GWAR is an ever evolving juggernaut that cannot be derailed. In fact, the band has faced personnel changes and the ultimate tragedy over the course of their evolution. In 2011, they lost longtime guitarist Flattus Maximus, and just three years later, in 2014, they lost their leader and founding member Oderus Urungus. Coming on for support, in 2012 Pustulus Maximus returned to Earth to fill the void, guitar in hand. In the wake of the loss of Oderus Urungus, Blothar arrived on Earth, battle axe and impenetrable at the ready, wearing the antlers of a slain Spectral Moon Moose and displaying a set of udders which is the main natural defense mechanism of his species. Blothar, against his will, became the lead vocalist and new leader of GWAR. Currently embarking on the 30 Years of Total World Domination Tour with Butcher Babies, Battlecross, and most recently, Born of Osiris, GWAR find themselves stronger than ever and moving forward. While paying tribute to fallen members, the band has reinvented itself once again with an impressive show that exposes humanity for what it is, doomed. CrypticRock had a chance sit down with Blothar and Pustulus Maximus about being Alien overlords, the fate of our planet, and much more.
CrypticRock.com – GWAR has become a leading band in the Metal genre here on planet Earth over the last few decades, to what do you attribute the band’s impressive longevity?
Blothar – Well, honestly, I think it is the pure stupidity of human beings that they would… no seriously, GWAR is a leading Metal band? I suppose that is true. I think the reason that GWAR has lasted as long as it has is because we give the people what they want, which is death, destruction, and violence on an unprecedented scale.
Pustulus Maximus – Basically, I think it is us pursuing a dream to create twisted and fucked up art, and the desire not to have a real job.
- Metal Blade
- Metal Blade
CrypticRock.com – Blothar, seeing that GWAR has morphed and changed through the years, you have now become the voice of the band, is this a task that you welcomed?
Blothar – Of course I would rather be the ass of the band, but sure man, I am the voice of the band, that is fucking great, I am delighted. That is exactly what I need is to have everyone hanging on my every word with baited breath. No, fuck, it is a lot of pressure and I have started doing a lot of sedatives since I have inherited this position from Oderus. Oderus you fucking asshole, where are you?
CrypticRock.com – One of the things that always hold true is the ability of the band to put on a fantastic live show. That said, is there anything left to do that GWAR has not yet done on stage ?
Blothar – At this point, the biggest challenge for GWAR is keeping up with the world because humanity has gotten so perverse and violent that they are actually… I mean everything that we do on stage, humanity is now doing in their everyday lives, you know, cutting off people’s heads, and you have got ISIS turning women into slaves. GWAR is about holding up a funhouse mirror to humanity. Anything that we see humans doing that we think is absurd, GWAR is going to do it to the Nth degree, and just show it back to them, that is what we do. We show humanity themselves in a funhouse mirror, so as far as anything we could do onstage, we have done just about everything. We have done decapitations, we have done dismemberments. I do not think that there are any acts of violence short of an actual full scale explosion of a nightclub that GWAR has not done, so maybe that is the next step. Yes, we are gonna plant bombs all around the nightclub and just blow the whole fucking thing up. We will emerge from the ashes unscathed and of course everyone there will be dead. It is hard to collect your guarantee in that circumstance, I guess we will have to get it beforehand.
- Metal Blade
- Metal Blade
CrypticRock.com – Pustulus, in your opinion, what do you think is left for GWAR to do onstage?
Pustulus Maximus – I do not think we have committed a live act of rape yet, wait a minute, that is not true. We have raped plenty of people on stage. I do not think we are ever gonna run out of shit to do because apparently America is one of the most easily offended countries in the entire world. The more they pick shit to be upset about, we will have endless ammunition to keep on going, because that is our goal, to make you feel uncomfortable. You should, because if you are offended by anything, you should be offended by something, and why not be offended by us? We will trigger all your sensitivities with our insensitivities. Yes, something like that.
CrypticRock.com – Blothar, with you at the helm, how are plans going for the new GWAR record?
