GWAR has shared an emotional tribute to founding member Chuck Varga, the artist and performer best known for playing the character Sexecutioner, after his death at age 68.
Varga died on Friday ollowing a battle with cancer, according to a statement from longtime GWAR bassist Casey Orr, who performs as Beefcake the Mighty. Per Blabbermouth, Orr said Varga died peacefully with his wife, Bambi, by his side.
GWAR later released its own tribute through its official channels, sharing several photos of Varga both in and out of costume. The band opened its message with the words, “There are some losses that hit harder than others.”
Gwar performs on stage at the Good Things Festival at Flemington Race course on Dec. 5, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia.Photo by Martin Philbey
The tribute remembered Varga not only as Sexecutioner but also as one of the people who helped build GWAR from its earliest days.
In its tribute, GWAR said Varga was present when the band was still taking shape and helped create the strange world that would later become one of heavy metal’s most recognizable acts.
“Chuck was the Sexecutioner and was one of the founding members of GWAR,” the band wrote. “He was there when this strange, disgusting, beautiful thing was being born, helping create the world that would become GWAR.”
View this post on InstagramThe band also highlighted Varga’s work away from the stage. His illustrations and costume designs helped shape GWAR’s visual identity, while his work as a scenic artist later extended into movies, theater and other visual projects.
GWAR described his stage role as an important part of the band’s early identity.
“As Sexecutioner, Chuck brought an unforgettable presence to the stage and helped establish the larger-than-life mythology, chaos and depravity that would come to define the band,” GWAR said.
The band added that Varga was much more than the character he played.
“For those of us who knew Chuck, he was more than a character in a monster suit, he was an artist, a vocalist, a true performer and most importantly a brother to everyone in the band,” GWAR wrote. “He was one of the people who helped make GWAR possible.”
GWAR closed its message by sending its sympathy to Varga’s wife, family, friends and those who knew him.
“Hail Sexecutioner!
Hail Chuck Varga!”
Variety said Varga met future GWAR co-founder Hunter Jackson while they were students at Virginia Commonwealth University. The two became involved in The Slave Pit, a creative production space connected to the early development of the band’s visual world. The project eventually came together with Dave Brockie’s punk group Death Piggy, helping lead to the formation of GWAR in the 1980s.
Varga became known onstage as Sexecutioner and was part of GWAR during its formative years. He remained with the band until 1997, with Ragnarök in 1995 reported as his final studio album with the group, per Louder Wire.
He later moved to New York and pursued work in film, television and Broadway. He also founded Hyperreal Productions, a company focused on costume and set design.
His creative work remained closely connected to GWAR. The band has credited his illustrations, character designs, performances and artistic vision with helping shape its distinctive world.
GWAR received two Grammy nominations during Varga’s era with the band. The first came in 1993 for Phallus in Wonderland in the Best Long Form Music Video category. The second followed in 1996 for “S.F.W.” in the Best Metal Performance category.
Varga’s cancer battle had been publicly known before his death. Earlier this year, GWAR organized efforts to support him, including a blood donation campaign and a fundraiser connected to medical and care expenses.
Varga’s death marks the loss of another figure from GWAR’s earliest creative circle. The band continues its work with a rotating lineup of musicians and artists, while the visual world that Varga helped build remains part of GWAR’s identity.
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