Music: Top Ten: Bands That Dress-Up In Weird Costumes

Top Ten: Bands That Dress-Up In Weird Costumes

There are dozens of bands and artists that have donned costumes, masks and make-up over the years as part of their stage performances or to created a persona for artistic reasons. Some stick with their costumes throughout their career, others have made the mistake of revealing themselves to a less than happy audience. Take KISS with their infamous 1983 reveal, or when Pussy Riot were unmasked as a result of their "Punk Prayer" protest in 2012. Then there's the vogue for EDM artists to wear masks, for a variety of reasons. Be it for some high-handed removing themselves from their music musical philosophy, or simply that they are shy music geeks who can only come out of their bedroom studios to play sets if they don a mask. Many such as Daft Punk and Deadmau5 produce stunning music, despite the likelihood of it been difficult to spin the wheels of steel, while sweating away behind a full-face mask. What we present here is a list of ten bands and artists that have not only stuck with their costumed persona's, but it's become bigger them and in some cases their music. Acts who have used their costumes, on-stage antics and music to create a weird world that fans have immersed themselves in along with the band. Be it for political reasons, artistic or pure theatrics... This is Weird Retro's ten of the best!

The Residents: The American art collective best known for their giant eye-ball masks and tuxedos as much as their experimental avant-garde music. Since their first album Meet The Residents (1974), the group has released over sixty albums, as well as short-films and other multi-media works. Their weird costumes helped maintain not only their anonymity, but added bucket loads to their bizarre artistry. Refusing to grant interviews, remaining silent and wanting their music and art to speak for them, they have maintained their avant-garde credentials throughout their career. Their giant eye-ball and tuxedo costumes becoming an iconic signature of the band, despite the fact they have performed in a variety of other weird and wonderful costumes over the years.

Much of the speculation about the identities of the member is focused around its management team, Cryptic Corporation formed in 1976 by Jay Clem, Homer Flynn, Hardy W. Fox and John Kennedy. All have denied being band members. Simon Reynolds wrote in his book "Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978–1984" that "The Residents and their representatives were one and the same". Despite attempts to discover who members are, from voice print analysis to trying to connect official records that name members of the Cryptic Corporation as composers, the band have managed to stay anonymous.

Lordi: There are several rock bands on the list that wear monstrously creepy costumes, but the Finnish band Lordi earn their place on the list for three reasons. Firstly the band made history in 2006 by becoming the first and only hard rock act to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Secondly they are also the only Finnish winners of the competition. And thirdly, the enormous wings that lead singer Mr. Lordi revealed as part of their winning Eurovision performance. Members of Lordi have stated their desire for their unmasked faces to remain private. However, since their Eurovision win the media have unmasked band members, even though the band have protested that doing so is an insult to them, and an attempt to destroy the "monster image" they have worked for years to create.

The Ladybirds: (Also known as The Ladybyrds). How about a lack of costume, being your costume gimmick? The Ladybirds, sometimes referred to as the All Girl Topless Band were originally from the state of New Jersey, forming around 1967. Their semi-nude shows got them into some trouble in New Jersey so they packed-up their meagre stage attire and headed west and started gigging in Las Vegas and at Hollywood’s infamous Blue Bunny Club. Their act wasn't all tits and ass, as these girls could apparently play. A bunch of talented musicians, this five piece band made quite an impact once they established themselves on the other-side of the United States. So much so that they appeared with comedian Godfrey Cambridge at the Aladdin Hotel. They may not have gone on to fame and fortune, but they have gone down in the history of weird vintage bands.

They got some international exposure when they appeared in the movie The Wild, Wild World Of Jayne Mansfield (1968). The movie mainly focused on Mansfield's last tour of the world, in 1967 (before her death at age 34, in June 1967. The Ladybirds are not only credited as being "The World's First All-Girl Topless Band", they were probably the "only" all-girl topless band. And due to their musical ability are also credited as being an early garage rock influence on what later would become the psychobilly musical genre scene. Being referenced as an influence by the "godparents" of the resurgence of garage punk in the mid to late 70s and the creation of psychobilly in the UK in the 80s, The Cramps.

The Burka Band: Heading towards the other end of the spectrum now, with another all-female band. The indie rock The Burka Band from Kabul, Afghanistan. They performed anonymously, all of the members wearing burkas to keep their identities secret because they were rightly worried that they would be murdered by Islamic fanatics. When the Taliban was in power in Afghanistan, music was forbidden altogether, and music performed by women was unthinkable. Even now, it’s dangerous to out yourself as a female musician. They released a single, "Burka Blue" and a self-titled album in 2002. The group gained some popularity in Europe in the 2000s, and toured in Germany, where a song of theirs was remixed by DJ Barbara Morgenstern.

The Burka Band is currently inactive as the lead singer moved to Pakistan for work, but the drummer still living in Afghanistan, has expressed hope in playing again in the future.

