East Bay Ray, the guitarist and founding member of the iconic punk band Dead Kennedys, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the group’s management announced on Tuesday.
Ray said he plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health permits, thanking fans for their ongoing support. The band shared a black‑and‑white photo of him on Instagram.
Ray co‑founded Dead Kennedys in 1978 and has remained a member of the seminal group, which broke up in 1986 before reuniting in 2001 with original bassist Klaus Flouride. Since 2008, Ron “Skip” Greer has served as lead vocalist, and drummer Steve Wilson joined the lineup in 2022 following the death of longtime drummer D.H. Peligro.
The band has several West Coast tour dates slated for early October, beginning October 6 in Seattle at the Showbox at the Market and concluding on October 11 in Riverside, California at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium. According to their Instagram post, fans can expect Ray to perform if his health permits.
The diagnosis follows the news earlier this year that former singer Jello Biafra, who did not rejoin the band when they reunited in 2001, suffered a stroke. Biafra’s Facebook page reports that he is recovering, with most of his speech restored and cognitive functions improving.
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