NOTEWORTHY DEATHS

Frontman for heavy metal band GWAR

RICHMOND, Va. - Dave Brockie, who as “Oderus Urungus” fronted the alien-costumed heavy metal band GWAR during graphic and fake-blood-soaked stage shows for three decades, has died. He was 50.

Officers were called to Brockie’s home Sunday evening and found the singer dead inside the home, Richmond police spokesman Dionne Waugh said Monday. Detectives don’t suspect foul play at this time and the medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death, Waugh said.

The band, founded in 1984, is known for its comically grotesque costumes, stage antics and vulgar lyrics. GWAR was nominated for a Grammy Award for best long-form music video in 1993 for Phallus in Wonderland but lost to Diva by Annie Lennox. It also was nominated for best metal performance for “S.F.W.” in 1996 but lost to “Happiness In Slavery” by Nine Inch Nails.

GWAR released its latest album, Battle Maximus, in September 2013 and recently toured Australia and Japan.

Brockie remained a constant in the band that has had a revolving door of members, including lead guitarist Cory Smoot, who was found dead on the band’s tour bus in North Dakota in 2011. He was 34.

The state medical examiner said Smoot, who had performed since 2002 under the name “Flattus Maximus,” died of “coronary artery thrombosis brought about by his pre-existing coronary artery disease.” But records showed that investigators found on Smoot a $5 bill with a white powder residue, a prescription bottle holding eight Oxycodone-Acetaminophen pills, a lighter and two empty syringes.

Arkansas, Pages 12 on 03/25/2014

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