GWAR Founding Member Chuck Varga Dies After Cancer Battle

Chuck Varga, a founding member of the theatrical metal band GWAR known onstage as the Sexecutioner, has died after a battle with cancer, according to an announcement by longtime bassist Casey Orr. Orr said Varga passed peacefully with his wife, Bambi, holding his hand. The reports did not provide a specific date of death or separate confirmation beyond Orr’s announcement. Orr shared the news on social media on Friday, September 25. In his message, he remembered Varga as an artist, performer, scholar and gentleman, and said he was better for having known him. Orr also invoked former GWAR members Dave Brockie and Cory Smoot, and urged people to raise a glass in Varga’s memory. Varga helped shape GWAR from its early days through work in performance, sculpture, illustration, character design and special effects. He was a cofounder of the Richmond art collective Slave Pit Studios and became known to audiences as the Sexecutioner. His work included vocals on songs such as “Sexecutioner,” from the band’s 1990 album Scumdogs of the Universe, and “Rag Na Rok,” from its 1995 album Ragnarök. GWAR publicly disclosed Varga’s cancer battle in April, according to one report.