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Oderus Urungus is not your typical rock star. He was born on the planet of Scumdogia and currently lives in Antarctica. He’s a several billion years old and has been waging intergalactic war for much of that time. He has horns growing out of his skull and he refers to his mighty manly part as the Cuttlefish of Cthulhu (OK, Tommy Lee probably calls his that, too). And his shows with his band GWAR usually result in lost body parts (not his), violent deaths and bloody mayhem.

“Talk about consistency! Twenty-five years of uninterrupted slaughter!” crows Urungus. “If it weren’t for GWAR this planet would be completely overpopulated. It’s all we can do to keep up with you. You’re churning babies out. I don’t want to use nuclear weapons. That’s just not my way. But if I have to I will.”

Yes, Urungus prefers a good old-fashioned sword to quick annihilation Rumor has it that Dave Brockie and some friends actually came up with the concept of GWAR in Richmond, Va., back in the 1980s. Certainly, the members of GWAR are better looking and more fashionable than they were back in the days when the band’s clothing seemed to be made out of papier-mache. GWAR toured college towns spraying the crowds with blood and other bodily fluids. If it tasted a little like Karo Syrup, well, so be it. The band released its debut album, “Hell-O,” in 1988 and followed with “Scumdogs of the Universe” in 1990. The band’s new disc, “Lust in Space,” is the group’s 12th studio album.

Through the years, the act’s popularity has ebbed and flowed with younger fans coming in to take the place of the casualties. One thing that hasn’t changed is the fans’ apparent joy at being covered in GWAR goo.

“They don’t really have a choice now, do they?” says Urungus. “They can’t get away. I think it’s a way to break down the barriers. About two minutes into the show everyone is covered in squirming plasma head to toe and it erases any individuality and turns into one bloody squirming tadpole. That’s what it looks like from the stage.”

Urungus says earthlings have posed little challenge over the years. Disappointing, he says, because GWAR fathered the species when they mated with apes years ago.

“I thought I’d create a creature that combined the best qualities of GWAR and apes and create a super race. As it is, an ape could beat the (expletive) out of you!”

A much more formidable opponent is Cardinal Sin — a creation that can change his size due to his level of anger.

“He’s a gigantic cyborg thing, fully robotic, I believe, powered by a cybernetic baby, so there’s two things you gotta kill! I believe he’s scheduled to arrive right in the middle of our set. We’re going to kick his (butt), undoubtedly.”

The State of North Carolina did give the group a little trouble when the group’s act was declared obscene and Urungus’ Cuttlefish was confiscated as evidence.

“North Carolina, I don’t know if you’re proud of that, but it’s the only time, ever, I’ve had to leave behind part of my body! I don’t know where it is.”

No matter, GWAR members can regrow body parts.

“And it grew back larger. Now it’s all I can do to not cut it off repeatedly!”

GWAR’s audience seems to be increasing in size as well. The band recently headlined at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and played to 80,000 people.

“It felt good after 25 years of slogging it out,” says Urungus. “Every year you get a little bit older and a little bit stinkier, but it was a very vindicating moment!”

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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