GWAR’s Wild Thrash Metal Cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ Turns Heads

Experience GWAR’s fierce thrash metal take on Chappell Roan’s hit ‘Pink Pony Club,’ blending metal madness with pop rebellion.

From Pop to Metal: GWAR Reinvents ‘Pink Pony Club’

If you told me a costumed metal band would take on Chappell Roan’s ethereal pop anthem ‘Pink Pony Club’ and unleash a thrash metal storm, I’d have raised an eyebrow. Yet, that’s exactly what GWAR has done, and it’s every bit as bonkers and brilliant as you’d imagine.

GWAR, known for their outrageous costumes and theatrical metal chaos, dropped this cover while visiting The A.V. Club’s A.V. Undercover series at Chelsea Studios in New York City. The pop hit from 2023 was transformed into a thrashing metal anthem that’s both a salute to and a reinvention of the original.

“‘Pink Pony Club’ is about embracing exile from a boring, shitty world and remaking yourself into whatever you want — be who you are, be who you aren’t, piss people off, we don’t care!”

Berserker Blóthar, GWAR’s larger-than-life vocalist, sums it up perfectly. And honestly, that rebellious spirit is what makes this cover a perfect fit for GWAR.

Watch GWAR Tear Into ‘Pink Pony Club’

Ready to see how metal meets pop in full armor? Check out GWAR’s live cover below and prepare for a wild ride:

Not GWAR’s First Spin on Unexpected Covers

This isn’t GWAR’s first rodeo when it comes to turning unexpected tracks into metal anthems. Just recently in 2024, they stunned fans by reimagining ‘I’m Just Ken’ from the Barbie movie with their signature “intergalactic metal” twist.

The band’s ability to mash up seemingly incompatible genres while still respecting the core of the song speaks to their genuine creativity and love for pushing boundaries.

Shared Spirit: GWAR and Chappell Roan’s Rebellious Hearts

Despite their starkly different musical styles, GWAR and Chappell Roan share more than just a song cover—they share values. In a surprising crossover of activism and artistry, Berserker Blóthar made headlines by signing a bidet auctioned by comedian John Oliver to raise money for public broadcasting.

This wasn’t just a quirky stunt but a pointed stand against proposed cuts to public media funding. Blóthar has been vocal about these cuts, which gained momentum after a presidential executive order threatened to pull federal funding from crucial outlets like NPR and PBS.

GWAR’s Infamous Stage Antics and Political Statements

If you’ve ever caught a GWAR show, you know it’s more than music—it's theater with a sharp edge. Their long-running tradition of staging mock executions of political figures and celebrities on stage has stirred controversy time and again.

Legends from presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and the Bushes to pop icons like Michael Jackson and Mike Tyson have all been “taken out” in GWAR’s grotesque yet cartoonish performances.

Their 2023 Riot Fest set took things further when they targeted Donald Trump and Elon Musk, sparking backlash from some fans and critics who deemed it reckless and violent. Some viewers wrote scathing comments calling the performance “grotesque” and a dangerous normalization of violence.

But GWAR’s response was swift and unapologetic.

GWAR’s Take on Controversy: It’s All Absurdism

“We’re not millionaires that are afraid of what people are going to say when they see what we do… We’re a group of artists that makes art, and it’s really the idea that what we have done is normalising violence… There’s nothing normal about the violence that goes on at a GWAR show.”

Speaking to the media, Blóthar dismissed claims that their art incites real-world violence.

“It’s a cartoon, it’s Looney Tunes… It’s trying to make violence into a spectacle and show humanity’s absolute absurdity. That’s what GWAR is, it’s absurdism. To say it’s normalising violence is really reaching.”

A Band That Means Business - and Then Some

There’s no denying GWAR’s commitment to shock and awe—whether it’s through their music, their stagecraft, or their political statements. Their cover of ‘Pink Pony Club’ is just another example of how they take something familiar and turn it into something explosively their own.

In blending Chappell Roan's haunting pop with their brutal thrash style, GWAR reminds us that music is a playground for reinvention.

FAQ

• What makes GWAR’s cover of ‘Pink Pony Club’ unique?
  GWAR transforms the ethereal pop track into a high-energy thrash metal anthem, blending their theatrical style with the song’s rebellious spirit.
• Where was GWAR’s cover recorded?
  The cover was recorded live at Chelsea Studios in New York City as part of The A.V. Club’s A.V. Undercover series.
• Has GWAR done other notable covers?
  Yes, notably their 2024 metal rendition of ‘I’m Just Ken’ from the Barbie movie soundtrack.
• What’s the story behind GWAR’s controversial stage acts?
  GWAR’s onstage mock executions of political and pop culture figures are satirical, theatrical performances intended to critique society’s absurdities.
• How does GWAR respond to criticism about violence?
  They view their acts as absurdist art, not endorsements of real violence, comparing their shows to exaggerated Looney Tunes cartoons.

If you’re as captivated by the wild world of GWAR as we are, why not bring a piece of that electric energy home? Check out our collection of iconic album cover posters at Architeg Prints and celebrate the fusion of art and music in your space.