Rocklahoma 2023 Review & Interviews: Filter, GWAR, BRKN Love & Bat Allison
August 31 to September 3, 2023
Pryor, OK
By Michele Mussatto
Over 60,000 music fans inhabited 5,000 campsites for Rocklahoma 2023, August 31 through September 3 in Pryor, Oklahoma, heart of the Cherokee Nation. This was the 16th year for this festival, known as America’s Biggest Labor Day Weekend Party.
Headlining this year’s Rocklahoma were Godsmack, Limp Bizkit and Pantera. Rob Zombie, Corey Taylor, Ministry, GWAR, Filter, Theory of a Deadman and many more top rock, metal and punk acts delivered entertainment from morning until late in the evening on three colossal stages.
Rocklahoma provides impressive infrastructure, management, camping sites and security, making it easy for attendees to pursue “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Rock,” which the motto of the festival promises. Rocklahoma staff were friendly and helpful, and attendees were happy, courteous, and patient with each other, despite the intense sun and temperatures pushing 100 degrees. Attending Rocklahoma is an enjoyable experience that every rock lover should experience.
Unrated Magazine was privileged to meet up with Richard Patrick of Filter, SawBorg Destructo of GWAR, Justin Benlolo of BRKN Love, and Lynette Aleman, RJ Huston and Grant Turner of Bat Allison backstage at Rocklahoma this year.
Richard Patrick of Filter
Filter interview YouTube link
Richard Patrick, vocalist, songwriter, producer and founder of Filter, spoke to Unrated about Filter’s new album “The Algorithm,” released August 25, 2023. “It is absolutely my favorite Filter record right now, for sure,” says Patrick. “Obliteration is the single at radio now currently. It is one of the best songs on the record, but I like the whole record a lot.”
Filter is touring with Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Ministry on the Freaks on Parade tour. When asked what it is like touring with these famous acts, Patrick exclaims “It’s awesome! The level of professionality with crews and the bands is astounding. The production value is outstanding… it is really just a top-notch show.”
Patrick was the original guitarist for Nine Inch Nails, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. “My buddy Trent Reznor was like… I’ve got something for you, it’s Nine Inch Nails, come and join, play guitar,” explains Patrick on how he became a member of Nine Inch Nails. In 2022, Patrick joined Nine Inch Nails for their official inauguration reunion show in their native Cleveland, Ohio. “It was absolutely amazing. Trent’s like ‘you’re singing Eraser’ and we’re going to learn ‘Hey Man Nice Shot!’” Patrick exclaimed. “My song! And then you’re sing the second verse to ‘Head Like a Hole!’ I was crying! I’m so grateful to Trent, he’s one of my best friends. It was an amazing experience.”
Patrick is taking Filter to Europe in March 2024 for their headlining tour. “We are the headlining show, so we get to play for an hour and a half, two hours,” says Patrick. “I have eight records, and I love all them records! And I’m going to play as much from them as I possibly can.”
SawBorg Destructo of GWAR
GWAR interview YouTube link
Matt Maguire, human slave of SawBorg Destructo, co-vocalist and nemesis of GWAR, spoke to Unrated about GWAR’s new 10th anniversary edition of their album Battle Maximus released September 1, the final album of GWAR founder and lead singer Oderus Urungus, remixed and remastered. “Battle Maximus, yes! With Oderus Urungus. And it is a tribute to Flattus Maximus as well.” Dave Brockie, human slave of Oderus Urungus, was vocalist for GWAR for 28 years and passed away in 2014. Corey Smoot, human slave of Flattus Maximus, was GWAR’s lead guitarist for 9 years and passed away in 2011.
SawBorg talked about GWAR’s Age of Imbeciles tour, which opens October 11, 2023. “It’s gonna be two weeks of total carnage!” exclaims SawBorg. “I always have energy for this. Killing you humans is so much fun. I thrive on it. I have found my calling!”
SawBorg Destructo talked about gaming with Michael Derks, human slave of GWAR’s guitarist BälSäc, the Jaw o’ Death. “Gwar Games is our Twitch channel,” says SawBorg. “It’s a show that those two slaves are trying to put out, where they play games, poorly, and instigate things with fans.”
SawBorg Destructo is also the artist of GWAR’s Duoverse of Absurdity comic book. “Duoverse is GWAR’s latest comic, go check it out, it’s on Z2,” explains SawBorg. “And they’re talking about putting out something else, so stay tuned for that!”
Justin Benlolo of BRKN Love
BRKN Love interview YouTube link
Justin Benlolo, lead singer, lead guitarist and founder of BRKN Love, spoke to Unrated about their new album currently in production, which will be their third. “It’s a little funkier, sexier, groovier than before, it’s more ambitious than our previous releases,” explains Benlolo. “I’m really excited about it, I think it’s amazing. This time around I felt a little more free. We’ve established a sound already, so I just let loose and had fun and did things musically that I really love.”
Benlolo produced BRKN Love’s first album in Brooklyn, and their latest album in Los Angeles, so Unrated asked which coast he likes best. “My heart is in Toronto, that’s home, that’s where my family’s at, that’s where my friends are, that’s where I grew up,” says Benlolo. “But I admit I have little bit of LA fever.”
BRKN Love started their Canadian tour on September 9, 2023. “It should be great!” says Benlolo. “We’ve generally had more success in Canada. But the U.S. is slowly following suit.”
Lynette Aleman, RJ Huston & Grant Turner of Bat Allison
Bat Allison interview YouTube link
Unrated met with Bat Allison, punk band from San Antonio, Texas, about their first full length album released this July called “Battle Scars.” “Wake up is our single out now, it is the theme song from our TV show called JR Knows It All!” says Lynette Aleman, lead singer and founder of Bat Allison. Aleman also stars in the online TV series.
“Battle Scars” is up for consideration at the 66th Grammy Awards for “Best Alternative Album”, “Best Rock Album”, and “Best Song For Social Change” for the song “Love Hate”. Their video for Love Hate recently won an award for Best Social Justice Music Video. Bat Allison is currently in the studio working on their second album.
Bat Allison enjoyed their first time performing at Rocklahoma. “This Rocklahoma is one of the best music festivals. It’s rock, it’s metal, it’s amazing. The staff and the bands are amazing people. The campgrounds are like no other,” says Aleman. “And the fans are engaged and they are great. Rockla-fucking-homa!”
