This is a long story and yes, i was thrilled travelling alone to Netherlands to go to the show and backstage. I had some email konversation with dave brockie before, he knew i was coming and then i was there, backstage, sourrounded by friendly, nice, strange people and many funny things happened. i had a long and very good chat with don drakulich = sleazy p. martini.
and i know that i told him about nma, but i cannot remember what he said, must have been like: "yeah i kind of heard of them. and they are that good?"
i wasn't star struck or something but i didn't want to run around and take selfies and pictures, so i only have a few. the helmet was like a bike-helmet, very heavy (2kgs?) plus the vinyl or what stuff they used put on it. i have a small head but the thing was very tight and yes, that makes sense.
they play a full set which is at least 90mins i would say. but they also did appear for the encores without the costumes, to play almost naked and that was more kind of a 2 hour + show. and once i saw them with a support band: "the ex-cops" which were great, and only found out later that it was those guys playing two bands. that's when i got really respect for them!
What a fcukin' great story, amazing experience to have had, Cthulhu!
Respect and BIG thanks for taking the time to share it, here.
I love hearing stuff like this, regardless of whether I'm a fan of whomever the artists are, or the work that they have done. It's more of a people who have followed their dreams kind of thing, for me, that makes these kinds of true stories so damn special. For me personally, meeting anyone whose attained, realised or fulfilled their long-time running dream IS where I get impacted, impressed, astounded, pleased most of all. And it doesn't matter to me if that person is some famous person, or the guy or girl at work, or wherever in my life, that managed to finish school and actually find proper, long-term work in the exact field they actually studied for.
I see them all the very same way, all on the same playing field, as individuals - just regular folk trying to live their best life, the best they can and as the best that they can be. It boils down to a lot of tenacity, focus, persistence, stamina, talent, time and a heck of a lot of luck, really... really.
Ever heard of a primarily 90s band called New Fast Automatic Daffodils, out of Manchester, England? Another favourite, great band! Well, anyway, they've got a lot of hard-hitting truthful lines in their songs, that tend to floor and stick in the mind(s) of the listener(s). This one has particularly stuck with me all these years, that to this day, strikes me harder on a daily basis, it goes... "It's not what you know, it's who you know." from their brilliant song of the same name, "It's not what you know." my feet vs. oderus the helmet
beefcake took that picture:
Anyway, getting back on track. Those photos are terrific! Glad you didn't go mad with the camera, I would have believed you either way.
Beefcake is exactly as I envisioned him to be in human form... since watching that
What's In My Bag? episode. Great to see that.
Also pleased you got to communicate, converse with the late
Dave Brockie… I never knew he was born in Ottawa, was Canadian.
If Elvis Presley had been some space-age gangster rapper pimp, I think he would have looked something like Don Drakulich's Sleazy P. Martini persona, lol, no?
Actually, on second thought, there's even a serious bit of John Travolta's iconic
"Saturday Night Fever" look happening somewhere in there, too!
I'm assuming you have got the setlist for that particular 2009 GWAR gig, how about posting it up at
Setlist.fm? I'm positive it will make a lot GWAR fans happy to see it finally posted, there. Oh, come one then!
i took that picture of beefcake:
Glad you were there, Cthulhu! Great story!!
