You probably know at least a little about Gwar. Comedy horror thrash metal from outer space. OTT, usually disgusting live shows. A much-missed frontman. And one hell of a story that has, against all odds, continued to this very day. In honour of the release of their typically ludicrous new EP, The Return Of Gor Gor (that's the band's t-rex, obviously), we spoke to Gwar screamer Blöthar the Berserker to get parenting tips, the Gwar take on the state of Planet Earth in 2025 and why some stage props were a bit too far, even for them.
Blöthar the Berserker, a pleasure to meet you. How are you faring?
“I’m sweating like a... I don't know. At least I have a tail so I can swat away the flies.”
The new EP sees the return of Gor Gor, the band’s adopted T-Rex. Was it a fond and tearful reunion?
“Tearful, yes. Fond, not so much. He thought he was going to get back at us by becoming a prostitute. It hurt a lot, but you have to let your kids skin their own knees. I tried to explain, ‘Look, it’s not like I didn't do my turn in truck stop bathrooms. But now… it's a different world. Besides, how are you going to give blowjobs when you're a Tyrannosaurus Rex?!”
It certainly limits the scope for return custom.
“It really does!”
Do you have any tips for those about to sire a T-Rex?
“Just kill it. Leave it in the woods to starve.”
Many of Gwar’s fans have been fed to the World Maggot. Where does that thing live between shows?
“The World Maggot lives at the centre of the Earth. The planet’s entire mantle hangs upon it.”
So it’s not just in someone's garage?
“No, no, no. It's certainly not rotting in a warehouse in central Virginia. It's definitely not doing that.”
Have you been presented with any particularly strange devotional items by fans?
“When people watch Gwar, it's like somebody checks a box that says ‘anything is permissible’. We've had limbs thrown up on stage, wheelchairs…”
The world is a flaming pile of turds at the moment. What lessons could global politicians learn from your leadership style?
“It's interesting, you've asked me for parenting tips and now leadership advice. Really, we're just trying to get from day to day. I don't have any advice for anybody except ‘don't die’. That's pretty much my aim every night, every performance: I just want to reach the end of this A, having maintained my continence and B, not died.”
In the past you’ve had presidents, members of the clergy and even the Queen of England take part in your live shows. Who have been the most or least popular participants?
“Yes, the Queen, God rest her soul - she was quite a lady. When we played in Montreal Donald Trump ambled out on stage and, unfortunately, there was some technical malfunction. He was just standing there, not saying anything because the show computer wasn't working. You have never heard a more riotous chorus. We didn't know how freaking hated that guy would be in Canada. They went off.”
Have you ever had a prop that went too far?
“Well, we did have a shit cannon once.”
Ah, the faecal trebuchet!
“Yes, really that was too much.”
Gwar has sold a wonderful array of merch over the years, including the Cuttlefish of Cthulhu, uhh, marital aid…
“It's really more of a marital hindrance.”
Have you had any notable feedback?
“There have been progress videos. The biggest one frankly looks like a fire hydrant, so it’s an unpleasant thing to see.”
What’s the hardest fluid to scrub from battle armour?
“We get sprayed with all sorts of things, but really the biggest enemies are heat and sunlight. They’ll make it crack. That and hope.”
The band famously appeared on the Jerry Springer show in the 90s. Have you been tempted to return to reality TV? Perhaps Love Island, or Married At First Sight?
“Can you imagine a 90 Day Fiancé with Gwar? We always wanted to be on Top Chef, but really we need our own reality show: somebody just following us around to see how absolutely insane the day-to-day is.”
We’ve found ourselves at a point where everything is obscene and everyone is offended. As a band who’ve long wielded the blade of obscenity, how are you navigating these times?
“It’s definitely gotten harder to offend humans because they are themselves so offensive. When Gwar started, it wasn’t like you could just call up a live execution and watch it on a screen in your house. Humanity has become so out of control we probably ought to go somewhere else, because clearly we've done our job here.”
The Return Of Gor Gor is out now via Pit Records/Z2 Comic
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