6 of GWAR's best moments

The Grammy Award-nominated heavy metal band mourns the loss of its founder, Dave Brockie

Published March 24, 2014 2:17PM (EDT)

    (<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-63306p1.html?cr=00&pl=edit-00">3 song photography</a> / <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/?cr=00&pl=edit-00">Shutterstock.com</a>)
(3 song photography / Shutterstock.com)

Dave Brockie, frontman of the Grammy Award-nominated satirical heavy metal rock band GWAR, was found dead in his Virginia home on Sunday, according to police. Brockie was 50. Brockie was found sitting upright in a chair. Police say that no foul play is suspected.

Known to his fans as his band persona, Oderus Urungus, Brockie founded GWAR with Virginia Commonwealth University art students in 1985. The group became known for its absurdism and elaborate theatrical productions, woven around the band's irreverent demigod characters. They have consistently populated the Internet's "scariest bands" list for years, while they continue to critique the media and politics.

Former GWAR bassist Mike Bishop told StyleWeekly, who first reported the death, that Brockie "was one of the funniest, smartest, most creative and energetic persons I've known. He was brash sometimes, always crass, irreverent, he was hilarious in every way. But he was also deeply intelligent and interested in life, history, politics and art.”

The band has performed on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," appeared on "The Jerry Springer Show," and was the favorite band of MTV's "Beavis and Butt-Head." Here are some of the band's best non-performance moments:

"The Joan Rivers Show" in 1990

"The Jerry Springer Show" in 1997

"Beavis and Butt-Head" on GWAR:

Fox News' "Red Eye" interviews Oderus Urungus

GWAR goes trick-or-treating

Oderus Urungus reads "Goodnight Moon"


By Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com.

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Dave Brockie Gwar Heavy Metal Music Obituary Satire Video