Black Friday (Gwar single)

Last updated
"Black Friday"
Single by Gwar
ReleasedNovember 25, 2016
Recorded2013, 2014
Genre Thrash metal, punk rock
Length10:14
Label Metal Blade
Gwar singles chronology
"Isn't This Disgusting?"
(2011)		"Black Friday"
(2016)

Black Friday is a single by thrash metal band Gwar, issued on picture disc for Record Store Day Black Friday 2016. [1] It is the first studio material released by the band since founding member and lead singer Dave Brockie died of a heroin overdose on March 23, 2014. [2] Side A (dubbed "Side Oderus") contains the band's final studio recording with Brockie, and side B (dubbed "Side Blothar") contains the band's first studio recording with new lead singer Michael Bishop as his new character Blothar the Berserker. Side B also features the only appearance of the character Vulvatron Destructo, portrayed by singer and seamstress Kim Dylla, due to her dismissal from the band in early 2015. [3]

Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work. The lyrics often deal with social issues and criticism of The Establishment, using direct and denunciatory language, an approach borrowed from hardcore punk.

Gwar American band

Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Following the death of frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie in 2014, the group has continued without any of its founding members.

Picture disc gramophone record showing an image on the playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl

Picture discs are gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics that extend at least partly into the actual playable grooved area, distinguishing them from picture label discs, which have a specially illustrated and sometimes very large label, and picture back discs, which are illustrated on one unplayable side only.

Contents

The single consists of re-recorded cover songs that were initially released through The A.V. Club's annual A.V. Undercover series. The lyrics of the Jim Carroll Band's "People Who Died" were rewritten to include the names of friends of the band who had died. [4] Each verse is sung by a different member of the band. The rewritten lyrics honor actor and comedian Robin Williams, Peter Steele of Type O Negative, Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, Jackass member Ryan Dunn, local friend David Castleman, former Death Piggy drummer Sean Sumner, Pantera and Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell, Ministry and Rigor Mortis guitarist Mike Scaccia, freak show performer Crazy White Sean, and former Gwar members Cory Smoot and Dave Brockie.

<i>The A.V. Club</i> Online newspaper and entertainment website

The A.V. Club is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop culture media. The A.V. Club was created in 1993 as a supplement to The Onion, despite having a minimal presence on its website in its early years. A 2005 website redesign placed The A.V. Club in a more prominent position, allowing its online identity to grow. Unlike its parent publication, The A.V. Club is not satirical.

A.V. Undercover was an American live music web series created by The A.V. Club, distributed on their website. The series premiered on March 16, 2010., ending after the 7th season in 2017.

Jim Carroll American author, poet, and punk musician

James Dennis Carroll was an American author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work The Basketball Diaries; the book inspired a 1995 film of the same title that starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Carroll.

Track listing

Side Oderus
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" / "Baba O'Riley" Billy Ocean, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Pete Townshend 5:35
Side Blothar
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."West End Girls" / "People Who Died" Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Jim Carroll, Brian Linsley, Stephen Linsley, Terrell Winn, Wayne Woods, Gwar 4:39
Total length:10:14

Personnel

Side Oderus:

Lead guitar is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure. The lead is the featured guitar, which usually plays single-note-based lines or double-stops. In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz, punk, fusion, some pop, and other music styles, lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays rhythm guitar, which consists of accompaniment chords and riffs.

Backing vocalist singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists

Backing vocalists or backup singers are singers who provide vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. In some cases, a backing vocalist may sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a broad range of popular music, traditional music and world music styles.

Balsac the Jaws of Death American musician

Balsac the Jaws of Death is the rhythm guitarist in the rock band Gwar. He appears as a humanoid creature with a face resembling a bear-trap. Balsac is usually portrayed wielding a giant battleaxe. In contrast to the other bandmates, Balsac speaks with a pretentious British accent until Lust in Space, where he speaks with an American accent during an argument with Oderus Urungus on the track "Where Is Zog?", though he also speaks without an accent during the argument in "Have You Seen Me?" from The Road Behind EP.

Side Blothar:

Michael Bishop is an American musician.

Blöthar Brown is the current lead vocalist, and occasional bassist, in the metal band Gwar. He appears as a stout pigface horned goblin. Gwar's appearance at the 2014 Chicago Riot Fest debuted an udder that sprays fluids on the crowd, much like the "Cuttlefish of Cthulu" penile attachment sported by the late Gwar singer Oderus Urungus. Blöthar Brown is usually portrayed wielding a wooden shield sword or a battle-axe.

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References

  1. ↑ "RECORD STORE DAY - SpecialRelease" . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  2. ↑ Grow, Kory. "Gwar Frontman's Death Ruled Heroin Overdose". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  3. ↑ Childers, Chad. "GWAR Dismissal of Kim Dylla Leads to Online Spat Over Vulvatron Character". Loudwire . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ "GWAR - People Who Died Lyrics". Genius . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
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