THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 30, 1994 TAG: 9411300056
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUE SMALLWOOD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
THEY'RE NOT really scumdogs, they just play some on stage, screen and CD.
In fact, the members of GWAR are really Richmond art-school exiles who've expanded a seemingly silly concept - a gang of profane monsters also known as the Scumdogs of the Universe - into a multimedia circus encompassing heavy metal, video and, this year, a feature-length film and video game.
It all started almost a decade ago when frontman Dave Brockie, a k a Oderus Urungus, and fellow art students at Virginia Commonwealth University melded their music and sci-fi movie projects. The result - a bizarre, improvisational musical show with weird papier-mache costumes - has evolved into a technically elaborate and downright outrageous production replete with gallons of spurting blood and pulsing viscera.
Though many have not taken kindly to GWAR's scatalogical satire - Brockie was arrested a few years back in North Carolina on obscenity charges - the Beavis and Butt-Head crew has embraced the band wholeheartedly, scarfing up the band's music and video releases, self-produced T-shirts and ``Mind Control Monthly'' comic books.
GWAR is once again on the road, bringing the world its ``Mid-Galactic Championship Wrestling'' tour in support of a new album, ``This Toilet Earth,'' which, mercifully, boasts much-improved playing.
``We have been slaughtering every night,'' says Danielle, who plays GWAR-woman Slymenstra Hymen. ``I've been wrestling every night with the mysoginist wrecking crew: Frank Sinatra and O.J. Simpson.''
The tour comes on the heels of ``Skulhed . . . Face,'' an hourlong, 35mm feature film produced entirely by the band and its extensive entourage and shot at GWAR's Slave Pit compound in Richmond. The gory flick includes appearances from a couple of guest stars: ex-Dead Kennedy/spoken word artist Jello Biafra and pretty-boy singer Sebastian Bach of pop metal band Skid Row.
``He wrote in RIP magazine that I was his favorite female rock star,'' Danielle explains of Bach's unlikely involvement, ``so Dave (Brockie) put me up to calling him and leaving a phone message . . . like phone sex kind of stuff, just silly stuff.'' Apparently, it did the trick; Bach trekked to Richmond to depict a drunken parody of himself.
GWAR also has infiltrated the computer universe, appearing in a video arcade game with Beavis and Butt-Head. GWAR-slave Hunter Jackson, also a founding member, created artwork for the video game and the band contributed new music.
Not surprisingly, the ribald GWAR schtick has garnered a large and devout young fandom. But what kind of kids make the best fans?
``Intelligent ones,'' Danielle says from Florida, applauding those who can distinguish GWAR's satirical fantasyland from reality. ``Unfortunately, I've noticed as the masses get larger, they get stupider. That says something for humanity, as a whole, I think.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOSEPH CULTICE
GWAR's latest album is ``This Toilet Earth.''
CONCERT FACTS
Who: GWAR with Buzzoven
When: 9 p.m. Thursday
Where: Nsect Club, 1916 Armistead Ave., Hampton
Tickets: $11 advance, $13 at the door
Information: 1-838-5463
by CNB