Dave Brockie — known worldwide as Oderus Urungus, the interstellar warlord vocalist of GWAR — died on March 23, 2014 at his home in Richmond, Virginia. He was 50 years old. The cause of death was a heroin overdose. Brockie was not merely a singer; he was the creative engine and costume-clad visionary who kept GWAR's singular carnival of gore and satire alive for over three decades. GWAR — formed in Richmond in 1984 — combined extreme metal with elaborate theatrical performance, grotesque costumes, and biting political and social commentary delivered through the most cartoonishly violent stage show in rock history. Brockie wrote, directed, and performed in every aspect of the band's mythology. His loss left an irreplaceable void. GWAR have continued with new vocalists, but the world Oderus built remains his monument.
