Longtime Gwar guitarist Brent Purgason has made a significant announcement, revealing his departure from the band.
Purgason, known for his role as the replacement for Cory Smoot (Flattus Maximus), who tragically passed away in 2011, joined Gwar back in 2012. With the end of his 11-year journey with the band, Purgason took to social media on November 5th to share his heartfelt message with fans and the public. He said:
“11 years ago I had the privilege of joining the greatest shock rock and roll band in the world. Today, I announce my departure from it. Playing and performing as Pustulus Maximus has been quite the experience and I’ll be forever grateful for it. I want to extend my utmost appreciation for all the support given to me by the fans over the years. They have been kind, generous and enthusiastic for the band and my character throughout my tenure and I couldn’t ask to ever perform in front of a greater group of people. It has been an honor to spill blood on you.“
It All Started With One Dave Brockie Call
As he reminisced about his journey, Purgason fondly recalled the moment when he received the life-changing call from Dave Brockie, an enthusiastic invite to join the band while driving home down Lakeside Avenue. He described the life changing moment:
“Leaving brings back many memories over the years and the main one that comes to mind is getting the call from Dave Brockie while driving home down Lakeside Avenue. He was screaming through the phone, ‘Dude! You’re in the band!’ It was a great moment to have and It breaks my heart that no one else will ever get that call again. It’s a reminder that this was a very different band when I joined and I was a very different person. People grow and priorities change.”
End Of A Purgason Era
In the guitarist’s message, he expressed immense gratitude for the experience of embodying the character of Pustulus Maximus and for the unwavering support of the fans throughout his tenure. Purgason assured everyone that despite his departure, Gwar would still have his support, even as he shifts towards a more behind-the-scenes role, the extent of which is yet to be defined. In his words:
“Gwar will continue to have my support. I am leaving on good terms and will still be around to help out some behind the scenes. To what degree, I don’t know yet but our creative lives are still very much tied together. For the fans, I hope you continue to show your love and enthusiasm for the band as I’m sure the future will be filled with more blood and gore.”
Farewell To Pustulus Maximus
He also extended heartfelt thanks to the members of Gwar who welcomed him. He conveys the following to everyone who makes them feel that they are more than a performer:
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to the members of Gwar that invited me in, not only to perform but to become an owner of the band, a friend, and a brother. I am happy I was able to share many stages with you all across the world and have been supported by the hardest working crew in the industry.
There are many things I could say and reflect on but I will conclude this statement and leave you with a passage from a song, A Farewell to Kings by Rush.”
Long before his tenure with Gwar, Brent Purgason had already established his musical credentials, having been part of Cannabis Corpse and Antietam 1862. As he steps away from Gwar, it remains uncertain whether he will venture into new musical projects, or if his focus will shift towards his behind-the-scenes contributions within the industry.
You can see Brent Purgason’s post on Instagram here.
