Hammer of the God

It’s not everyday we get a rock warrior passing through town, much less Thor, the self-proclaimed “Legendary Rock Warrior.” But tonight we will.

The leather-clad rock ‘n’ roll singer, champion bodybuilder, horror-film actor and sci-fi/fantasy comic-book star will put the hammer down at the Sunset. His official site describes him best:

“Thor has explored the tongue-in-cheek Sweet/Mott the Hoople/Bowie stylings [of the ‘70s], hard-hitting metal moves of the ‘80s, and flirting (sic) briefly with Nu-Rock/Metal in the late ‘90s… Thor first made waves in the bodybuilding world, becoming Mr. Canada and Mr. USA, always using heavy music as an intensive training tool. He blended his powerful physique with powerful rock, and thus began this amazing cult legend’s long reign in the hazy area between superstardom and the dark underground… Blowing up hot water bottles, bending steel, and having cinder blocks broken over his chest are all in a night’s work.”

Okay, we admit this sounds absolutely horrible. However, word has it that the metallic muscleman puts on a killer show. His act is reportedly neither condescendingly ironic nor hopelessly clueless -- it’s just Thor being Thor, wanting to entertain. We’re intrigued.

Four years after his 1973 appearance on Merv Griffin, Thor released his debut album Keep the Dogs Away. Ever since, he’s pretty much performed the same sort of theatrical bubblegum glam-metal as perfected by fellow “God of Thunder” Gene Simmons and his bandmates.

2005 has been a banner year for Thor. His biggest tour in 20 years celebrates both his new CD and DVD. He’s gotten positive nods from the venerable Village Voice as well as Seattlest's second-favorite zine ever of all-time ever, which inducted him into its Hall of Dynamic Greatness.

Appropriately enough, the final episode of the Norseman’s triumphant “Thor Against the World” tour will take place in Ballard. Even though he’s actually Canadian.