Cory Smoot Dead: GWAR Guitarist Found Dead On Tour Bus

MINNEAPOLIS — The lead guitarist for the heavy metal band GWAR was found dead Thursday on its tour bus following a concert in Minneapolis, the band's manager and record label said.

Manager Jack Flanagan and record label Metal Blade said Cory Smoot's body was discovered Thursday before the bus crossed into Canada on the Richmond, Va.-based band's tour.

It's unclear what caused Smoot's death or how old he was. A person who answered the phone at the Smoot family residence in Richmond declined to comment. Flanagan and Metal Blade's Kelli Malella, vice president of publicity, said they had no further information to release about Smoot.

Smoot performed since 2002 under the name "Flattus Maximus" with the band known for its comically grotesque sci-fi/fantasy-based costumes, stage antics and vulgar lyrics. He produced GWAR's last two albums.

Flanagan says there's no word yet on funeral arrangements or the rest of the tour. The tour had been scheduled to stop in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, on Friday and Saturday.

Lead singer Dave Brockie, also known as "Oderus Urungus," said in a statement that "at this point we are just dealing with the loss of our dear friend and brother" and asked for privacy.

He called Smoot "one of the most talented guitar players in metal today."

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Online:

GWAR's website: http://www.gwar.net

Comments

[tebowfan4life]

03:19 AM on 11/17/2011

Even though I've never heard of GWAR, I absolutely hate seeing/hearing that people die, but I do hope they have accepted Christ as his/her personal savior but it's sad that people die and we're surely going to miss them but God has a reason for everything that happens here.

[dunnage2]

03:46 PM on 11/08/2011

Even my heart may be broken. Is broken.

[paddy523]

10:11 AM on 11/05/2011

The world need's less WAR and more GWAR!!!!! RIP Corey!!

[JJBUFF]

09:21 AM on 11/05/2011

GWAR combines Heavy Metal and Satire and takes it to the Extreme. It is not for everyone,but the World needs more of it. Too Bad about Flatus Maximus,but I'm sure the Show will go on.

[kardiackid87]

08:59 AM on 11/05/2011

Anyone remember the Beavis and Butthead video game where you did a bunch of random stuff for GWAR tickets? Good times.

[SmotPoker]

03:55 PM on 11/12/2011

Odd you mention that, these guys do as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1D5s3M1kQw&feature=related

[jim9034]

08:34 AM on 11/05/2011

He is not dead, he is just hibernating.

[tebowfan4life]

03:20 AM on 11/17/2011

Umm???

[Sister777]

08:27 AM on 11/05/2011

Anyone remember when Gwar was on Joan Rivers talk show back in the late eighties or early nineties? Joan tried to ask leading questions about how their music created more violence among teens. I will never forget the answer, "Well Joan our society encourages violence, they put you in the police force or the military" They guys were really funny and incredibly intelligent.

[SeeTheFnords]

05:50 AM on 11/05/2011

RIP Cory - thank you for the entertainment.

I'm glad to hear the band will continue - they're becoming a real-life Spinal Tap.

[sekigahara]

03:12 AM on 11/05/2011

RIP GWAR Forever.

[MISCONDUCKT]

03:01 AM on 11/05/2011

Gwar was a family outing many times at the new daisy in memphis, So long scumdog, thanks for ripping our heads off on many occasions

[PanWithUs]

02:37 AM on 11/05/2011

Gwar's music and musicianship have never gotten the respect they deserve. For that, I hate all the schtick. Of all the Flattus's, Cory was definitely the most terrifyingly metallurgic. As a classical music lover, I wish more complicated ears were appreciating what goes on in the best of metal.

RIP Cory Smoot (whomever you really were).
May Flattus rise again and again and again...

[Joe Bigg]

12:59 AM on 11/05/2011

RIP

[LiberalScoop]

12:16 AM on 11/05/2011

These guys look like they came from the Land of Gorch. Bad music, but pretty fun guys, really. Sad about Corey.

[PanWithUs]

02:48 AM on 11/05/2011

Bad music? Boy I'd hate to think what you consider good music out there in Seattle these days. Oh, let me guess: Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, The White Stripes, and whatever else you see on Yo Gabba Gabba.

[XxDisfngustedxX]

06:13 AM on 11/05/2011

Do not include The White Stripes in that terrible list.
Or anything Jack White has touched (raconteurs, dead weather).

Jack White will soon be recognized as a brilliant songwriter/musician.
Better than Lennon.

[LiberalScoop]

04:43 PM on 11/05/2011

Actually, none of those for me, thanks. But it isn't necessarily the style of music that you're listening to, but what's going on to make it. Screeching guitar can be good, but it depends on how you're doing it. You want to put any one of these metal lead guitarists up against the likes of Jimmy Page, David Gilmour or Stevie Ray Vaughn for sheer mastery of their instrument, go ahead-but it's a lonely place to be if you're looking for a majority of people to stand with you on that one. Hey, love your music, man. Just don't limit yourself because you think one style, in particular, is the only kind to listen to. Many of your metal aficionados are classically trained guitarists, first. Those are the good ones. Trouble is, most of the people playing metal are just trying to shred the strings and not doing much with the message, either.

Metal I like: Rammstein, Metallica, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Orgy. old Black Sabbath, old Aerosmith, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Machine Head, Megadeth, Nazareth, Thin Lizzy.

I get Metal. I just think it has lost its quality these days.

[tehixe]

12:05 AM on 11/05/2011

Probably natural causes. Definitely probably not drug related.

[scrappydoodle]

02:25 AM on 11/05/2011

i like that definitely probably thing... sounds like bush and weapoms of mass destruction...

[LiberalScoop]

11:58 PM on 11/04/2011

Did he slip and fall on his outfit?