Chuck Varga, GWAR Founding Member and 'Sexecutioner,' Dead at 68

Chuck Varga, a founding member of the shock metal band GWAR who performed as the character "the Sexecutioner," has died at 68.

GWAR bassist Casey "Beefcake The Mighty" Orr announced Varga's death on Friday. In June, the band had launched a fundraiser to support Varga as he battled cancer.

"Chuck Varga has left this earthly realm. He passed peacefully, his beloved wife Bambi holding his hand," Orr wrote. "He was one of a kind. As an artist, as a performer; as a scholar and a gentleman. I'm better for having known him and the world is lesser for his leaving."

Orr closed his tribute with a nod to the band's fallen members: "He is most likely being welcomed into Valhalla right now by [singer Dave] Brockie and [guitarist Cory Smoot] and all who went before. Raise your glass and tell his tales. Legends never die. Hail Varga! Hail Sexecutioner!"

What was Varga's role in GWAR?

Varga was not among the original musicians in the Richmond, Virginia-based GWAR. He was instead a founding member of the band's Slave Pit Inc., the collective that designed the group's infamous onstage costumes and produced its artwork and overall visual design.

He is credited with helping create the costume of singer Dave "Oderus Urungus" Brockie, among others. Varga assumed the onstage role of "the Sexecutioner" in 1987 and held it in concert for over a decade. He performed lead vocals on the track named after the character.

Varga's Sexecutioner also sang lead vocals on "RagNaRok," the title track of GWAR's 1995 album of the same name.

After exiting as a full-time member, Varga stayed in the GWAR orbit. He appeared occasionally onstage and kept contributing to the visual side of the long-running metal act.

How did the band describe his legacy?

Bob "Bone Snapper" Gorman, another member of GWAR and the Slave Pit, addressed Varga's importance in a statement released when the band announced its June fundraiser.

"Chuck Varga's contributions to the GWAR and Slave Pit collective are enormous," Gorman said. "The influence of his illustrations, character designs, performances, and artistic vision can still be felt throughout GWAR today."

Gorman traced the reach of Varga's work beyond the band itself. "Chuck's over-the-top underground art aesthetic helped define an entire universe and inspired generations of artists and fans around the world," he said. "His legacy will remain with us forever, and we hope this fundraiser not only helps support Chuck and Bambi during this difficult time but also serves as a celebration of everything Chuck has given to GWAR and its community."

The fundraiser, begun in June as Varga battled cancer, now stands as both support for his widow, Bambi, and a public record of what the Slave Pit built. Varga's character designs and illustrations remain embedded in GWAR's stage show and artwork, ensuring the universe he helped define outlives its maker.

By Elena Vasquez