Gwar

Article summary

Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists, and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Identified by their distinctively grotesque costumes, Gwar's core thematic and visual concept revolves around an elaborate science fiction-themed mythology which portrays the band members as barbaric medieval Nordic, mythological, biblical or interplanetary warriors, a narrative which serves as the basis for all of the band's albums, live shows and media. With over-the-top violent, sexual, and scatological humor typically incorporating social and political satire, Gwar has attracted both acclaim and controversy for its music and stage shows, the latter of which notoriously showcase enactments of graphic violence that result in the audience being sprayed with fake blood, urine, and semen. Such stagecraft regularly leads Gwar to be labeled a "shock rock" band by the media. Since its formation, Gwar has released 15 studio albums, two live albums, and numerous singles among other recordings, and has sold over 820,000 records in the United States.…

Key claims

1. date of formation: 1984 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. release date: 1988 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. release date: 1992 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. release date: 1994 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
5. release date: 2001-11-06 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
6. release date: 2001-03-20 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
7. release date: 2005 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
8. release date: 2000 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
9. release date: 2006-06-20 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
10. release date: 2006-08-29 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of formation is "1984". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the release date is "1988". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the release date is "1992". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the release date is "1994". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. The record states that the release date is "2001-11-06". What evidence would count against this claim?
7. The record states that the release date is "2001-03-20". What evidence would count against this claim?
8. The record states that the release date is "2005". What evidence would count against this claim?
9. The record states that the release date is "2000". What evidence would count against this claim?
10. The record states that the release date is "2006-06-20". What evidence would count against this claim?
11. The record states that the release date is "2006-08-29". What evidence would count against this claim?
12. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
13. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378185145