UPDATE: GWAR Deny Stealing Dave Brockie’s Ashes
Dave Brockie's father is charging the late singer's former bandmates in GWAR with stealing his instruments, his likeness, his artwork and even his cremated remains in an explosive new lawsuit. GWAR's goal, William Brockie says, is to capitalize on his son's death.
The lawsuit specifically blames GWAR drummer Brad Roberts, aka Jizmak Da Gusha, for making off with Brockie's ashes. William Brockie, administrator for his son's estate, claims he was ultimately given only a portion of his son's remains, and that it was "delivered in a used plastic bag with Discover credit card logo on it."
UPDATE: GWAR has issued a statement strenuously denying that they they stole Dave Brockie's ashes. "In fact," they say, "all of the items ... including Dave's ashes have been available to his attorneys for weeks. At all times, and under very trying circumstances, we have acted in good faith to honor the wishes of our dear friend. Dave left no will or instructions for final arrangements, and so we have done the best we could to honor what we believe Dave Brockie would have wanted." That included, GWAR now says, keeping a portion of his remains at the band headquarters.
Dave Brockie, who performed as the character Oderus Urungus for more than three decades, died on March 23, 2014 from acute heroin toxicity. He was given a dramatic send off, complete with a traditional, flaming Viking funeral.
Since, William Brockie says GWAR has locked various personal effects inside the group's headquarters, dubbed Slave Pit Inc. He filed suit on April 2 in circuit court at Richmond, Va., where Dave Brockie formed GWAR in 1984.
It seems William Brockie and the band squared off almost immediately after the younger Brockie's sudden death. GWAR has tried to wrest control of the Dave Brockie estate, his father says, while he's charged the group with failure to pay Dave Brockie for his final tour, which traveled into Asia and Australia in 2014.
In GWAR's response, they say "the claim that we failed to pay his share of royalties from Slave Pit Inc. is false, and we have the records to prove that. We have been in correspondence with William Brockie and his lawyers for months. They have access to the band’s financial records, and Dave’s payments and share of royalties are clearly recorded. Likewise, William Brockie’s attorneys have an itemized list of the small collection of Dave’s art and belongings at Slave Pit."
The lawsuit also says Brockie's family never gave permission for their son's likeness to be used as part of the Dave Brockie Fund, a music-focused charity subsequently established by GWAR. William Brockie is seeking $1 million in damages.
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