GwarLegendary metal frontman David Brockie – known best as Gwar front-creature Oderus Urungus – has died, age 50, in his Richmond, Virginia home, it has been confirmed by the band's management.
Rumours of Brockie's passing began spreading online after a report from Richmond culture site Style Weekly yesterday afternoon, Australian time, and manager Jack Flanagan confirmed he passed away Monday morning, 9:50am AEST.
"It is with a saddened heart, that I confirm my dear friend Dave Brockie, artist, musician, and lead singer of Gwar passed away,” Flanagan said.
“My main focus right now is to look after my band mates and his family.”
A cause of death had not yet been identified, but will be released after a full autopsy is performed.
Brockie had just completed a huge tour of Australia where his band Gwar were, without a doubt, the talk of the Soundwave Festival. Their show this time around featured the frontman decapitating an effigy of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, which stirred up some fairly passionate disapproval from some groups.
Speaking with theMusic.com.au's Simon Holland in January, Brockie said he was excited to bring the band to Australia, a country that understands Gwar like few others.
“Coming off a super tight American tour, the band has never sounded so frickin' good,” he said.
Brockie formed Gwar back in 1984, a thrash band heavily inspired by science fiction and horror films and famous for intense and hilarious live shows that often leave the crowd covered in fake bodily fluids. The band released 13 full-length albums in their time and were nominated for two Grammy Awards in the 1990s.
