Terry Gross is a national treasure
July 17, 2023 8:26 AM Subscribe
Oh hey, it's Monday morning, time for that most relaxing of musical treats, the NPR Tiny Desk Concert! Today's artist: GWAR.
Joan Rivers interviewed Oderus Urungus and Beefcake the Mighty, and found they were charming, insightful, and funny. Give her a hand!
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:36 AM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:36 AM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Uh, what?!?
Terry Gross totally skeeves me out. The massive lack of empathy and bourgeois gawking is disgusting. Not that I listen to NPR anymore, but if I hear her voice, I either change the channel or leave the room.
I don't get it.
posted by garbhoch at 8:45 AM on July 17, 2023 [13 favorites]
Terry Gross totally skeeves me out. The massive lack of empathy and bourgeois gawking is disgusting. Not that I listen to NPR anymore, but if I hear her voice, I either change the channel or leave the room.
I don't get it.
posted by garbhoch at 8:45 AM on July 17, 2023 [13 favorites]
I'm usually singing this GWAR song when I switch off NPR.
posted by Catblack at 8:46 AM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Catblack at 8:46 AM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Not a sentence I expected to be writing, but I agree with GWAR about Terry Gross.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 8:51 AM on July 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 8:51 AM on July 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
Maybe 20 years ago I went to hang out with my friend who was working the upstairs bar at the Shim-Sham Club in the French Quarter. Nobody was there except for my friend and her one friend from out of town. She introduced us. "Oh, you guys will get along. You're both nerds who are into horror movies."
So we shoot the shit for maybe twenty or thirty minutes about horror movies. The stuff we like, etc. Finally I ask, "So are you in town just to visit [FRIEND'S NAME]?"
"No, I'm touring with my band. We played here last night."
"Oh! What's your band?"
"GWAR."
So yeah, I shot the shit about horror movies with one of the guys from GWAR and had no freaking idea. One of my only claims to fame. He was a very nice fellow, by the way. Anyway, off to listen to this now.
posted by brundlefly at 8:52 AM on July 17, 2023 [34 favorites]
So we shoot the shit for maybe twenty or thirty minutes about horror movies. The stuff we like, etc. Finally I ask, "So are you in town just to visit [FRIEND'S NAME]?"
"No, I'm touring with my band. We played here last night."
"Oh! What's your band?"
"GWAR."
So yeah, I shot the shit about horror movies with one of the guys from GWAR and had no freaking idea. One of my only claims to fame. He was a very nice fellow, by the way. Anyway, off to listen to this now.
posted by brundlefly at 8:52 AM on July 17, 2023 [34 favorites]
I shot the shit about horror movies with one of the guys from GWAR
posted by brundlefly
Perfectly eponhysterical!
posted by doctornemo at 8:55 AM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by brundlefly
Perfectly eponhysterical!
posted by doctornemo at 8:55 AM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
To pass the time, there were times when I was driving to college that I'd pretend to be interviewed by Terry Gross, and as part of that pretend interview I'd joke about having pretended to be interviewed by Terry Gross while driving and even joked in that pretend interview about having pretended to be interviewed by Terry Gross.....
posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:09 AM on July 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:09 AM on July 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
Heck with Terry Gross. GWAR is the national treasure.
posted by doctornemo at 9:11 AM on July 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by doctornemo at 9:11 AM on July 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
The way I cackled just reading the post. Looking forward to watching.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:11 AM on July 17, 2023
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:11 AM on July 17, 2023
I've seen GWAR about a dozen times over the last twenty years, and it's always a fantastic show. My immediate concern when this video started was that they didn't have any tarps up over the books in the room - GWAR shows traditionally get very... messy.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:27 AM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by FatherDagon at 9:27 AM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm glad to see GWAR doesn't take itself too seriously.
I mean NPR. NPR's not taking itself too seriously.
posted by adamrice at 9:29 AM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I mean NPR. NPR's not taking itself too seriously.
posted by adamrice at 9:29 AM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Gwar has also done quite a few of those Tiny Desk-esque things on The Onion's AV Club, where the bands have to choose a song from a list by other artists. Often (maybe always? I forget) they segue into a different song of their own choosing, too. They are consistently great. A not-necessarily-complete list:
- Kansas - "Carry On Wayward Son"
- Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls"
- Billy Ocean - "Get Into My Car"
- Boston - "Foreplay"
- Cyndi Lauper - "She Bop"
Terry Gross totally skeeves me out. The massive lack of empathy and bourgeois gawking is disgusting. Not that I listen to NPR anymore, but if I hear her voice, I either change the channel or leave the room.
Thank you for contributing to my thread about Terry Gross.
posted by bondcliff at 10:01 AM on July 17, 2023 [37 favorites]
Thank you for contributing to my thread about Terry Gross.
posted by bondcliff at 10:01 AM on July 17, 2023 [37 favorites]
Huh, TIL:
Since the death of frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie in 2014, the group has continued recording and performing without any of its founding members.Also, hilariously accidental origin story:
Jackson created props for Death Piggy to use on stage. Brockie had an idea to use the costumes made for Scumdogs of the Universe and have Death Piggy open for itself as a barbaric band from Antarctica, playing nonsense songs while sacrificing fake animals. The name of the joke group was "Gwaaarrrgghhlllgh". The members of Death Piggy began noticing that more people were coming to see Gwaaarrrgghhlllgh and leaving immediately after the set. After several refinements, including shortening the band's name, Death Piggy was phased out in favor of the band now named Gwar.posted by LooseFilter at 10:23 AM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I mostly like Terry Gross, but I do remember when she was interviewing a bank robber and wondered what he did with the money. After all, it wasn't like he could put it in a bank account.
She had trouble understanding that he just spent it, he had no intention of storing it for later.
I'm rather bougie myself, but I think I could have caught that on the first bounce.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:28 AM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
She had trouble understanding that he just spent it, he had no intention of storing it for later.
I'm rather bougie myself, but I think I could have caught that on the first bounce.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:28 AM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Terry Gross isn't often off her game, but when she is she REALLY is.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 12:43 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 12:43 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Since the death of frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie in 2014, the group has continued recording and performing without any of its founding members.This is a weird statement on Wikipedia. It appears to be technically true but it falsely implies that the current GWAR lineup is some sort of totally fake zombie-GWAR. In fact, while Mike Bishop, who became lead singer after Brockie's death, was not a founding member of the band, he played and sang backing on their first album (having writing credits on a number of songs), and was in the band from '87-'93. The drummer and rhythm guitarist both go back to the late 80's as well playing on their second album and on.
I don't follow them closely, so maybe it's actually the case that "Brockie was GWAR", but if it has truly been a band, then there seems to be plenty of continuity to the current line-up.
Anyway, this TDC was a lot of fun, but much more tame than I was expecting.
posted by 3j0hn at 1:55 PM on July 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
Oh gosh I remember hearing Terry Gross interview Russell Brand when his memoir came out. She asked him about the moment, the day after the nine eleven attacks when he went on air dressed as Osama Bin Laden, telling everyone to get over it and move on. And after describing it, she asked what gave him the chutzpah to do that.
And he looked at her and said, "Have you ever done heroin, Terry?"
I had to pull the car over I was laughing so hard. Gwar is pretty great.
posted by heyitsgogi at 2:13 PM on July 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
And he looked at her and said, "Have you ever done heroin, Terry?"
I had to pull the car over I was laughing so hard. Gwar is pretty great.
posted by heyitsgogi at 2:13 PM on July 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
One of Gwar's former touring engineers, Gary Ferenchak, is doing interesting work these days at Rock Lititz, a practice space for touring artists. I suspect that being on the road with the band was good preparation!
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:56 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:56 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
This is a weird statement on Wikipedia. It appears to be technically true but it falsely implies that the current GWAR lineup is some sort of totally fake zombie-GWAR.
Have you ever studied the history of the band Yes?
posted by hippybear at 3:44 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Have you ever studied the history of the band Yes?
posted by hippybear at 3:44 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love Terry Gross and anyone who hates her I can't help think has some anti-woman shit going on. The last time I remember talking about this here someone was lauding Larry King because, unlike Gross, he never prepared and took an "everyman take" on interviewing celebrities. Like, yeah, fuck that lady for being prepared. How lame.
But what does this have to even do with Terry Gross? She's not Tiny Desk concert person. This was a very enjoyable and hilarious performance. Who takes longer to get ready for their shows? Dua Lipa or GWAR?!
posted by amanda at 4:54 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
But what does this have to even do with Terry Gross? She's not Tiny Desk concert person. This was a very enjoyable and hilarious performance. Who takes longer to get ready for their shows? Dua Lipa or GWAR?!
posted by amanda at 4:54 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
In fact, while Mike Bishop, who became lead singer after Brockie's death, was not a founding member of the band, he played and sang backing on their first album (having writing credits on a number of songs), and was in the band from '87-'93*adjusts glasses* that's DOCTOR Michael Bishop. Thank you for coming to his TED talk.
posted by revmitcz at 6:15 PM on July 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Music nerds take note: their classy conductor Wilhelm Fartwrangler is a reference to the very real German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler.
posted by cubeb at 7:04 PM on July 17, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by cubeb at 7:04 PM on July 17, 2023 [15 favorites]
(That was a joke they made for *someone* and I'm glad that someone was me)
posted by cubeb at 7:05 PM on July 17, 2023 [14 favorites]
posted by cubeb at 7:05 PM on July 17, 2023 [14 favorites]
I love Terry Gross too, and see her as a very valuable but also very vulnerable human being. She engages all my protective instincts.
