Dave Brockie is a name you may not recognize but if you mention the name Oderus Urungus it may get you to instantly throw up your devil horns! Dave is the is lead singer of the heavy metal group GWAR. Adam Lawton caught up with the man behind the mask to talk about all things GWAR including the groups new album “Bloody Pit of Horror”.
Click here to purchase GWAR’s music
Adam Lawton: I know you have a back ground in painting and drawing but you’re also into Special FX as well correct?
Dave Brockie: I have always puttered about with it, and just basically keeping my costume looking goo. Sometimes I will bust out a GWAR effect. I have been working with the shop guys since the very beginning of GWAR. I am the rarest of GWAR breeds as I am the musician/artist in the group. It’s actually something we need all of the members to be at least to a certain extent.
AL: What kind of sparked the idea of GWAR?
DB: I had a band called Death Piggy at the time. There was a group of guys, which included Hunter Jackson, who were doing props and costumes for a movie they wanted to make. His group and my band were in the same abandoned milk bottling factory, and we kind of collided. The band started wearing the costumes and Death Piggy turned into GWAR and we used GWAR as an opener for Death Piggy. Eventually GWAR swallowed up Death Piggy, and it was game on from there.
AL: You are the only original member on the group right now correct?
DB: Well actually there is one other guy, Scott Crawl, who is one of our artists that has been with us since before the first album, but he did come in a little later than me so I would have to say that yes I am the only one left from the beginning.
AL: When the band was first starting out and a member left was it hard for you to find replacements that shared the same ideas and wanted to wear the costumes?
DB: No, not at all, people couldn’t wait. We never had a hard time finding people who wanted to work with us. The hard part we found was find good people! It is really hard to tell if someone is going to fit until we get them out on the road and start doing the shows. Usually what will happen is when we find someone we really like we try to stick with them. We are very loyal to our employees.
AL: This year marks the 25th anniversary of GWAR correct?
DB: Actually we have been declaring the anniversary for about 2 years now. So technically we are in the 26th year of GWAR. After this year we are going to shut up about all anniversaries until will hit 50!
AL: Did you think GWAR would ever last this long?
DB: Hell no! We started as a joke, then we had a record which we thought would be it but instead it just blew up. It wasn’t until I think we got to the 20 year anniversary that I thought this thing could easily go on forever.
AL: What else is going on right now?
DB: We have the new GWAR album out called “Bloody Pit of Horror” which has been getting a really good reception from the fans. We are currently working on expanding GWAR TV. We are also in the planning stages of Crack-Athon 2011, we are leaving to tour Europe at the end of the month as well as Australia and New Zealand. This will wrap up pretty much two years of frantic activity. I also will be continuing with my appearances on the Fox channel show “Red Eye”.
Click here to purchase GWAR’s music
