers will crumble--as did theirs!
Slutman City--Pimples on my butt--
Slutman City--Bestial necrophilliacs
busting nuts. Your world is doomed--
You wonder why--You bleed her daily--
And now flies thrive. You want to do
drugs? Own expensive rugs? With much
aplomb--You'll watch me rape your mom.
Tattered millions bathe in hate--
Tons of junk and crack to take!!
Teenage girls to eviscerate--Gorged
on eyeballs, gonna vomit on your plate.
Slutman City!! Slutman City!!!
We masturbatel, and we create, the
human race--the spawn of apes. We
rape and kill, until we're done--You
ask me why--Ha Ha! Because it's fun!
The lyrics of GWAR's "Slutman City" describe a dystopian world filled with debauchery, violence, and a disregard for life. The singer, who appears to be a demonic figure, declares that he has "travelled many miles" to arrive in Slutman City, a place where life is without shame and so much flesh is available to maim. His goal seems to be to take advantage of the city's decadent nature by raping, killing, and feeding on its inhabitants. The song paints a bleak picture of a society where violence and brutality have become the norm, and the singer revels in the chaos that he sees around him.
The lyrics of "Slutman City" are a commentary on the darker aspects of human nature and how they can lead to the downfall of civilization. The song is a warning against the dangers of hedonism, greed, and a lack of empathy, which can ultimately lead to the destruction of society. The lyrics suggest that when people become disconnected from the values that make life worth living, they become vulnerable to the temptations of violence, sexual depravity, and other destructive behaviors.
Line by Line Meaning
I have travelled many miles, and I have wiped away many smiles. I've come from my icy pit, just to rub your face in shit.
I have experienced numerous challenges, challenges that took away other people’s joy. I left my comfort zone just to make you feel uncomfortable.
Slutman City--Life without shame-- Slutman City--So much flesh--to maim!
Slutman City is a place with no moral values, and people have no shame. It is a place full of humans who can be hurt and injured.
We grant you sweet release--from your useless life. Of your heart I'll have a piece--Impaled on my knife--Your world to rape--Your life sucked dry--The purity of wisdom--A withered husk.
We offer you mercy by killing you and liberating you from your unimportant life. I will cut your heart out and leave you to die because your existence bores me. We will devastate your world, making you feel empty and disintegrated.
Flies thrive, human waste now rules the earth, but I tell you you're not the first. Your cities built on corpses, you best beware--Your towers will crumble--as did theirs!
There is uncleanliness and disorderliness all over the earth in the current era, and I assure you that you were not the first to experience this. Your prosperity is based on people's graves, and you should be cautious because they will come crumbling down.
Slutman City--Pimples on my butt-- Slutman City--Bestial necrophilliacs busting nuts. Your world is doomed-- You wonder why--You bleed her daily--And now flies thrive.
Slutman City is insignificant and revolting. Its inhabitants are uncontrollable and primitive. Your future is bleak, and you wonder why things are getting worse. You are responsible for destroying the earth, and its consequence is everywhere.
You want to do drugs? Own expensive rugs? With much aplomb--You'll watch me rape your mom.
You are pretentious and materialistic. You will enjoy seeing me assaulting your mother if you gave it enough thought.
Tattered millions bathe in hate--Tons of junk and crack to take!! Teenage girls to eviscerate--Gorged on eyeballs, gonna vomit on your plate.
There are millions of miserable individuals full of anger and resentment. They have so much trash and drugs to consume, and they don't hesitate to kill or mutilate teenage girls. They will eat bizarre things and regurgitate them on your platter.
Slutman City!! Slutman City!!! We masturbatel, and we create, the human race--the spawn of apes. We rape and kill, until we're done--You ask me why--Ha Ha! Because it's fun!
Slutman City is a place of atrocities. Not only do we have a great time by doing disgusting things, but we are also responsible for the human race's existence. We ravage and slay humans and everything else we can get our hands on, and we do this because it's entertaining.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GWAR GWAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind