Interview by Paul Salfen
The long awaited and highly anticipated documentary “This is GWAR,” will be receiving a limited theatrical run at select Alamo Drafthouse locations in North America, prior to its on-demand release via Shudder. “This is GWAR,” had its world premiere in September 2021 at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX and these special screenings are being presented by Fantastic Fest as well. Showings begin July 16th and a complete list of locations can be found below. Tickets are on sale HERE.
Members of GWAR will appear at two screenings of the film. Those screenings will be July 17th in Richmond, VA* and July 18th in Brooklyn, NY.
“This is GWAR,” is the powerful story of the iconic heavy metal art collective, as told by the humans who have fought to keep it alive for over thirty years. The feature documentary includes interviews with the band members, both past and present, and other artists, including Weird Al Yankovic, Thomas Lennon, Alex Winter, Bam Margera, and Ethan Embry, including never seen footage of legendary GWAR frontman Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus).
“This is GWAR,”is directed by Scott Barber (Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story), with producers Tommy Avallone (Bill Murray Stories) and Josh Goldbloom (V/H/S/94). Executive Producers include Bill Parks, Zach Blair, Matthew Helderman, and Luke Taylor
Dr. Michael Bishop is a Richmond musician known for his work with shock rock band GWAR, and his own post-punk group Kepone. Michael started as the bassist for GWAR while in high school in his hometown of Chester, Va., in the late 1980s. The character he created, Beefkake the Mighty, is still a main character in GWAR, though Michael left the band to concentrate on Kepone, who released three records between 1992 and 2000.
Michael earned an associates degree from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in 2001 and transferred to the University of Virginia to finish his undergraduate studies. He earned a Ph.D. in music from UVA in 2012 and taught writing and topics in American music history at the university, specializing in popular music ethnography and performance studies.
Following the death of GWAR singer Dave Brockie in 2014, Michael rejoined GWAR as the band’s vocalist, the Berserker Blöthar. He resides in Richmond, where he works as a writer and learning strategist, plays with Kepone, and works as the bassist for songstress Sarah White. He also sings for country and soul group the Misery Brothers, and is currently working on music, stage, and animation projects with composer J. William Adkins.
Fantastic Fest Presents “This is GWAR” Screenings:
Austin, TX (South Lamar)
7/17 – 3:25 PM
7/18 – 7:40 PM
Charlottesville, VA
7/20 – 7:30 PM
7/21 – 7:30 PM
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (Las Colinas)
7/16 – 7:30 PM
Denver, CO (Sloans Lake)
7/16 – 3:10 PM
7/18 – 9:30 PM
Houston, TX
7/20 – 7:30 PM
Los Angeles, CA
7/18 – 9:30 PM
Lubbock, TX
7/19 – 7:30 PM
Northern Virginia (Loudoun)
7/18 – 8:00 PM
Northern Virginia (Woodbridge)
7/18 – 7:30 PM
NYC (Brooklyn)
7/18 – 6:30 PM
NYC (Lower Manhattan)
7/18 – 7:45 PM
Omaha, NE (La Vista)
7/21 – 7:00 PM
Raleigh, NC
7/18 – 10:15 PM
Richmond, VA*
7/17 – 7:30 PM (The Byrd Theater)
San Francisco, CA (New Mission)
7/18 – 7:00 PM
Twin Cities, MN
7/17 – 6:30 PM
Washington DC (Bryant Street)
7/18 – 8:00 PM
Winchester, VA
7/18 – 7:30 PM
*Not an Alamo Drafthouse Location
The story of GWAR is carved across the history of this hopeless planet, but GWARthemselves are not of this world…Their story begins far past Uranus, in the deepest reaches of space, where the beings known as GWAR were warriors in the Scumdogs of the Universe, an elite fighting force in the army of the Master of All Reality. But GWARproved too reckless and powerful, and after a series of tragic but hilarious blunders, they were banished to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, with orders to conquer an insignificant backwater prehistoric mudball known as the planet Earth. Once here, GWAR, the original Ancient Aliens, shaped the face of the globe, wiping out the dinosaurs, and mating with apes to create the human race. Having accidentally given rise to all human history, the Master of All Reality froze them in Antarctic ice where they could do no more harm. It was there they were discovered by a shady entrepreneur known as Sleazy P Martini, who sat the band down in front of professional wrestling, late-night horror movies, heavy metal music, and a steady diet of crack cocaine until GWAR became the cultural force they are today!
