Even COVID has kept the mighty GWAR on live performance hiatus as it seems not even these intergalactic gladiators are immune. But while we wait for our favorite aliens to get back on the road here on earth, the band has put together an EP to attempt to hold us over.
The Disc With No Name features unplugged versions of four GWAR classics, completely reimagined and rearranged acoustically (but with some electric).
GWAR took a brief trip into my cerebral cortex to tell me, “The idea to release the EP came during last year’s quarantine following the heart wrenching, emotional and ridiculous acoustic performance for The A.V. Club during their quarantine sessions. With this release, the band looks back wistfully on eons of murderous rock and roll and the lonesome time of the great GWARANTINE of 2020.” (Can you believe GWAR was covered by CNN? … Actually, kinda makes sense these days).
The song “The Road Behind,” featured in those A.V. Club Sessions is here on the EP.
“I’ll be Your Monster” is a bluesy track that, perhaps comes out of the bayou of the cajun section of GWAR’s home universe. Apparently they also seemed to have developed a knack for Robert Johnson chord progressions millions of miles away. Also – check out the Ace Frehley style solo in this song. Makes total sense given Ace is the “Spaceman,” in Kiss… oh wait a minute… that might actually now be someone else or something.
And it’s so GWAR to have some beautiful harmonies meshed with horrendously vile lyrics on “Gonna Kill You.” It’s part Joni Mitchell and part Freddy Krueger. You must hear it.
Lead singer Blóthar the Berserker had this to say about the upcoming release:
“During the quarantine of 2020 I spent long, lonely days with my hand down my pants, hiding out in a fortress made entirely of rolls of toilet paper, drinking hand sanitizer and watching ‘1000-Lb Sisters’… which is business as usual for me. So I was relieved when I got the call to lay down some vocals on The Disc With No Name. We recorded this record over the telephone, which was fine with me, because I can’t stand to be in the same room as the other members of GWAR.”
And while we’re on the topic of GWAR, let’s remember their classic appearance on Joan Rivers back in 2006. Joan and Dave Brockie were both taken from us way too early.
The limited edition picture disc is sold out but you can still get the digital download, the t-shirt and the hoodies all at very reasonable prices here. The EP releases on May 28, 2021.
