Twenty Years Later, GWAR Is Back by Emma Ruthnum Ance

INK volume 5 issue 10 8 November 25, 2009 What are people on campus listening to? "Someone Who Cares by Three Days Grace because they’re my favourite band. It’s just a really good song, and I like it.” - Kira Dotchuk Metal Blade Records Graphic interpretation of thrash metal band GWAR. Twenty years later, GWAR is back by Emma Ruthnum ance. They have garnered a cult- into. It’s cartoon violence like following and will have out- though,” he said. “I don't think anyone could lived many bands by turning 25 “There was a time when it had be fully prepared for that show,” this year. very sexually overt tones to it. said Venue nightclub owner GWAR is celebrating their Now it’s changed in that they’ve "I’m currently listening to Rumpelstilt- Guy Stuart to the Regina Free quarter-century anniversary realized that this is a business to skin Grinder. It is a new-era thrash Press, in an article published in with a North American tour and them. This is their livelihood. August 1989. The show marked the release of Lust in Space. The They’ve realized in this day and band and I am a thrash fanatic ... I’m the last time GWAR played the album proved they could still age that people’s attitudes have currently listening to Brainwasher cur- Queen City. keep it relevant by charting at changed.” rent era 1655. It’s very aggressive, Now, 20 years later, Regina 96 on the Billboard Top 200, Jelinski also debunked ru- good guitars solos, (I) highly has decided to give the thrash the highest ranking in their ca- mours that the band had been recommend it.” metal band another chance. reer. banned from Regina for the And although the Venue (now Regina show promoter Peter past 20 years. - Nigel Middelkamp the Distrikt) won’t host the The same laws govern both show, the University of here and Saskatoon, where the Regina's Riddell Center will. “That’s the band has played over six times GWAR are rarely out of their in the past two decades, he said. “Scumdog of the Universe” per- biggest reason Local artist Ivan Anderson sona and claim to hail from saw GWAR perform in Toronto outer space. They say their goal why GWAR four years ago. He doesn’t plan is to destroy the human race, to see them again. but first, save it from Cardinal had to come “One GWAR show is enough Syn, the antagonist in their life back to planet for me. And I really don't like saga. the Riddell center as a venue. It “Cardinal Syn has taken over earth, feels awkward,” he said. everything (in space). He’s out- While he enjoyed the show, lawed all naughty fun, there’s because there he feels the band is very specta- no heavy metal, there’s no tele- are no drugs in cle driven. Iron Maiden could phone hookers and there’s no also fall into this category, he "The new Tegan and Sara is really crack,” said frontman Dave outer space said. good. It’s just different. It’s something Brockie, a.k.a. Oderus Urun- “The difference is Maiden is new. I like that all their albums change gus, in a recent phone inter- anymore.” bearable when you take all the — every one is different than the last view. excess and skulls and shit away. one, so it’s nice.” “That’s the biggest reason GWAR, on the other hand, - Nicole Brown why GWAR had to come back — GWAR frontman doesn’t hold up well when to planet earth, because there Dave Brockie they're not spraying you with are no drugs in outer space a.k.a. Oderus Urungus blood,” he said. anymore.” Filmmaker Eric Hill may not It can be a complicated con- have heard GWAR’s music, but cept to wrap your head around, Jelinski sees differences in he’s familiar with the show and as GWAR also claim to have GWAR from when they played would like to find out for him- created the human race through here in 1989. self what it’s all about. procreation with apes. “We produced the show in “I've never heard GWAR, but The band puts on a live show Saskatoon last year and I had I gladly accept them as my lead- so theatrical it is often com- reservations about it because I ers,” he said. pared to a Broadway perform- didn’t know what I was getting GWAR Discography: “Anything by Opeth just because they’re 1988 - Hell-O 1999 - We Kill Everything 1990 - Scumdogs of the Universe 2001 - Violence Has Arrived so different and a bunch of different gen- 1992 - America Must Be Destroyed 2004 - War Party res in one song, I guess. And I just love 1994 - This Toilet Earth 2006 - Beyond Hell them and everything they do.” 1995 - RagNaRok 2009 - Lust In Space - Drew Duchscher 1997 - Carnival of Chaos.

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