I was not at all surprised to learn that she was fired from her first job, teaching 8th graders in a school named after Luther Burbank — which probably meant back then that it was majority Black — in a matter of weeks because she couldn’t control the class, or 'even keep the kids in the class', she says. Eighth graders don’t have a lot of mercy when it comes to ineffectual teachers, in my experience.
posted by jamjam at 8:38 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I was not at all surprised to learn that she was fired from her first job, teaching 8th graders in a school named after Luther Burbank — which probably meant back then that it was majority Black — in a matter of weeks because she couldn’t control the class, or 'even keep the kids in the class', she says. Eighth graders don’t have a lot of mercy when it comes to ineffectual teachers, in my experience.
posted by jamjam at 8:38 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
(Ugh, Furtwängler. Interesting recordings but so expressively overwrought, with a flailing technique that only really influenced musicians' playing by force of personality, and a case study on how trying to stop fascists from the inside doesn't work:
posted by LooseFilter at 8:47 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
There is no way to avoid thinking about the circumstances under which this recording was made. Furtwängler was Hitler’s favorite conductor, and the Philharmonic’s wartime concerts were taped, according to minutes from a meeting with Joseph Goebbels, “in accordance with the Führer’s wish.” The sound is exceptionally vivid for its period, because engineers used magnetic tape, a relatively recent German innovation. Hitler had been given a Magnetophon system so that he could listen to concerts at leisure. The “Coriolan” recording, which comes from June, 1943, was probably on his playlist. What did the music mean to him? To the audience? To Furtwängler? The conductor’s defenders profess to hear an anguished defiance in his Nazi-era performances. Surely this borderline-deranged account of the “Coriolan” cannot be in accord with Hitler’s ideology. But you could also hear it as a defiance of the enemy—a willingness to fight to the death.I mean for real, performing fucking Wagner--Hitler's most very favorite composer--in front of Nazi banners in 1942 and we're supposed to hear defiance? Burn his discography. Happy to see Gwar mock him, nice choice.)
posted by LooseFilter at 8:47 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I've met Terry Gross once. She was doing an NPR thing in town and I was on volunteer staff so I was setting up chairs and stuff. She's a very tiny woman, but the energy she gives off is like a chihuahua who knows in her soul she's a german shepherd.
I think people interpret her professional distance during interviews for lack of empathy. But even in her interviews she very often expresses solidarity or sorrow or other emotions, but she does it in a radio announcer way.
I wish I could find the interview that Marc Maron did with Terry in front of a live audience. It was filmed, and watching the video, you can see the body language behind the voice. Seeing that, much like seeing her in a more casual setting like an NPR meet and greet, really helped me understand her interviewing a lot better because suddenly I had face, gestures, posture to go with the voice inflections.
posted by hippybear at 9:06 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I think people interpret her professional distance during interviews for lack of empathy. But even in her interviews she very often expresses solidarity or sorrow or other emotions, but she does it in a radio announcer way.
I wish I could find the interview that Marc Maron did with Terry in front of a live audience. It was filmed, and watching the video, you can see the body language behind the voice. Seeing that, much like seeing her in a more casual setting like an NPR meet and greet, really helped me understand her interviewing a lot better because suddenly I had face, gestures, posture to go with the voice inflections.
posted by hippybear at 9:06 PM on July 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
GWAR: "We were down at our intergalactic fortress in Antarctica, having an ice-covered driveway moment listening to Terry Gross interview Maurice Sendak ..."
me: omg I remember the parking lot where I sat and listened to the second half of that interview, it was great
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 10:49 PM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
me: omg I remember the parking lot where I sat and listened to the second half of that interview, it was great
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 10:49 PM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
If they’re not spraying the NPR offices with fake blood and bodily fluids, it’s not a GWAR show.
posted by atoxyl at 11:09 PM on July 17, 2023
posted by atoxyl at 11:09 PM on July 17, 2023
I heard somewhere that GWAR has started doing "family friendly" shows. Not as loud. Different lyrics. Less of the usual bloody stage antics. Not sure if that's true or not, but if so I guess they're recognizing that their fan base is now a bunch of olds with kids.
posted by brundlefly at 12:04 AM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 12:04 AM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
Flunkie linked it above, but you really need to their AV Club Undercover cover of Pet Shop Boys.
