MEGHIN MOORE: Richmond's thrash metal space aliens, GWAR, got their start, in a dorm room, at Virginia Commonwealth University in the mid-1980s.

They're known for their outrageous costumes, gore-filled performances and hardcore followers.

The group, made up of a rotating cast of alien characters, brought the GWAR-niverse back to Richmond over the summer to perform at the newly opened Allianz Amphitheater.

The day before their performance, they stopped by VPMs Sesame Street Studios, where I asked them what they thought about performing in front of a hometown crowd, and what brings the intergalactic scumdogs joy?

BLOTHAR: Oh, it feels so good.

(Long sigh of delight) SAWBORG: We're going to destroy this place.

Its going to be great.

GRODIUS: Wait, we haven't actually done it yet, so we're not really sure quite how it feels, actually.

It's going to be a smoldering crater when we leave.

GRODIUS: Oh, true.

Yeah, absolutely.

SAWBORG: So you know one and done.

It's going to be great.

JIZMAK: New amphitheater, gone.

JIZMAK: Thats — thats how we do.

MEGHIN MOORE: How do you feel your stage performances bring joy to the masses?

BLOTHAR: We bring confusion and fear, I know that.

I don't know, I look out in the crowd and I see people having a good time.

You know, I think that — that we satisfy the human, primal need for self-destruction We're happy to oblige them with that.

And, you know, I mean, for as long as humans have existed, they've loved, you know, I mean, an amphitheater full of lions tearing apart other humans.

It's... Yeah, it's — we're just giving the people what they want.

And what they want happens to be a horrible, slow death in front of millions.

MEGHIN MOORE: And finally, do you guys like each other?

JIZMAK: Get away from me!

GRODIUS: Have you see that TV show FRIENDS?

It's exactly like FRIENDS.

I'm Jennifer Aniston because I'm the hottest.

SAWBORG: No you're not, I'm the hottest.

GRODIUS: Okay, Sawborgs the hottest.

GRODIUS: But I'm Joey, Im the smartest.

BLOTHAR: I'm Joey.

GRODIUS: Wait, he is Joey... okay, we all want to be Joey.

GRODIUS: I don't know.

SAWBOR: Okay.

Well, anyway.

Yeah.

SAWBORG: Yeah We dont get along that well.

BLOTHAR: Yeah, we bring each other joy.

(Joyful cackling) MEGHIN MOORE: For a behind-the-scenes look at GWARs performance at the Allianz Amphitheater, and more stories from our special series of what brings Central Virginians joy, go to VPM.org