Slymenstra Hymen
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Slymenstra Hymen (real name: Danielle Stampe) is GWAR's female vocalist & dancer. She is perhaps best known for fire dancing, usually during the song "Horror of Yig". On the tours corresponding with the Carnival of Chaos album, she would dance to the song "Sammy," because "Horror of Yig" often followed the Slymenstra-Techno wedding section, which required at least two costume changes for Stampe; as such, the fire dance was set to "Sammy", which required none.
The role of "GWAR woman" is almost as old as the band itself. In 1986, Colette Miller, [1] ,joined as the first woman in GWAR,(along with Heather Broome- who played the Temptress) and would leave in late 1987. Lisa Harrelson replaced her, and stayed until 1988. At that time, Stampe joined, and would stay until 2002. There has been no replacement for her.
Slymenstra sings on almost every GWAR album between Hell-O and Violence Has Arrived, whether it be as backup, in a duet, or solo. She has also lent her songwriting talents to America Must Be Destroyed, with album-closer "Pussy Planet." It was originally meant as a Slymenstra-Beefcake duet, but it never quite worked out. She is still heard singing at certain points in the song. Carnival Of Chaos' last full song, "Don't Need A Man," was also co-written by and for Slymenstra (the music was co-written, as well as produced, by Michael Derks, a.k.a. Balsac the Jaws of Death). In what is the most dramatic change for GWAR musically, she sings a soft jazz song. "My Girly Ways," on We Kill Everything, returns to a more metal-based Slymenstra (as she sings about reviving character Scroda Moon, so that he may assemble a tablet and stop GWAR's Cosmic Master from destroying the universe). This is the last song featuring the character as a lead voice.
There is a tension between Slymenstra and Oderus Urungus. Though much of it is the relationship between an Amazon-type woman and a ultra-misogynistic demigod, there is apparently great sibling rivalry. This is explored further in "Fire In The Loins," a Slymenstra-Oderus duet on RagNaRok.
In 2000, Slymenstra branched off on her own with the Girly Freak Show. Among the acts she performs are fire spinning and breathing, bullwhip, swordladder walking, glass walking, eating lightbulbs, the fiji mermaid, fire fan dance, burlesque tasssle twirler, and the Miss Spidora illusion. Since then she has formed a design company in Los Angeles called Wrapt In Plastic, uses her prop fabrication skills in the special effects industry, and now performs with the Bros. Grim Circus.