They go into a cover of People Who Died, adapted to tribute to Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) who died earlier that year and other friends.
It's a seriously emotional one.
posted by MattWPBS at 4:02 AM on July 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
They go into a cover of People Who Died, adapted to tribute to Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) who died earlier that year and other friends.
It's a seriously emotional one.
posted by MattWPBS at 4:02 AM on July 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
Uh, what?!?
Terry Gross totally skeeves me out. The massive lack of empathy and bourgeois gawking is disgusting. Not that I listen to NPR anymore, but if I hear her voice, I either change the channel or leave the room.
I don't get it.
posted by garbhoch
THIS. Also, she doesn't seem to realize that most people listen to the show as a podcast. And after (and sometimes before) every break she does this extended introduction beginning with "if you're just joining us". It makes me want to scream. I so prefer Dave Davies when he interviews. Personally, I think she is losing it.
But the monsters are very funny.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:04 AM on July 18, 2023
Terry Gross totally skeeves me out. The massive lack of empathy and bourgeois gawking is disgusting. Not that I listen to NPR anymore, but if I hear her voice, I either change the channel or leave the room.
I don't get it.
posted by garbhoch
THIS. Also, she doesn't seem to realize that most people listen to the show as a podcast. And after (and sometimes before) every break she does this extended introduction beginning with "if you're just joining us". It makes me want to scream. I so prefer Dave Davies when he interviews. Personally, I think she is losing it.
But the monsters are very funny.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:04 AM on July 18, 2023
But the interview with Lizzo was legendary. Mostly because it was such a stark generational contrast in understanding of women's bodies.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:07 AM on July 18, 2023
posted by bluesky43 at 7:07 AM on July 18, 2023
Thank you for contributing to my thread about Terry Gross.
You know what I find gross? Fartwrangler's.
But I genuinely enjoyed this concert.. and then listened to a bunch I'd missed. Cultural whiplash is real.
posted by DigDoug at 7:38 AM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
You know what I find gross? Fartwrangler's.
But I genuinely enjoyed this concert.. and then listened to a bunch I'd missed. Cultural whiplash is real.
posted by DigDoug at 7:38 AM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
His apostrophe.
Just grotesque.
(i r not gud with words)
posted by DigDoug at 10:38 AM on July 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
Just grotesque.
(i r not gud with words)
posted by DigDoug at 10:38 AM on July 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, she doesn't seem to realize that most people listen to the show as a podcast. And after (and sometimes before) every break she does this extended introduction beginning with "if you're just joining us".
But it is an over-the-air radio show first. Those "resets" are all over the place in traditional radio and hers is particularly long and jarring but it comes from a place that was necessary. If they wanted to throw a bunch of editing resources at the show they could remove those bits but that is a lot of effort for not a lot of gain.
Slate's show for example usually follow the format of Intro -> Topic 1 -> Ad -> Topic 2 -> Ad -> Topic 3 -> End. But for paid subscribers the ads are removed and there is an extra segment at the end. They generally do a good job of removing all traces of the fact that there was an ad although they slip up enough that it is clear they were there.
While we are at it, can podcast intros that are more than a few seconds be excised? I don't need 20 - 30 seconds of a jingle and the hosts telling me that they are going to give me the truth in front of every episode.
posted by mmascolino at 2:25 PM on July 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
But it is an over-the-air radio show first. Those "resets" are all over the place in traditional radio and hers is particularly long and jarring but it comes from a place that was necessary. If they wanted to throw a bunch of editing resources at the show they could remove those bits but that is a lot of effort for not a lot of gain.
Slate's show for example usually follow the format of Intro -> Topic 1 -> Ad -> Topic 2 -> Ad -> Topic 3 -> End. But for paid subscribers the ads are removed and there is an extra segment at the end. They generally do a good job of removing all traces of the fact that there was an ad although they slip up enough that it is clear they were there.
While we are at it, can podcast intros that are more than a few seconds be excised? I don't need 20 - 30 seconds of a jingle and the hosts telling me that they are going to give me the truth in front of every episode.
posted by mmascolino at 2:25 PM on July 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
If you listen to podcasts using an iPhone with the Overcast app, you can set up auto-skips for show starts and ends for that very purpose.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:28 PM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:28 PM on July 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
Cypress Hill: Tiny Desk Concert
Absolutely delightful.
posted by Artw at 9:35 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Absolutely delightful.
posted by Artw at 9:35 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
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