[Editor’s Note: I know we usually don’t cover music, but Brian asked if he could post a little something in honor of this tragic loss to the metal community. Thanks for reading.]
This past Sunday was the day before Halloween. This time of year is good for 3 things: Candy. An excuse to dress up and act like a fool. And Gwar at the Vogue Theater. As always, the show was a nonstop shit-fest of blood and semen being sloshed, splattered, shot, and ejaculated all over the crowd. And we loved every drop of it.
This is my second version of this write-up. The first went into tons of gory (Gwary?) details about the experience of the show, the costumes, the set list, the opening bands, and how scary it was having about $2000 worth of camera equipment around my neck while people and excretion flew directly at me the whole time. Then something terrible happened. Three days after the show at the Vogue, lead guitarist Cory Smoot, better known to fans as “Flattus Maximus,” was found dead in the band’s tour bus. The cause of death is still unconfirmed, but frontman Dave Brokie (Oderus Urungus) released a statement saying that they will retire the Flattus character and continue the tour while they grieve the loss of their brother.
Cory was 34 years old and an incredible guitarist. Incredible with a capital Badass. Seriously. You have all these newer heavy bands dropping their tuning down lower or playing on a 7-string guitar. No, Cory played a fucking 8-string. Count ’em, EIGHT. I hate playing guitar with as much as long sleeves on, let alone a huge grotesque costume featuring dinosaur heads for shoulder pads and reptile feet. But he shredded with the best of them, with his red menacing face and dark eyes staring into your soul. He might not have been the original Flattus Maximus, but he was inarguably the best. From 2002 to 2011, his role in Gwar is unforgettable.
There is a new hole in the heart of metal, and it is one that won’t be easily replaced. It’s a sad time for Gwar and their huge cult following of loyal fans… Flattus, you will be missed.
Flattus Maximus gwar Oderus Urungus