OCTOBER 5,1990 — THE DECREE — PAGE 3 The Poet’s Cry Obscenity presented by GWAR Into the backbeat of horrible emotion Distilled revelations in the crystalhzed mind Sullen chapters offers valid statement on society The book is closed By MARK BRETT “Satan,” Oderus said on the As its author dies night in question, “is too cliche The sound of the Poet’s Cry The American Heritage Dic­ Review for GWAR.” Drives on and on tionary defines “obscene” as Another portion of the stage Deeper “offensive to accepted standards show involved “Private Parts,” a of decency.” where they wanted us. There was super hero figure (a guy in a big All around On Tuesday, Sept. 18, Oderus no escape. foam muscle-suit) who tries to And suddenly it stops Urungus, lead singer of the heavy The rest of the set, in aU hon­ clean up GWAR’s act, making Silent mourning metal band GWAR, was arrested esty, is a bit of a blur. As the mincemeat of both Oderus and The soldier’s boot on charges of public obscenity show progressed, a seemingly the Sexecutioner (GWAR’s sec­ endless supply of victims was The blood in the mud after a performance in Charlotte. ond-string vocalist). He is then brought onstage to meet niessy defeated by GWAR Woman (ap­ And somewhere in the downtrodden rot One vice officer on the scene has been quoted as saying, “2 Live ends, all spraying the crowd with parently GWAR’s sex object) A flower arises Crew is Sunday School compared blood and other unappetizing sub­ with a swift kick to the groin, in a With fresh new smells to this group.” stances. nice statement, not the only one The opaque illusion of rotting corpses On the previous evening, Sept. The most memorable of these of the evening, on both authority was a priest (an actor in a big figures and sexism. And the playing of harps 17, GWAR performed in Chapel HiU to an amused and excited foam “priest suit”) who was cut A dead horse crowd, none of whom seemed to open, had a few vital organs burst And, let we forget, the music — F. Damien Phillips be very upset (except, perhaps, over the crowd, and was then sod­ was good, too. The memory of by the half-hour delay in the omized with a two-foot latex the complete playlist was annihi­ show’s start). penis by our main man Oderus lated by steams of blood and goo, The opening Act, Agony Col­ (who then climaxed on the audi­ but they did play “Maggots,” umn, got things moving with a ence); and a bag of dead babies, “Horror of “Yig” (which didn’t Ignorance enslaves loud, fast, incoherent, and merci­ who had their brains eaten, their have the bagpipe solo but was ac­ fully short set of hardcore thrash, skulls penetrated by the two-foot companied by a very nice fire- (Continued from Page 2) who claims to represent me (or setting off a few rounds of latex member, and were cast dance from GWAR Woman), and aside. After one of these displays, the crowd-pleasing “Slaughter- nections, and not only will our wants to) creates an image of me friendly slam-dancing. Opening between songs, Oderus told the ama” (which was strangiely inof­ leaders speak for us, they will also that is false. I am a person of for GWAR has to be one of the crowd: “Remember: It’s not rape fensive after the other excesses create us. If we let them, they North Carolina and I want to help toughest gigs in music, and Ag­ if they’re dead.” of the evening). GWAR played, will decide what the “American define what that means. ony Column did a passable job of The point of this display? Keep and they played weU. That’s all people” or the “people of North I was walking through a it. At least they didn’t sing about in mind that GWAR is, first and that really matters. Carolina” think. Greensboro neighborhood a Norse gods and pretend to be foremost, a parody band. Ozzy So, is GWAR obscene? Yes! That’s why I’m doing what couple of weeks ago. I was knock­ profound. Osbourne bit the heads of bats This act is “offensive to accepted little I can for a candidate this ing on doors and asking people After a brief intermission, the standards of decency.” Is this year, which I haven’t done since who they were going to vote for. lights went down and the real and blew up livestock onstage, and other performers have been necessarily a bad thing? No. I became Cynical in 1972.1 don’t I was hot, tired, disgusted, and show began. GWAR claims to be When the obscenity exists to want to be silent while someone discouraged. I counted five more a group of warriors from outer known to drink animal blood in houses on my side of the street space, and promises to slaughter concert (the real thing, not the make a valid statement about the and decided I’d quit after those. and subjugate each and every stage blood of GWAR) and make society that has accepted the stan­ Club takes trip In one of those houses I met audience on Earth. They began bizarre pleas to Satan, all with a dards being violated, it has every straight face. GWAR, in the true right to exist. This is known as By KATIE WRIGHT three teenagers who were sur­ making good on this promise prised to hear that a black man from the outset, as three people spirit of parody, takes these an­ freedom of speech. tics a few steps fiuther to point Oderus Urungus was released Fourteen members of vras running for the Senate and in hideous form and latex masks out their inherent stupidity. from jail Sept. 19 on $1,000 bond. Wesleyan’s Outdoor Club went wondered if Mr. Helms was still slipped onstage, carrying signs camping for the weekend in Nags condemning homosexual photog­ bearing such slogans as “GWAR Head on Sept. 14. raphy. They said the people of is Obscene Filth” and “Guns Not Along with the president, North Carolina couldn’t possibly GWAR.” FAST FUNDRAISING PROGRAM Susan Ingram, and the official reject Helms for a black man who These three protesters were chaperone of the Outdoor Club, supported perverts. Then they quickly and horribly dispatched looked at me with hostile suspi­ Kim Norquest, were: Maurice by the band members, spraying IN Johnson, Dr. Johnson, Bobby cion. the audience with what was to be JUST Bauer, Eduardo Borja, Stew I decided to cover another the first of many gushers of blood ONE Crank, Kristie Warrren, Kevin street. (as a friend of mine said, if you’re WEEK. Hambrecht, Holly Rogers, Gabby going to see GWAR, don’t wear nooo Facts are alarming Griffis, Alyssa Cooper, Teresa anything you want to keep). Af­ Earn up to $1000 in one Pitt, and Lisa Stells. (Continued from Page 2) ter ridding themselves of the dis­ week for your campus The group enjoyed a beautiful there are only 750,000. If this senters, GWAR lit into their an­ organization. weekend. They had campfires, continues, elephants may become them, “The Salaminizer.” took walks on the beach, hiked extinct by the year 2000. “A little message from a God Jockey’s Ridge, played games, • Every three months the U.S. to a slave,” this song set the mood Plus a chance at got sunburned, and made new throw away enough aluminum to for the evening, in more ways than ^5000 more! friends under the sun and moon. rebuild our commercial air fleet. one. In the fantasy world of “We look forward to our next •Ninety-nine and a half per­ GWAR the conquering horde, our trip, and invite everyone to cent of all the fresh water on earth masters had taken the stage and This program works! come,” one member said. “All is in icecaps and glaciers. were were domed. In reality, a No investment needed. you have to do is look for our That’s enough to think about remarkably talented, funny, and flyers, contact a member, bring this time. We’ll look at more later. (above all) intelligent heavy metal CaU 1-800-932-0528 yourself and a little money, and But do think about our world — band had its audience enthralled. Ext. 50 prepare to have fun!” and what you can do to clean it up. In either case, GWAR had us right.