GWAR: Tiny Desk Concert

Lars Gotrich | July 17, 2023
As the band of intergalactic monsters strapped guitars to their battle-worn bodies, thunder and rain pounded the NPR building outside. As if the late Oderus Urungus was pissing his blessing from Valhalla, the prophecy had finally been fulfilled: GWAR came to destroy the Tiny Desk once and for all.

On Feb. 15, 2020, a parody news site ran the headline: "GWAR asks NPR's Tiny Desk Staff if They're Ready to Get Their A******* Ripped Open." My text messages suddenly blew up. Is this real? No, it's literally fake. Can this be real? Little did they know I'd already been talking to one of the group's underlings since 2019 to bring the Scumdogs of the Universe to the office of seltzer and sensibility.

For nearly four decades, GWAR has terrorized planet Earth with its gratuitously blood-soaked stage shows and grotesque satire. The interplanetary warriors have made comic books, beer, BBQ sauce and, um, adult toys. But, most importantly, GWAR has written some of the raunchiest, silliest and hookiest heavy metal songs, four of which were performed at the Tiny Desk to a giddy audience. No heads were decapitated, but Blöthar the Berserker and Pustulus Maximus did invade All Things Considered afterward to part from NPR with these immortal words: "CDeez nutz."

"Sex Cow"
"I'll Be Your Monster"
"Ratcatcher"
"Phantom Limb"

MUSICIANS
Blöthar the Berserker: vocals
Balsac the Jaws of Death: guitar, vocals
Pustulus Maximus: guitar, vocals
Beefcake the Mighty: bass, vocals
Jizmak Da Gusha: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Lars Gotrich
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel, Zayrha Rodriguez, Alanté Serene
Audio Assistant: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#gwar #nprmusic #tinydesk

[JoaoFerreira-fxxp]

I would have never guess in a million years the GWAR and Tiny Desk would be a thing. Props to the Tiny Desk team for showcasing all kinds of music

[edbrito-swdev]

Never thought I'd see Gwar as a tiny desk concert 😂😂😂

[josephbuttery]

If you’ve ever been to a GWAR show you know this is both only a small sample of what they are capable off and the cleanest show they’ve ever done. 😂😂

[NXTLevelTraining]

Nearly in tears listening to “Phantom Limb” what a beautiful set and a beautiful tribute to Oderus Urungus, the OG, The Intergalactic Humanoid Barbarian. This is the Tiny Desk Concert that not only the people, but all species, have been calling out for for years.

[thereallycool]

This is incredibly wholesome and warms my blackened little heart. Thank you NPR. Thank you GWAR. REST IN POWER ODERUS

[odallard]

GWAR and Cypress Hill in the same week, what a time to be alive.

[RDreamer]

The most artistic and culturally significant program NPR has ever produced. I have seen GWAR four times and each time I narrowly escaped with my life.

[berke]

In 2012 I was sprayed with blood from the neck of a decapitated Snooki from Jersey Shore at a Gwar show, it changed my life

[RandomEntry]

Big thanks to NPR and GWAR for giving me the tiny desk I never knew I always wanted.

[palmerlp]

I saw GWAR in 1995 when I was 17 and Oderus and Slymenstra were in the band. They beheaded the reanimated corpse of Jacques Cousteau, Slymenstra breathed fire, Oderus did battle with Techno-Destructo, and I was addicted to metal forever.

[homestarflyerify]

Wow! So unexpected. I never thought GWAR would allow NPR on their show. It's awesome to see. Ya know, despite being dressed up as a corner of an office NPR actually is a pretty legit venue.

[mistacoz]

I’d always assumed GWAR was insanely fast speed/death metal. I was not expecting this 😂
Great stuff.

[stevenbrown]

I come to Tiny Desk for two reasons: for the audio mix, which is usually superb, and the occasional surprise of "this is not what i expect of NPR"
If, after this success, Gwar does notend their talents to future fundraisers, Oderous' ghost will haunt the NPR offices until appeased.

[rscamp]

Had the absolute honor of being bled on more than once by GWAR, before the great Urungus passed back into space, and seeing them on NPR gives me all kinds of life.

[moribundxix]

Saw the 2005 version of Gwar at Sounds of the Undergeound at the Tweeter Center in Chicago in 100 degree heat... Took an hour for the stage to get set for a 40 minute set... we were all just so hot and exhausted after hours of a festival but 99% of the crowd was so happy and impressed by their performance we forgot all about the heat. This is so incredibly tame for them I'm impressed once more... Thanks NPR!!! I donate on non summer pledge months cuz I don't want to encourage you to do more of them

[barberkingmarc]

This band is what comes to mind for the term, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I never listened to them assuming it would have been insane heavy metal. This was not what I expected, but absolutely great!

[SHVLS]

Glad to finally hear their music! Every show I've attended was rudely interrupted by the defining screams of their victims.

[modelcitizen]

I love GWAR just for their dedication to the bit.

[froglicker]

IF THERE CAN BE A GWAR TINY DESK WHY HAVE I NOT SEEN A PRIMUS TINY DESK

[tikettle]

The closeups on the appendages…I’m dead. They did a great job, had me jamming and chuckling all in one.