Gwar frontman David Brockie, known by his fans as Oderus Ungerus, died of heroin overdose.
Reuters reports that Mr. Brockie died of an accidental heroin overdose in March, the Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office said on Tuesday.
Brockie, 50, who played the character of Ungerus, a 43-billion-year-old alien vocalist for the satirical band, was found by his roommate on March 23 dead inside his home.
Reuters reports that Mr. Brockie died from “acute heroin toxicity and the manner of death is accident,” Arkuie Williams, administrator of the medical examiner’s office, said in an email
The Grammy nominated group combined thrash metal and performance art with costuming and outlandish stage antics not limited to simulated urination and puppet dismemberment.
In a profanity-laced 2014 television interview produced by Australia’s Soundwave music festival, Brockie said performing sober was not part of the act:
“My entire career has been an attempt to commit suicide….For me, being wasted is not being wasted. When I’m sober, that’s being wasted, literally,” he said while in full costume, a bottle of booze in one armored hand as he talks about controversial Australian PM Tony Abbott, described by Brockie as “a necrotic beast.”
Frequent contributor to Monsters and Critics is the respected addiction expert, Dr. Akikur Mohammad M.D., a psychiatrist and addiction-medicine specialist who works as a professor at USC’s Keck School of Medicine and is founding chief of Inspire Malibu Treatment Center.
“Brockie’s comments, as profane and flippant as they are, mask the depression and anger that many opiate addicts are grappling with,” says Dr. Akikur Mohammad M.D. “He seems that he was a very smart guy with a great capacity for humor, but self loathing got the better of him. It is unfortunate that the physical cravings for heroin took hold of Mr. Brockie at such a young age, especially when he was so passionate about performing for his fans and making his music.”
