Recording - October 2021 - 32

Closer to
GWAR
these albums don't sound like a real drum kit, it
sounds like a drum program, and that's not fair
to the music. It's not fair to the musicians either.
What was the hardest song to
record on The Blood of Gods?
Blöthar: 'Crushed by the Cross' wasn't easy
on bass guitar, and singing that AC/DC cover
was tough. Being several million years old, I
hadn't recorded digitally before. It puts an uncomfortable
amount of power in the producer's
hands. I don't know how Ronan kept track of
everything, but he did some good editing.
RCM: While we were grabbing the best parts
from different takes, I don't think there's any
note from anyone on the record that's slid, shuffled
around or quantized.
Blöthar: If I'm not mistaken, you were always
looking for the longest parts to grab cause it's
all about having the vibe.
Pustulus Maximus: I don't remember having
any problems with vocals or rhythm guitar,
but ironically enough [answering the question
as Brent], I had really bad carpal tunnel in
both hands, and I could barely get through
15 minutes without my hands cramping up.
So, I scheduled carpal tunnel surgery on both
wrists for the last week of recording. Literally,
I finished the last solo, and I had surgery
the next day. And then I was basically out
of commission for a few months. So now I'm
really looking forward to recording the next
album because I'm not going to have those
obstacles.
What is your typical guitar rig in
the studio? Do you have favorite
pedals or a favorite axe?
Pustulus Maximus: I used to be really picky
about choosing guitars and amps. Nowadays,
I just focus more on, is the song good? Is the
performance good? No one listening to the record
will care whether it was a 1979 JMP or a
1984 JCM 800. But to get a good tone, I think
you do have to have good gear. I just stick with
the tried and true-a Les Paul and a Marshall,
maybe a Tube Screamer for additional overdrive.
Maybe I'll play something with a tremolo for
lead guitar, like Dean guitars with a Floyd Rose
on them. I like my Deans because they're the
same scale length, mahogany body, and maple
top as my Les Paul.
32 RECORDING October 2021
Blöthar: We got really complicated with the guitars on this record. It was a
Marshall with a Les Paul and an SM57.
Blöthar, I was told that you played a Steinberger bass.
It's the Steinberger XM3, the one with the body. It's like the guy in Genesis
used to play. I wound up buying that instrument years ago because when
GWAR would play live, I used to use our guitar player's '67 or '68 Fender
Jazz bass. It was a gorgeous instrument, but it kept getting ripped out of my
hands when the tuning pegs would get caught in somebody's chains. So, I saw
a Steinberger, and I had no idea what they sounded like. I just noticed that it
didn't have a headstock. People think of them as small, but they're really freaking
heavy. Back when I was only 18 million years old, I really liked the idea of
a big, heavy slab that would break your back when you hold it.
What do you think of the Scumdogs remix? Blöthar,
you played bass guitar on that too, back when
you were controlled by Beefcake the Mighty.
RCM: He also sang on a couple of songs and co-wrote much of it.
Blöthar: I love what Ronan did with it. Back in the day, I took six to eight
two-inch Ampex tapes and dragged them through the airport to Los Angeles.
I was the one from the band that was supposed to be representing GWAR in
the studio. Here I'm with all these old LA studio guys, and they weren't really
gonna listen to me. I was just along for the ride. What we got was that sort of
80s cocaine fried chicken sound-very sizzly, very compressed guitars.
We were very disappointed when we brought that record back. Ronan basically
did to that record what he did with The Blood of Gods, which was to
get rid of the compression and effects and strip this down to a group of guys
playing instruments in a room.
RCM: There is still a ton of compression on both of those records, it is just
better compression.
Blöthar: We were a good rock band, well-rehearsed, playing our asses off and
hungry for it. And I love that Ronan found stuff on those tapes that nobody's heard.
Oderus (Dave Brockie) was just a funny dude, and he was really on with the vocal
performances on that album. That's probably what I like best about it, the vocals.
What advice would you give to a young musician
going into the studio for the first time?
Pustulus Maximus: Don't do it. Go back to engineering school-like mechanical
engineering, not audio engineering.
Blöthar: Just keep buying stuff. Don't ever actually use it. [laughter]
What's the one question about your music that you've
never been asked that you wish someone would ask?
Blöthar: How dare you?
Pustulus Maximus: Why?
Guys, it has been an honor!
Recording - October 2021

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