GWAR have launched a fundraising campaign to support founding member Chuck Varga as the musician and artist continues treatment for cancer, with proceeds helping cover his medical and living expenses.
by Paul Cashmere
GWAR have launched a fundraising campaign for founding member and former vocalist Chuck Varga, who is undergoing treatment for cancer and facing mounting medical expenses. The campaign includes exclusive merchandise, direct donations and an auction for The Sexecutioner’s Axe, the stage prop used by Varga’s iconic character for almost four decades.
According to the band, funds raised will help pay for cancer treatments, hospice care, specialised medical equipment and additional nursing support. The campaign will also assist with maintaining Varga’s Brooklyn apartment while his wife, Bambi, has stepped away from work to become his full-time carer.
The fundraiser highlights the significance of Varga’s role in the history of GWAR, one of heavy music’s most distinctive and enduring acts. Since forming in the mid-1980s, the Virginia band has built an international following through elaborate costumes, theatrical performances and a satirical mythology centred on intergalactic warriors wreaking havoc on humanity.
In a statement released with the campaign, the band said: “Chuck Varga, a founding member of GWAR and the man behind The Sexecutioner from 1985 to 2022, is currently battling cancer. Chuck and his wife, Bambi, are facing tremendous medical, financial, and personal challenges as they navigate this difficult chapter together.”
Supporters can contribute through direct donations and by purchasing limited edition merchandise created specifically for the fundraiser. Among the items is a new T-shirt featuring artwork by Varga himself.
The centrepiece of the campaign is an auction for The Sexecutioner’s Axe, the weapon carried by Varga’s stage character for nearly 40 years. The one-of-a-kind prop is expected to attract interest from long-time followers of the band and collectors of heavy music memorabilia, with all proceeds directed to Chuck and Bambi’s care.
Varga was one of the original architects of the GWAR universe. Beyond his performances as The Sexecutioner, he played a key role in developing the band’s visual identity through illustrations, character designs and contributions to the Slave Pit collective, the creative team responsible for the group’s costumes, props and mythology.
GWAR member Bob Gorman, who performs as Bonesnapper, said Varga’s influence remains deeply embedded in the band’s identity.
“Chuck Varga’s contributions to the GWAR and Slave Pit collective are enormous. The influence of his illustrations, character designs, performances and artistic vision can still be felt throughout GWAR today,” Gorman said.
“Chuck’s over-the-top underground art aesthetic helped define an entire universe and inspired generations of artists and fans around the world. His legacy will remain with us forever, and we hope this fundraiser not only helps support Chuck and Bambi during this difficult time but also serves as a celebration of everything Chuck has given to GWAR and its community.”
The fundraiser follows an earlier appeal by the band after revealing in April that Varga had been diagnosed with cancer. At the time, GWAR encouraged fans, known as Bohabs, to donate blood in his honour.
The campaign also arrives more than a decade after the death of original frontman Dave Brockie, who performed as Oderus Urungus. Brockie died in March 2014 at the age of 50, leaving a significant void in the group’s original line-up and marking the end of an era for one of heavy metal’s most unconventional acts.
Despite line-up changes and personal tragedies, GWAR have remained active, continuing to record and tour while maintaining the theatrical world that Varga helped establish. The new fundraiser serves not only as a practical effort to ease the financial pressures facing Varga and his family, but also as a recognition of the creative contribution he made to a band whose influence extends well beyond heavy metal.
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