Maris the Great
Maris the Great is a promotional performance artist based in Denver, Colorado, and "undead" frontman for the punk rock band, Maris the Great and the Faggots of Death. He refers to himself as "Headbanger and Zombie Fag Extraordinaire" for his outspoken homosexuality and preference for edgy, hard-hitting bands.[1][2] Wearing full zombie regalia, with brightly colored mohawk and over-sized platform boots, he promotes local and national bands through interviews on his website, MarisTheGreat.com (which receives more than 2000 hits an hour), and in the national publication, Hails and Horns magazine.[3][4] Each interview ends with the "murder" of the featured band and explicit photos of their demise. Notable bands that have been "killed" by Maris the Great include Kittie, Comeback Kid, and Throwdown.[5][6][7] Maris the Great is never seen out of makeup in public and often surprises onlookers with his refusal to break character or engage in normal conversation. Maris' true identity, if indeed he has one, remains a mystery. [8]
History
Maris the Great began working with Denver bands in 2000, to promote a local music scene he felt was under-appreciated. His website went live at the stroke of midnight on June 1, 2000, and featured local pop-rock band, Rubber Planet, as the first victims. Other local musicians followed, with the level of bloodiness escalating as Maris perfected the art of gore and as each band sought to out-do the last. In 2005, Maris expanded to the national scene by killing Massachusetts-based hardcore band, Bury Your Dead, and serving as their personal master of ceremonies on the Ozzfest tour.[2] During his two weeks at Ozzfest, many of the attendees began to refer to him as "The Ozzfest Monster," prompting MTV to include a segment on him in their coverage of the festival.[2] Fuse TV also ran a feature on the brain-eating zombie, as did Rue Morgue Magazine.[9] Since he began his "killing spree" in 2000, Maris the Great has killed over 100 local and national acts.[2]
Back Story
Before becoming the leader of the gay undead, Maris the Great was an ordinary homosexual mortal moonlighting as the singer of a dance band called The Heterosexually Challenged. A lethal bite from a zombie during a romantic tryst changed all that, and Maris soon found himself undead and on a mission. He donned a mohawk, changed his band's name to The Faggots of Death, and set out to kill any band that threatened his rise to the top of the heavy music heap. Offering bands free promotion through an interview on his website, Maris lured these musicians into his treacherous claws where they soon found their dreams of stardom snuffed out.[10]
The Faggots of Death
Formed by Maris the Great and lead guitarist Faggoria (Dan Bray) in 20??, The Faggots of Death were created as a live embodiment of Maris' originally fictitious band. The current lineup of the band includes Faggety Ann on rhythm guitar, Miss Hissy Fit on bass guitar, and Penis Colada on drums. They perform occasional live shows, notorious for raunchy, blood-spattered theatrics.[11] In 2009 they released their first studio recording, the EP, Fuck You if You Don't Like Rock and Roll.
Controversy
Maris the Great's sense of humor and unique expressions of homosexuality are not always appreciated by the public or the GLBT community. In 2001, police escorted the well-behaved zombie from the Denver PrideFest gay pride parade when the organizers of the event asked to have him removed.[12] After pressure from Maris' supporters, they eventually issued an apology.[8]
Discomfort with Maris' overt homosexuality also occurs in the straight community. Westword's Laura Bond stated that "The sexually explicit, pro-gay aspect of maristhegreat.com has proved a flash point."[8]
Both local and national musicians are sometimes disturbed by Maris the Great's undead appearance and unusual demeanor. Negative reactions are not uncommon, including angry outbursts and crying at the sight of the gay monster. Paul Koehler, drummer for the Candadian post-hardcore band, Silverstein, had Maris the Great removed from Warped Tour due to his belief that death is not a laughing matter.[2] Members of Terror and Sworn Enemy had to be calmed by Maris's manager before they would accept the zombie's presence.[2] And Groovey Newvie of Colorado Music Buzz Magazine called Maris "probably the most polarizing icon in music and entertainment there is."[2]
The gore involved in Maris the Great's photo shoots and productions can also be a source of conflict and confusion. After he "killed" KBPI's Matt Need and posted the photos online, police demanded that Maris provide proof that the radio host was still alive. Police and firefighters have also been summoned directly to photo shoots by members of the public who believed the blood was real. They once blocked off an entire street after Maris left a faux severed penis on the sidewalk. Most of these incidents end amicably, however, with police and EMTs congratulating Maris for his realistic artistry.
Videography
- Bite my Halloweenie, All Aspects Productions (2002) Running Time: 10 minutes
- Thrilled to Death, All Aspects Productions (2002) Running Time: 10 minutes
- Dead as Fuck: The Commodes Get Flushed, All Aspects Productions (2004) Running Time: 30 minutes
- Where the Fuck are They, Shock Brothers Studio (2007) Running Time: 9 minutes[13]
- This is Family, Jean Baptiste Erreca (2008) Includes segment on Maris the Great. Broadcast on Nuit Gay Americaine - Canal+, November 7th 2008 [14]
Awards and Honors
Westword — Best Web Site With Bite (2002) [15]
References
- ^ Bond, Laura."The Downfall of Napster is Wussifying the Web". Westword.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Newvie, Groovey."Maris The Great's 10-Year Anniversary of Killing Bands". Colorado Music Buzz Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Herrera, Dave. "If Everything Works Out, Maris the Great will Bury Your Dead at Ozzfest". Westword.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Hails and Horns Magazine Maris the Great Issue #18
- ^ "Maris The Great Kills KITTIE - Slide Show, Interview Available". Bravewords.com Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ "Comeback Kid Interview". MarisTheGreat.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ "Throwdown Interview". MarisTheGreat.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ a b c Bond, Laura."Methods of Mayhem pg 4". Westword.com. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ Rue Morgue Magazine Issue #73 "Spotlight: Maris the Great and the Faggots of Death"
- ^ "About Maris The Great". MarisTheGreat.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Soda Jerk Presents Maris the Great and the Faggots of Death
- ^ Magyar, Chris J."Pride and Prejudice". Go-Go Magazine. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
- ^ Shock Brothers Studio Videography
- ^ Maris The Great and the Faggots of Death. YouTube. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Westword.com Best Of