Chuck Varga, a founding member of GWAR and the man behind The Sexecutioner from 1985 to 2022, has died after a battle with cancer. GWAR bassist Beefcake The Mighty, also known as Casey Orr, shared the news in a statement that reflected on Varga’s passing and his legacy within the band.
“Chuck Varga has left this earthly realm,” Orr said. “He passed peacefully, his beloved wife Bambi holding his hand.”
Orr went on to describe Varga’s impact on those who knew him and the broader GWAR community.
“He was one of a kind,” Orr continued. “As an artist, as a performer; as a scholar and a gentleman. I’m better for having known him and the world is lesser for his leaving. He is most likely being welcomed into Valhalla right now by Brockie and Smooty and all who went before. Raise your glass and tell his tales. Legends never die. Hail Varga! Hail Sexicutioner!”
Varga’s contributions to GWAR spanned nearly four decades. His role in shaping the band’s identity went far beyond the stage.
Varga co-founded GWAR alongside Hunter Jackson through Slave Pit Studios in Richmond, Virginia, in 1985. The art space became the creative engine behind the band’s elaborate costumes and grotesque theatrics. It blended punk music with monster-movie spectacle in a way that had never been attempted before.
Over the course of his time with the band, Varga contributed to eight major productions, more than 1,000 live performances, and two feature-length films. His work extended well beyond performing as The Sexecutioner. He also designed and built many of GWAR’s iconic costumes, a craft that became central to the band’s visual identity and enduring appeal.
Earlier this month, GWAR and its extended community rallied around Varga as his cancer battle became public, launching a nationwide blood donation campaign in his honor. The outpouring of support reflected the deep bond between Varga and the fans who had followed GWAR’s chaotic, theatrical journey since its earliest days.
