America Must Be Destroyed

Infobox Album
Name = America Must Be Destroyed
Type = studio
Artist = GWAR


Released = 1992
Recorded = 1992
Genre = Thrash metal Sludge metal
Length = 45:43
Label = Metal Blade Records
Producer = Glen Robinson
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ogw67ub0h0jf link]
Last album = "Scumdogs of the Universe"
(1990)
This album = "America Must Be Destroyed"
(1992)
Next album = "The Road Behind"
(1992)

"America Must Be Destroyed" is GWAR's third album, released in 1992 as their second album on Metal Blade Records. The album's lyrical content was inspired by controversy over obscenity charges against the band and an incident in Charlotte, North Carolina in which frontman Dave Brockie's prosthetic penile attachment "The Cuttlefish of Cthulhu" was confiscated by police officers.

Overview

The lyrical content in America Must Be Destroyed was greatly inspired by Dave Brockie's fight with police officers while touring in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1992. The controversy revolved around Brockie's rubbery penis adornment. Brockie was revolted by this attack on his rights and so he created a concept album revolving around an elite "Morality Squad" that attacked the members of GWAR and stole Oderus's penile attachment (aka Cuttlefish of Cthulu, a phallic hell beast that normally dangles from his crotch). The opening song, "Ham on the Bone" (which has a nod to grindcore) explains this robbery. The story then shifts to GWAR headquarters in Antarctica, where Oderus's slaves are ordered to shoot up a dinosaur egg with crack. The result is the mighty Gor Gor, a Tyrannosaurus Rex that wreaks havoc on America. Meanwhile, the Morality Squad has enlisted the help of Father Bohab (a Catholic priest) to crucify GWAR in the media. GWAR marches out to battle, and you can take the story from there. Other songs of interest include "Have You Seen Me?", "Poor Ole Tom", and "The Road Behind". Musically, it is a mix of rock and roll and blistering sludge metal, and it is even harsher-sounding than the previous album. A video, "Phallus in Wonderland", was released as a supplement to the album's storyline. This album was followed by "The Road Behind", an EP that contained that single and a riveting live version of "Have You Seen Me?" (which contained a notorious Ween sample at the end). The single "S.F.W." (a staple of their live shows) was supposedly released on this album as a bonus track, but this has been discounted by the band.

Miscellaneous

GWAR fans are referred to as "bohabs," named for Father Bohab ("bohab" literally means "habitually boring," which is the opposite of what GWAR and their fans are - it fits Father Bohab perfectly; GWAR speaks ill of their fans - to their delight - and they have since taken the term as a point of pride).

Father Bohab was never actually on the album - he originally appeared in 1989, along with an early Cardinal Syn. On the Tour de Scum (the corresponding tour to "Scumdogs of the Universe", the Morality Squad story is introduced. He (Bohab) is played by one of the slaves (according to Chuck Varga's Bohab Central forum posts, it was Bob Gorman; he also went on to say that the voice was his) on tour, but is portrayed by Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha) in "Phallus in Wonderland" and "It's Sleazy."

"Pussy Planet," the album's closer, was co-written by Slymenstra Hymen, and was slated to be a duet with Beefcake the Mighty. Though not quite a duet, Slymenstra's voice can still be heard in the song. The opening guitar riff sounds alot like the guitar riff to Rape Me by Nirvana off the "In Utero" album.

The Canadian release of this album does not feature "Crack in the Egg," "Have You Seen Me?" and "Rock N' Roll Never Felt So Good," and instead has earlier versions of "Krak Down" and "Bad Bad Men" (both from "This Toilet Earth") and "O Canada" (according to GWAR, this was included as a way to ridicule Canada for not having the "guts" to include the omitted songs).

Flattus Maximus is not on this album. Dewey Rowell left the band before recording began, and all of the lead guitars (save for two songs - "Crack in the Egg" and the title track, respectively) were recorded by Balsac the Jaws of Death. To this day, Balsac, not Flattus, will usually play lead when performing songs from this album live. Tim Harriss (of Kepone, the band Michael Bishop left GWAR for) played lead on the album's title track; Lee Harris (from Jizmak Da Gusha's old band Rosebud) played lead on "Crack in the Egg". Because of the absence of Flattus, the tour cycle surrounding this album was quite short.

The name of the album may be a reference to the Roman senator Cato, who was famous for ending all of his speeches (regardless of topic) with the line "Furthermore, it is my opinion that Carthage must be destroyed."

Track listing

tracklist
title1 = Ham on the Bone
length1 = 2:04
title2 = Crack in the Egg
length2 = 3:37
title3 = Gor-Gor
length3 = 4:21
title4 = Have You Seen Me?
length4 = 4:46
title5 = The Morality Squad
note5 = Vocals by Edna P. Granbo
length5 = 3:37
title6 = America Must Be Destroyed
length6 = 4:45
title7 = Gilded Lily
length7 = 3:36
title8 = Poor Ole Tom
length8 = 5:07
title9 = Rock & Roll Never Felt So Good
length9 = 4:17
title10 = Blimey
length10 = 3:12
title11 = The Road Behind
length11 = 5:30
title12 = Pussy Planet
note12 = Vocals by Beefcake the Mighty
length12 = 2:51

Line-up

*Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) - vocals
*Mike Derks (Balsac the Jaws of Death) - Lead guitar and rhythm guitar, backup vocals
*Michael Bishop (Beefcake the Mighty) - Bass, backing vocals; Lead vocals on "Pussy Planet"
*Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha) - drums
*Danielle Stampe (Slymenstra Hymen) - backing vocals
*Tim Harris - Lead guitar on "America Must Be Destroyed"
*Lee Harris - Lead guitar on "Crack in the Egg"
*Hunter Jackson (Edna P. Granbo) - Vocals on "The Morality Squad"
*Dave Musel (Müsel) - Samples on "America Must Be Destroyed"

ee also

*Phallus in Wonderland
*The Road Behind