San Francisco-based rock band ‘ArnoCorps’ is the world’s first musical group to feature lyrics that are based exclusively on the films of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The lyrics mainly parallel movie dialogs and plots from Arnold’s action flicks in the 1980s, like The Terminator, Predator and Total Recall.
ArnoCorps is generally regarded as the pioneer of Action-Adventure Hardcore Rock and Roll. Founded in 2001, the group consists of six members who look like highly-trained militant Austrian action-rock heros. Each member has a pseudonym and a heroic backstory. At every performance, they are clothed in combat fatigues and camouflage paint, and they address the audience in ‘ballsy’ accents.
The band released two self-produced records in 2000 and 2001, earning a steady fan following in the Bay Area. Their first full-length album – titled The Greatest Band Of All Time – was released in 2005, to high critical praise.
ArnoCorps conducted headline tours of the UK and Ireland in 2006, and again in 2008 and 2012. They’ve received critical acclaim by the British press, with the BBC awarding them a 10 out of 10 rating. Metal Hammer described them as ‘the most fun live show you could imagine’ – and that indeed is true. ArnoCorps has been appreciated for its sparing use of pyrotechnics or props to create excitement. They are more popular for their aggressive on-stage stunts, like hurling audience members and bending steel microphone stands. But there’s apparently no need to fear their explosive act – they describe themselves more as a rescue team than assassins.
One of ArnoCorps most popular fantasy-adventure themed records is called ‘The Fantastic EP’, released in 2013 with a funding of $16,000 through KickStarter. Its tracks feature lyrics that are based on Arnold’s Conan films. The band later released a iOS fitness app in 2014 called ‘Wheel of Pain Push-Ups’, as a companion piece to the record. The app features dynamic real-time verbal feedback based on the user’s performance, in the voice of lead vocalist Holzfeuer, on top of the pump-inducing ArnoCorps soundtrack.
At a typical ArnoCorps performance, the audience aren’t mere spectators, but willing participants. Some even claim to leave with increased muscle mass, a better understanding of life’s mysteries, and feeling like “goddamn heroes and sheroes.” In fact, the loyalty of ArnoCorps fans is legendary – they don combat fatigues and face paint and live shows, and also sport ArnoCorps tattoos. Some of them fly to across the world, just to catch the band performing live!
