East Bay Ray, Dead Kennedys Guitarist, Diagnosed With Parkinson’s Disease
"Ray says he plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health allows," band writes
Guitarist East Bay Ray of the punk band Dead Kennedys has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, according to a band statement. Born Raymond John Pepperell, the 67-year-old musician co-founded the legendary group in 1978 and continues to be an active member today. The statement on Dead Kennedys' social media channels reads: "Dead Kennedys management announced today that the band’s guitarist and founding member, East Bay Ray, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Ray says he plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health allows, and expresses his appreciation to everyone for their continued support." The punk band will have a few West Coast shows coming up, starting with a performance on October 6th in Seattle, and concluding with a show on October 11th in Riverside, California.
East Bay Ray and bassist Klaus Flouride are the only two remaining founding members of Dead Kennedys. Original frontman Jello Biafra did not rejoin the band when they reunited in 2001 following their breakup in 1986. Ron "Skip" Greer has been handling lead vocals since 2008, while drummer Steve Wilson joined the lineup in 2023, following the passing of classic member D.H. Peligro.
Written by urgent.news from Consequence's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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