Metal and The Macabre: Zombies and GWAR

Our tribute to zombies in music videos continues with a look at Gwar’s MV for “Zombies, March!” helmed by an industry icon.

This month, Metal and The Macabre explored the flesh-eating music video collaboration of “Scream!” with horror punk rock legends The Misfits, directed by the man himself, George A. Romero.

Our part two conclusion wraps up the journey of zombie and metal music themes with a hilarious hidden gem from Director David Ian McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring, Glorious). Let’s jump on that rollercoaster ride of escaping the dead in the landscape of doom metal music with GWAR’s “Zombies, March!”

McKendry’s creative ingenuity and energy on “Zombies, March!” reminds me once again what a music video should be: memorable, fun, and one to replay fourteen years later. It’s another beautiful reminder of what Brockie and Smoot left for GWAR.

The Details

“Zombies, March!” Music Video for GWAR

Director: David Ian McKendry
Producers: David and Dr Rebekah McKendry, Michael Koopmans
Cinematographer: Shaun Lilley
Makeup FX Artist: Johnny Leftwich
Album: Bloody Pit of Horror (2010)
Release Date: First Single Debut and Video – October 30th, 2010
Record Label: Metal Blade Records

On a sunny Richmond, Virginia afternoon, outside the concert venue, a security guard asks two young women if they want to be in a GWAR video. Inside, the distracted Director (David Ian McKendry), glued to his phone, gets the Sleazy P. Martini (Don Drakulich) “slap out of it” gesture. Sleazy gives a chastising pep talk to the Oderus Urungus (RIP Dave Brockie) and the boys. Sitting back down next to the nervous director, Sleazy orders, “Say that thing you’re supposed to say.”

Director: “Action!”

Oderus grandly starts the song: “Welcome once again to the bloody pit, my friends. We’re so glad you could attend, come and die, come and die.” A black-and-white signal spreads throughout the whole city, calling the dead to rise and feast on the living.

At the cemetery, the dearly departed grab the Mourner and Priest. The dead roam like an old black-and-white film reel. Cut back to GWAR playing on the stage throughout the video. Laughing stoners aren’t safe, and an uninvited guest at a slumber party turns it bloody and campy.

There is effective fast-motion camera work and editing throughout the video to give you feelings of rapid mayhem and the dead’s prowling instincts that synthesize the pounding beats.

As GWAR cranks up the decimals, more chaos ensues in The Fan (Fan District) of Richmond.

Even the old peeping Tom can’t find refuge in watching the dancing girl as she bites him where it counts. The abortion doctor is attacked by the discarded fetus. Only GWAR can keep this outrageousness coming.
The tow truck driver and hot chainsaw punk girl (guess who!) get devoured by car accident zombies.

I dig the thick blood makeup look on the snarling girl from the totaled car.

The dead stroll over to The National Concert Hall, breaking down the doors.

At 4:14 minutes, I love this transition to that old yellowish film-toned color. The shot of the first zombie peeking from the door reminds me of the iconic imagery of Count Orlok (Max Schreck) from Nosferatu (1922). Truly, it is a magnificent visual.

Oderus yells, “Zombies March!” and Flattus Maximus (RIP Cory Smoot) delivers a bitching guitar lead, jamming along with bassist, Beefcake the Mighty (Casey Orr). The dead enter the venue, devouring the stage crew, press, and promoters.

Even the winking male flirting with a dead girl is an eye-gauging moment against the munching mosh pit of carnage.

The rest of the band and GWAR Mythos team can be seen playing on stage. Oderus lyrically disses vampires and werewolves, praising his slaves, and a Zombie gives a fingerless clapboard wrap. Oderus hails the stage. The faint sounds of the dead audience moaning are heard.

Taking it all in, Sleazy looks over at the director. ” So, what did you think of THAT one?”

The now bleeding and infected director transitions and groans.

GWAR’s World

The McKendrys (David and Rebekah) understand that GWAR’s bizarre galactic world is larger than life; it’s funny and shocking, and it is gargantuan! GWAR builds a phenomenal and abstract comic book world of characters. Irony and gore can only be well executed by talent with a profound appreciation for horror.

It’s no surprise the McKendrys are branching out more into the world of comics this year with their Dark Horse Comics debut, Barstow, slated for November.

Being fellow Virginians, the McKendrys brought a warm, at-home feeling to the production of this video. You don’t have to go to Los Angeles to shoot a music video when you have the charm and enthusiasm of hundreds of loyal Virginian extras. Virginians know their metal!

Fangoria Video Years

David McKendry’s video shares a similar style to our part one article showcasing The Misfit’s “Scream!” with director George A. Romero.

Both videos were originally shot in color, as the bands are left performing in color. The zombie reenactments through post are recaptured to a black-and-white aesthetic that pays homage to the influence of Night of the Living Dead (1968). Unlike “Scream!” and The Misfits’ passion for the Dead series, “Zombies March!” feels more like an homage to the eras of horror that created many mythical beings and creatures before color TV.

I would love to see the McKendrys revisit the making of this video for a future commemorative Fangoria article or even as a one-shot comic book. I remember Dr. McKendry briefly touching on their experience and friendship with GWAR on the Colors of the Dark podcast in the wake of Brockie’s unexpected death.

David also directed fellow Richmond thrasher band Municipal Waste’s “Acid Sentence” video.