Dave Brockie, better known as Gwar frontman/front-alien Oderus Urungus, passed away this morning, at the age of just 50. This follows the death of guitarist Cory Smoot, aka Flattus Maximus, in 2011, while the band were on tour. Forming the band of terrifying alien creatures in 1984, Brockie had long been the only remaining founding member of Gwar.
Aside from this sadness, it should be remembered that Gwar were one of the most relentlessly entertaining bands on the metal circuit, with endlessly elaborate stage shows consisting of fake blood, props, things getting chopped in half, and tireless sets of over-the-top thrash metal. The last time I saw Gwar, the lead singer of Every Time I Die was fed to a gigantic maggot during the encore. They were a good time.
Here are some of the most entertaining Gwar videos I could pull together at short notice, chronicling the band's time as not only a legitimately good metal act, but entertainers and comedians as well.
5. Oderus Urungus Reads a Bedtime Story To Your Children
"Goodnight Moon" always needed this sort of commentary, we just never realized it before.
4. Gwar Covers "Carry On My Wayward Son"
Oderus - "Kansas was a big part of a big part of music where bands were often named after geographical locations. And let's hope that that never happens again. Because, quite frankly, those bands SUCK!"
3. Gwar Goes On Jerry Springer
Oderus - "I'M SORRY!" *weeps* I wonder what Shaun is doing nowadays.
2. Oderus Urungus on Fox News
Oderus appears as Fox's "Interplanetary Correspondent," and says that people who illegally download Gwar songs should have their necks stood on, "until their heads explode," but that they have that covered anyway, because when you listen to Gwar, "it makes your head explode."
1. Gwar Plays Dance Central on XBOX Kinect
Ever wanted to see a terrifying alien who demands the extinction of all humanity dancing to "Pokerface"? Well, here you go.
