Fuck No - Flattus Maxiumus Found Dead!

Shit, it's hard to believe this is true, but MetalSucks.net has received word from GWAR main man Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) that guitarist Cory Smoot was found dead this morning.

"It is with a sense of profound loss and tragedy that the members of GWAR must announce the passing of their long time guitarist and beloved friend Cory Smoot,  also known to thousands of metal fans worldwide as Flattus Maximus.  Cory was found deceased this morning as the band prepared for a border crossing.  There is no word as to the cause of death and the members of GWAR are completely shocked and devastated that this has occurred.  At this point there is no word on arrangements and the disposition of the remainder of GWAR’s current North American tour, nor are there any details regarding long term plans.  At this point we are just dealing with the loss of our dear friend and brother, one of the most talented guitar players in metal today.  We ask that our fans and the media be respectful of our request for privacy for those that have suffered this terrible loss.  A full statement will be coming in the next day or so, in the meantime please give your thoughts and your prayers to Cory, his family, and all the people that love him.

-Dave Brockie-"

GWAR - TVD (Television Documentary)

Here's one of GWAR's early fan club videos, TVD, which was sold directly from the Slave Pit in the early '90s.


Title: TVD (Television Documentary)
Date: 1994
Time: 90m
 
Notes: This video is made up of several TV appearances from Europe and the U.S. Includes the Black & Huge video, the Joan Rivers show interview, GWAR crashing a panel at the '89 New Music Seminar, an appearance on a cable access sports call-in show, an appearance on a Morton Downey Jr. style rip off show called The Hot Seat, and many other appearances.

(edit: link updated)

Hey, Are You....

...Hunter Jackson? Um, no, but I have been asked this question online more than once. My middle name is Hunter, as is Techno Destructo's first name. Just a coincidence!

GWAR - WUST Radio Hall, Washington DC 1988

Alright, here is my first video posting, and one of the oldest GWAR shows in circulation. Enjoy!

Location: WUST Radio Hall, Washinton D.C. (a.k.a. Baltimore, Maryland)
Date: Early 1988
Time: 30m

1. Time For Death
2. Black & Huge
3. War Toy
4. World O' Filth
5. Americanized
6. Ham On The Bone

Notes: This is the full show. A set list can be seen hanging on the side of the stage listing several other songs, but towards the end a fight breaks out in the audience and the set is cut short. 


The show opens with Sleazy introducing the great None perfoming the works of Anton Reemcomb in front of a paper backdrop that is painted up to look like an art gallery. None (Scott Krahl) comes out along with his partner (Mike Bonner) and does a wierd dance to the tune of some carnival music before Bonner breaks an easel over his head. Sleazy comes back out with the head of Anton Reemcob which explodes as GWAR rips down the backdrop and tears into Time For Death. The costumes in this show are still fairly crude, with Oderus having some shit on his face but not the full face mask that will make it's appearance in the months following this show, nor does he have the German war helmets on his shoulders yet. Also worth noting is that they perform a thrash version of Black & Huge.

The exact date on this show is unknown, although it is said to be from 1988. Judging from the state of the costumes, it is at least a couple of months earlier than the 4/11/88 Trenton NJ show, leaving me to guess that it is probably Jan or Feb 88, or possibly even late 1987. Mike Bishop is there as Beefcake, and Lisa Harrelson, the old GWAR Woman is also seen.

The sound on this show is direct from the soundboard, which means that it's likely that this show was filmed by the band. Also, in the beginning, Sleazy (hamming it up) says "it's great to be back in Baltimore, because Baltimore knows how to rock, give yourself a hand Baltimore" but in fact this show was filmed in Washington D.C. At the end Oderus says (sincerely) "We'll see you again real soon D.C."

Exposed to GWAR

My first exposure to GWAR was on the cover of the Winter '89 issue of Flipside. I didn't know what the hell this grotesque conglomeration of creatures was on the front, but it certainly got my attention. Not long after, I saw them again on the "Metal Detector" news segment on the Headbanger's Ball - it wasn't much, just a brief mention of the band and a few pictures of Oderus, Techno, and the Sexecutioner if I remember right.





What really hooked me though, was in July of 1989, when MTV's "Week In Rock" news program ran an interview with GWAR taped at the New Music Seminar. It was so funny, I have literally watched that clip hundreds of times. As a young art student and metalhead myself at the time, I felt immediately connected to what GWAR was trying to do. Not just the wacky menagerie of characters they had created, but how they were taking theatricality in music to a whole 'nother level. KISS and W.A.S.P. had been two of my favorite bands in high school, and I could see that what GWAR was doing was light years beyond what those bands had done.






A couple of weeks later, I caught another follow-up interview on MTV News, announcing that GWAR was going on a short tour. Amazingly, one of the shows was at Milwaukee's infamous Odd Rock Cafe, best know for G.G. Allin's shit-flinging incident.  A few weeks after that, my brother and I went with a few friends to what would be the first of dozens of GWAR shows I've attended. Despite the crude simplicity of their early shows, my mind was blown, and I've been a fan ever since.

Welcome to The Ultimate Bohab!

Hello fellow Bohabs! Chances are, if you've found this place then you're a GWAR fan like me and I hope you find some cool stuff here. I've got a fuck-ton of videos, bootlegs, side-projects, and other GWAR-related stuff to share, so rather than trying to seed them on a torrent site I'm going to try uploading them to some of the free web-based hosting sites. I'm starting with Wupload and may also upload to Filesonic or another service as well.