Ghost: (Known as Ghost B.C. in the USA). Almost half-way through the list, let's have another costumed band from the metal/rock genre. I bet you're expecting Slipknot or Mushroomheads at some point. Well you'd be wrong, they're too obvious and just not got that true edge of weirdness to cut it. Anyway back to Ghost, a Swedish metal band made up of lead singer Papa Emeritus and five other members only ever referred to as the Nameless Ghouls. The lead singer appearing in full skull make-up, dressed as some kind of "demonic anti-Pope", while the Ghouls all wear black full face masks and robes. Ghost mimic the Roman Catholic Church but have reversed the image to worship Satan. The Nameless Ghouls each represent one of the five elements; fire, water, wind, earth and ether, wearing their respective alchemical symbol on their robes. The Nameless Ghouls sign the merchandise by stamping their individual alchemical symbol, while Papa Emeritus signs with his stage name or the letters "P. E." Since 2012, there has been a new lead singer, known as Papa Emeritus II.

Aquabats!: Okay so a band that are a third-wave-ska-synth-pop-punk band, who all dress in matching crappy superhero costumes, claim they are crime-fighters here to save the world and have their own kids TV show. What's not to like with these guys? In 1994, lead singer Christian Jacobs and bassist Chad Larson started a ska band with trumpet player Boyd Terry. The Aquabats! fused punk and ska music of the mid-90s with surf rock and new wave. At first the band used their on-stage persona's and antics for satirical purposes, to poke fun at the overly serious punk and ska bands at the time. However they gradually evolved into the fun-loving band with superhero tendencies, with matching blue costumes, silver helmets, and black masks that both kids and adults alike love. Throughout the years, The Aquabats! released five albums and launched a live-action Saturday morning TV series called The Aquabats! Super Show! Their live shows are often seen as mini-stage plays as they use music to fight crime and super villains. Live shows emphasize silliness, wackiness, and overall fun. They may not have kept up secret superhero identities off-stage, but you have to admire how they throw themselves into it when they are on-stage.

The Locust: Formed in 1994, the band started as a "powerviolence" band but have moved onto a more grindcore with a mix of new wave band. A uniquely weird and often scary stage presence with their matching full-body anti-hero suits, the band are renowned for forming a line on stage rather than the traditionally drums at the back of the stage line-up. Their music was featured in John Waters's film Cecil B. Demented (2000). Certainly giving them the "weird" seal of approval. In addition they have had their music remixed by I Am Spoonbender, who is also associated with The Residents (believed to be an on/off member of The Residents). Of the band's aesthetic, singer/bassist Justin Pearson said, "I wanted to change the way people perceive music, or maybe just destroy it in general."

Insane Clown Posse: Okay so just make-up isn't exactly a costume, but Insane Clown Posse make the list not only for their music, but for their obsessive fan devotion. The horrorcore come darkly comic hip-hop duo who formed in 1989 are made up of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective characters of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. The band have a deeply weird and intensely faithful fan base, known as Juggalos (Juggalettes for women). Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang and characteristics. They wear the make-up of the band, and often sport tattoos related to the band. The Gathering of the Juggalos, otherwise known as just "The Gathering", is a notable annual festival held by the juggalos and the artists that they support, which has over time included rap stars such as Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, and MC Hammer. Over the years "The Gathering" has been running, they have drawn an attendance of over a 100,000 die-hard fans. A scary scene to behold for non-juggalos!

Evil Blizzard: There had to be a British band in the list somewhere, and who better to represent than Evil Blizzard. And before any Americans that are fans of the aforementioned Slipknot or Mushroomheads stamp their feet in a big girlie sulk, because on the surface the masked and boiler-suited band photo above may seem slightly reminiscent of them... Shut up and listen! As The Guardian said that in their stage shows the band "have been terrorising and thrilling audiences ... with a fearsome collision of Hawkwind, krautrock, molten noise, dazzling psychedelic lights and weird, gnarly-looking masks." And... The band has four bass players and no guitarists! Yup, count 'em, four of the insane bastards grinding out their unique sounding dark rock grooves. Making them therefore uniquely weird, and therefore a perfect addition to this list.

GWAR's line-up featuring original lead singer Oderus Urungus.

GWAR: The list would not be complete without GWAR, the comedy shock rock thrash metal band from the USA. The story of the bands formation goes like this... "Eons ago, there existed an elite group of chaos warriors who ravaged the galaxy with a boundless hatred of all things alive. They were called the Scumdogs of the Universe, and they grew in might and fury, the greatest weapon in the arsenal of their cosmic Master. But they became too powerful, and too defiant, and for their cosmic crimes were banished to the most insignificant planet in the universe…the seething mudball known as Earth. Millions of years passed, and they slumbered, until the pollution of your world de-thawed these creatures from their ageless coma." And ever since that day in 1984 GWAR’s brand of satirical heavy metal has thrived with their outlandish live show with large extravagant costumes.

Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) died in March 2014. The band battled on, adding not one but two new lead singers to fill Oderus’ massive boots. First they unleashed Blothar on unsuspecting audiences, and then soon after they brought in the mighty female vocalist Vulvatron. And she is pretty much everything one could hope for in a lady GWAR demon, as she strides across the stage shooting blood from her massive breasts.

So fans can expect the usual blood soaked madness from the most larger than life band on the planet. More on-stage mutilations, slaughters and buckets and buckets of stage blood being sprayed into the audience. Long live GWAR as the greatest and goriest costumed rock band on this "mudball" known as Earth.

The First Lord Of Horror Rock: Screaming Lord Sutch - Infamous horror rock musician, who had some of the greatest rock musicians in history pass through his backing band The Savages.

Plastic Fantastic: Ben Cooper Halloween Costumes - The costume manufacturer that became a cultural icon, by printing pop culture characters on plastic sacks and cheap masks.