Gwar kicks out Vulvatron, its best and only female member

The shock-metal band Gwar may routinely decapitate effigies of the pope onstage in an orgy of cartoonish blood and terror, but now some band personnel business has rapidly turned into a genuine -- and tragic -- spat.

The group announced on Thursday that it has parted ways with Kim Dylla, a vocalist who performed as Vulvatron and the band’s lone current female member. The group has had female members before -- fans have fond memories of Slymenestra Hymen’s turn in the group -- but this tragedy leaves Gwar an all-male outfit once again, for the time being.

In a Facebook statement, the band’s Brent Purgason, who delightfully describes his title as “slave of the recently defrosted intergalactic barbarian, Pustulus Maximus” said that “Kim did a great job, but we wanted to go a different direction with the Vulvatron character. You will absolutely see more of Vulvatron in the future, just not portrayed by Kim. There is no ill will, no acrimony, and no drama. We respect Kim’s talent without question, it just isn’t what we needed in the character.”

The band did not announce a permanent Vulvatron replacement.

Dylla in turn, responded with her own message that claimed she was fired without notice beyond the band’s Facebook message. “It’s really nice when you find out important things from people you consider to be your friends from posts on the internet and messages from strangers. There is something called basic respect not existing in that modus of communication.” The pair went on to bicker in the comments, Purgason attributing the firing to Dylla’s alcohol intake and Dylla pointing out the pot-kettle nature of that argument. While the exchange was quickly scrubbed thereafter, you can read the full transcript here.

Gwar suffered its biggest blow when the band’s longtime frontman Oderus Urungus (born Dave Brockie) died of a heroin overdose last year. The group still has plans for its future “Gwar-B-Cue” festival in August, as well as a bar in its hometown of Richmond, Va.

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