Blothar – So far, we are planning on planning a record. We have had a lot of meetings about talking about thinking about doing a record. So that is where it is at, it is at the thinking about, talking about, thinking about it stage. Right now, as far as I am concerned, I have got a bunch of good songs. I know Pustulus has some good songs. I know Balsac has been working on some material. I think we are ready to go. I think that it is going to be fucking great. I think the next GWAR album is gonna blow peoples minds, that is what I think.
CrypticRock.com – Pustulus, you arrived here in 2012. What have you brought to the band since you have arrived?
Pustulus Maximus – Herpes II, and Syphilis. I try to bring some youthful new energy, I stayed frozen a little bit longer than the other guys. When Sleazy P. thawed out the rest of the band, I, Pustulus, was stuck in the closet taking bong rips when everything froze over, so I did not even get thawed out until later. I did not even know GWAR was around and there was nothing going on at the time, so I went back to planet Crust and I came back when I heard Flattus was gone. Now I am stuck. I just want to keep it brutal, not having Flattus creates a hell of a void in such a brutal band. So I am just gonna keep bringing fucked up, Thrashy, Death, Punk Rock riffs.
- GWAR The Paramount Huntington, NY 9-17-15
CrypticRock.com – You are currently on the 30 Years of Total Word Domination tour with Battlecross and Born of Osiris. How is the tour go?
Pustulus Maximus – Pretty good, pretty good. No real complaints, except that it is a challenge to find human trafficking in some towns. People seem to be coming out, Battlecross is kicking ass, those guys have a new record out on Metal Blade. They got a lot of hype and it is cool to see them shredding their asses off, everybody in that band is really talented, and it is good. We have got a hell of a show. We are showing you shit. There is full penetration in this show, who else does that for you? Nobody.
CrypticRock.com – Very true indeed. Over the years of GWAR’s success, have you taken a liking to the adoring human fans that have continued to sell out shows year after year?
Pustulus Maximus – There is nothing on Earth like a GWAR fan. They come out in droves, they drive across the country, they drive, swim, sometime across the entire world to come see a GWAR show. That is pretty epic. So as much as I want to hate them and kill them all, I have somewhat of a soft spot for all of them. Especially the GWAR B-Q last year, thousands of people came from all over the Earth to pay their respects to Oderus Urungus. For a human to pay their respects to an overlord that wanted them dead is a pretty epic thing to witness, so there is a lot of love in the GWAR camp for all these people who support us, year after year, and have not given up. If there is any soft spot in my heart, it is not cancer, it is love. It is love for the fans.
- GWAR Irving Plaza, NYC 11-30-14
CrypticRock.com – Very well said. What are some of your musical influences?
Pustulus Maximus – I like Zeke, probably my favorite band. Peter Pan Speed Rock, Turbo Negro, Motorhead, of course. I should not even have to say that, that is obviously number one. Judas Priest, Watain, Dark Funeral. Basically, I love Punk Rock and Black Metal, those seem to be the two most authentic forms of music on this Earth.
CrypticRock.com – Good mix of music there. CrypticRock.com covers Music and Horror films. If you are a fan of Horror films, what are some of your favorite Horror films?
Blothar – I like the classics. As far as my favorite films, I love the original Frankenstein film (1931), I love Nosferatu (1929). Those, to us, are like bedtime stories, but I also like, as far as more recent stuff, Dario Argento’s crazy weirdo films like Suspiria (1977) and his other films are what I find entertaining.
Pustulus Maximus – Return of the Living Dead II (1988), Street Trash (1987), I drink a fifth of Viper before I go on stage every night. Those are my top two. I am a sucker for the classics as well. The original Dawn of the Dead (1978). Day of the Dead (1985) is actually one of my personal favorites just because of fucking Frankenstein, and the fucking army sergeant that loses his shit. So I like a little bit of everything, mostly campy and classic shit. That is my bag.
- Anchor Bay
- United Film Distribution Co.
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