Music
This is another rant that will probably jump all around on the subject. This is flared by my research of an old "tiff" between two bands, Gwar and Slipknot. Basically I want to shit out my 2 cents about this whole thing, which happened in 2002. But first I must give my musical credits, because I live in a musically sheltered world.
Anyone who knows me, knows that Gwar is the band I worship, and I won't say worship like a drooling fan, but its my favorite. If I'm going to listen to something, its typically gwar. But my taste in music is very small and closed up, I can general sum up my mp3 list. Black Sabbath, Black Flag, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, Dillinger Escape Plan, Disciples of Berkowitz, Dying Fetus, Dyshythmia, DBX, GWAR, Six Feet Under, Skinless, X-Cops, M.O.D., Hatebreed, Misifits, and Section 8. I have other albums, but I only picked what I might listen to. 99% of the time, its some form of Gwar, be it X-Cops, DBX, or one of their ten albums.
And I get asked "why" do I listen to Gwar, and not other things such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, or some other good old school or new school metal. For the most part, shitty ass modem and not wanting to pay 20 bucks for a cd that I may or may not like. And yes, to many Gwar sucks, I ask that people listen several times, listen to the actual music and how despite sounding off the bat very one layered, they do alot of background layers. And yes, they do not sing about the woe of the worlds or how their girlfriend left, or love and happiness. They do something fucking DIFFERENT, not another anal drip of the music industry. So with that, click on in.
First let me speak about Gwar to those who do not bother to care for them. They are not an everyday band, nor are they just a bunch of people trying to look cool and be famous. Gwar is built from a group known as The Slave Pit, which basically was a bunch of college art students. The Slave Pit came to be when a punkish band known as Death Piggy joined forces, and thus because The Slave Pit. One member of the group who would later become Sleavy P. Martini, Manager of the Band, was going to make a B or possibly C Movie. It involved alien warriors being stuck on earth. Death Piggy soon experimented with that concept, and started an opening band for their own band, in which they dressed up in paper customs. Thus Gwar was born. Soon Death Piggy was laid to rest, and Gwar took on the main stage. The group of art students put forth their efforts and built their own customs, stage props.
Gwar is not a musical band, Gwar is a Theater Act, a Freak Show, their goal is not to play their instruments like gods, but to FUCKING ENTERTAIN YOU. I have yet meet a person who has gone to a Gwar Show and been disappointed. The music they sing yes is lude and vulgar, talking about spewing sexual fluids and bodly waste, raping babies and the old, and in general, killing the human race. The albums are not just a bunch of songs of them screaming this, each album is actually a chapter in their story, which I will roughly sum up for you.
Anyone who plays Waterdeep will know you will be wiped for saying Gwar Sucks, now if you say you don't like them, we won't, but to act like a 14 year old who just doesn't like the band and going "they fucking blow", will get you killed, And there is a big reason behind this, Gwar fuels Waterdeep and the roleplaying I try to put forth. As you will see from past and present writings and goings on, you'll see connections.
The Master, who created the universe by taking a dump, created a hoard of monster to basically cause chaos, death and destruction across the universe. They were created when he wiped their ass, and were known as the Scumdogs of the Universe. For thousands of years they destroyed planets and life, until they grew so powerful that they would rival the master. So the master banished them to the farthest end of the universe, onto a small mud ball planet known as Earth.
They proceeded to kill off the dinosaurs, and by raping apes they accidently created the human race. But once again they came to the eyes of the master when after a massive party in Atlantis, they were frozen in ice in Antartica.
Eons past and a helicopter crashed landed outside their Antartic Keep. He wandered in and accidently released them from their slumber. Before he was destroyed by Gwar, he offered them cocaine. With this Gwar followed Sleazy P. Martini, who gave them instruments, taught them how to play and set them out into the world, to exploit and grow extremly rich. And that is how Gwar came to be.
Yes, there are other bands out there, I forget what they are called, but basically they sing Roleplaying Songs. This is basically what Gwar does, but in a totally different manor.
Their stage shows are something to be seen. In the right place they have tons of props, and you can witness things like guts being ripped out, heads being chopped off, arms, limbs, nothing is safe. All thanks to the crafters of the Slave Pit, who create body suits to rip apart, usually of famous people, such as the Pope having his head chopped, and Osama having his face peeled off. To go to a Gwar Show means, do not wear anything you life. If you get close, you are going to get wet. They spray pus, jiz and piss on the crowd, usually coming from these prop character who get chopped up. Of course its colored water, but its always random, be it warm, cold, and even salty. Sometimes people come out stained from the dye in the water, so unless you're going to stay a distance from the stage, wear shit that might get ruined, but they do strive not to do that to people.
Gwar is nothing new, they're been going since roughly 1986. We roll around to the other band this rant involves, and that is Slipknot. I've seen people say that Gwar is just coping Slipknot, but that is untrue, if anything Slipknot has copied them. Of course what Gwar does is not something new either, even bands like Kiss put on good shows, but Gwar tends to be one of a kind in their shows. But a band in masks, body suits and such is nothing new. If Slipknot copied them, that is only up to a confession about the band, cause no one will know.
In 2002 the lead singer for Slipknot bashed Gwar during the first announcement that the third Slipknot CD would be the last.
"First of all, no one can touch what we did in the ‘KNOT. We accomplished something everyone said we couldn’t do. We put out two of the best albums, in my opinion, of all time. I believe we can do one more album and go out on a high note. But as far as hanging out after we have lost our relevance? NEVER. I got one fucking word for you: GWAR. I will never do that, and I would never let that happen to a band I bled and almost went blind in one eye for, not to mention nearly losing my voice and losing the ability to sing." - Corey Taylor.
