The members of GWAR generally attack everything they do with some humor, but no one was laughing after recent reportsc surfaced claiming the band was trying to capitalize on the death of former frontman Dave Brockie. The singer's father, William Brockie, alleged in a lawsuit that the group stole their bandmate's ashes and refused to give back property that belonged to the beloved leader, who died last year. The group recently released a statement refuting those claims and offering its side of the story.
Style Weekly broke the story yesterday, April 6. William's lawsuit claimed that the band members stole instruments, a gold record and artwork that belonged to his son, aka Oderus Urungus, and stored it at their headquarters, Slave Pit Inc. The distraught parent also alleged that the group never paid Dave for the final tour he went on with GWAR.
William also contested the Dave Brockie Fund, a charitable venture the band set up following the singer's death in March 2014. According to the lawsuit, William never gave permission to the band to use his son's likeness for the charity or any memorial merchandise sold.
A representative for GWAR released a statement today, April 7, to basically say that the band has been nothing but cooperative with William and his attorneys since Dave's death. The band members claimed that William signed over the singer's body to the group to be cremated, since that had been discussed previously because Dave had no will. They gave William some of the remains to be scattered with his family.
The members also claimed to have paperwork proving that Dave was compensated for the final tour and that items requested by William's attorneys were collected and made available weeks ago.
"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. 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," the band wrote.
Dave, the last original member of the band, died of a drug overdose. He was 50.
