Music

Dave Brockie's dad says Gwar stole Oderus Urungus' ashes

by Tyler Munro

Like something out of their live show, Gwar have been accused by Dave Brockie’s father of stealing not just their late singer’s artwork, instruments and gold records, but also his cremated remains.

William, father to Dave “Oderus Urungus” Brockie, told the Courthouse News Service that drummer Jizmak Da Gusha, real name Brad Roberts, has his old pal’s ashes and that when he asked for them, he was “made to wait across the street” until he was “given a small fraction” of the ashes, which he says were delivered in a used plastic bag.

Fans might remember that Dave Brockie was memorialized by fans, and the band, at a Viking-style funeral after his death last year on March 23rd.

Furthermore, William Brockie says that the band has been using his son’s image without permission, noting that he never signed off on the Dave Brockie Fund, which seeks to give artists the means to fund and release their work. So, basically, William Brockie is kind of a dick.

He’s looking for $1 million in damages, plus “inductive relief on claims of conversion, breach of contract, and unauthorized use of David Brockie’s image.”

Gwar, however, aren’t buying it. In a statement released today, they say that all of the items mentioned, including Dave’s ashes, have been “available to [William’s] attorneys for weeks.”

They say that Dave left “no will or instructions” and that the band did its best to honour him in a way he would have wanted. They say that they paid to have him cremated and arranged both a public and private memorial, neither of which were attended by William Brockie, who they say wanted no part in making his son’s final arrangements. The band also purchased, out of pocket, a plot for Dave in Richmond, Virginia.

“Dave Brockie was our friend, peer, co-worker, and our family. We want to preserve the legacy of one of the greatest singers in rock and roll history,” concluded the statement. “There is no ‘conspiracy,’ no bad faith, no theft, no graft, and no ill will. We trust our fans will see through this, and we will be able to get back to work on the one thing we all know Dave Brockie loved; GWAR.”