Late last month it was confirmed that Dave Brockie, beloved in the metal and rock worlds as Oderus Urungus, the frontman of Richmond, Virginia thrash outfit GWAR, had passed away in his home. The surviving members of GWAR and Slave Pit Inc have now issued a video statement.
In the emotional clip, members describe the 50-year-old Brockie’s passing as a “great loss to the worlds of art, music, drama, and literature,” and thank fans for their outpourings of grief, saying, “To know that our loss is shared so deeply with so many has made this tragedy a bit more bearable.”
“Oderus always did consider you his children, but I know for a fact that Dave thought of our fans as his family.” The band intend to hold a free public memorial service on Friday, 15th August as part of the band’s annual GWAR-B-Q event, which takes place at at Hadad’s Lake in Richmond, Virginia.
The clip was posted with a missive on the band’s Facebook page, announcing the creation of The Dave Brockie Foundation, “a charity fund with the mission of promoting the advancement of music, images, letters and performances in the arts. It will endeavor to encourage promising talents, as well as preserving the legacy of Dave’s body of works.” Donations can be made via the GWAR website.
GWAR Manager Jack Flanagan confirmed unverified reports of the frontman’s death last month, writing, “It is with a saddened heart, that I confirm my dear friend Dave Brockie, artist, musician, and lead singer of GWAR passed away at approximately 6:50 pm EST Sunday, March 23, 2014.”
Watch: A Message From The Guys of GWAR