Now I know very little of Slipknot, I liked their first album but did not bother to dig any further, since their second album took a long time to come out if I'm not mistaken. I know nothing of their history, except they were popular in the late 90s and apparently into the 21st century. But from everything I read on these pages I found (antiMUSIC, search for that with Gwar and Slipknot) that basically this Taylor guy seemed like a prick on one fasion or the other. First anyone calling the band "The Knot"....I mean what the fuck is that. I can't argue about his opinion on the two albums. But his whining about the band he bled into, almost went blind in one eye or losing his voice, just sounds like a egomaniac. Its almost like "hey, look at me, look at me, pity me!" type of shit that I do not care for. From what I can see, he put his life into these albums and probably has nothing else to give past the third album, and I'm sure probably made millions upon millions and has no need to work for the rest of his life. Good for him, but now we flip to Gwar.
"Well, Corey, if I may retort, I feel you would be better served keeping your whining trap shut. Every time I read anything you say it issome piss-assed sulky BULLSHIT about how somebody had a fake laminate or how hot your overalls are or how you almost went blind over your band, didn't talk to each other for years or whatever. WAAAAAHHH! Grow up you big baby! We don't care about your rock 'n' roll soap opera, and your self-indulgent hissy-fits dilute and distract from the alleged potency of 'the 'KNOT'. Take a page from DEVO or GWAR and stick with the characters and the image they create. They are much more interesting than you are (which isn't saying much). But how could I doubt someone who has created 'two of the best albums of all time'. I guess you are also the guy who decides who makes the best cheesesteaks or serves the 'greatest slice in town'. My point is that self-annointed praise is bullshit! You are always going on about how great you are — cut it out! Do you think you're Muhammed Ali or what? I can just imagine your embarrassed bandmates eyes rolling behind their masks, as you launch into yet another long-winded and ultimately asinine tirade, the delivery of which has unfortunately become your trademark. No wonder they don't talk to you. And please stop saying 'the KNOT', it sounds stupid, like 'the Nuge', or 'the MAIDEN'. And as far as relevance is concerned, I have one word for you — GWAR. The mere fact that you would link relevance with a word that means nothing underscores your moronic observations as actually being retarded. If you don't believe me, look up GWAR in the dictionary. Cultural events have relevance far longer than their actual occurrence, which means that even your crummy band will have relevance long after you break up, which will hopefully be soon. And GWAR will still be there, leading the insulting reverie, a festering stool on the doorstep of the music industry, unmarred and eternally stinky. It delights me no end that you think GWAR sucks. Maybe you can whine about it some more and we can get some free publicity. You are just too funny. A ninny placed on a podium is a ninny nonetheless. It's too bad that your band is 'eating itself'. You should eat a bowl of dick, maybe that would help. Long after 'the KNOT' has been reduced to a series of protracted legal battles, GWAR will remain an indelible blot on the fabric of our lives, and I will remain a dedicated, obscure, and in my own manner, relevant artist. People will eternally remember you as the scary clowns who had the lead-singer that whined like a little bitch every time he got in print. Maybe you'll think GWAR is relevant when Oderus rams his scaly cock up your ass, that is if you can stop orgasming for five seconds." - Dave Brockie
I love Brockie, he has a flare for words and basically to go psycho on someone's ass. He cares not for his image nor what people think of him, he does what he fucking wants to do. If he wants to take massive amounts of drugs, he can, and get away because no one knows that he's in a known band. But apparently after his posting, Taylor apologized for his remarks, thus backing away from Brockie.
I give Gwar respect because they have never sold out, if they've had the offers or not. They do not make millions of dollars and pump out music like wiping someone's ass. They can be approached after a concert without being kicked in the nuts. Cyric of Waterdeep has talked with Brockie on several occations, who ranted on about politics in a drunken rage. But you can go talk to them, they'll be at the bar drinking afterwards, out back by the bus smoking something. Slipknot I would think there would be security and such. Second, Gwar and the Slave Pit does their entire show on their own. The Slave Pit fabricates the customs which are extremly well built, waterproof casted foam rubber. Which means you have people sculpturing, painters, and shop workers. They produce all their merchandise, have tried the comic industry, there are dvds of B/C Rated Movies, get Phallus in Wounderland which was nominated for a Grammy or Tony, or Skulhedface, or even It's Sleazy. You'll laugh if you have a twisted mind. Hell, they have a board game, and they load their own equipment. Half the time they have no money. They should at least have the respect for almost going for 20 years, and making a medium life out of it, and I'm sure have had a great and enjoyable life. May they have 20 more.
But if you research the antiMusic articles on these events, read the comments below. Something disturbs me about that kind of crap on the web. Of course I know its a bunch of 12 year olds having a pissing contest, but people just don't want to give credit where credit is due.
And that's all, which this posting I think has no true purpose. Maybe I'll turn some people onto Gwar, go download a few MP3s, for musical quality I suggest finding tracks from Scumdogs of the Universe and America must be Destroyed, for an odd heavier sound, This Toilet Earth. RagNaRok features a great talent of instrumental use in my opinion, but is more relaxed. Carnival of Chaos is a blend of their abilities, there is jazz, country, heavy and medium music. We Kill Everything features more happy sounding. If you want more serious, and I would recommend any "metal" liking fans to listen to Violence has Arrived, or their newest album War Party.