It has been introduced that Mike Peters, frontman of the Welsh rock band The Alarm, has died from blood most cancers aged 66.
Peters was first identified with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1995 and power lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was recognized in 2005. Regardless of continued battles and durations of remission, the musician was pressured to cancel a US tour final yr after he found a big swollen gland on his neck. Identified by medical doctors as Richter’s syndrome, a uncommon complication the place the CLL transforms right into a extra aggressive lymphoma, Peters had been present process therapy on the Christie NHS basis belief in Manchester.
Having co-founded the Love Hope Power Basis alongside his spouse, Jules, to assist recruit bone marrow donors at stay music reveals, the singer was awarded the MBE in 2019 for his providers to most cancers care.
Final December he wrote on Love Hope Power Basis web site: “I am eternally grateful for the assist of everybody who has been to the live shows since this horrible ordeal started. Enjoying music has stored me mentally targeted all through, and I wish to thank everybody who has since signed as much as the Stem Cell Donor Registry through Love Hope Power.”
“In 2014,” he continued, “whereas addressing delegates on the World Most cancers Congress in Melbourne Australia, I stated that ‘In 1995, I didn’t see most cancers coming however on the identical time, most cancers didn’t see Mike Peters coming both’. In 2025, I’ll have been dwelling with the illness for 30 years and in all that point I’ve needed to face the truth that my type of Leukaemia was incurable.”
The information of his passing was introduced on social media through a video titled, ‘Michael Peters: 1959 – 2025.’
Autobiographical Trilogy
Final yr, Peters revealed his autobiography LOVE 1959 -1991, the primary a part of an supposed autobiographical trilogy titled LOVE HOPE STRENGTH, was obtainable to order. He wrote: “I’m honoured to have been given this chance to write down the account of my life. The publishers, A Means With Media and editor Andrew Richardson have allowed me the scope and house to inform my story, the way in which I’ve all the time dreamt of.
“Most ‘life’ autobiography’s are condensed into roughly 90,000 phrases or so and as an archivist, diarist, documentary and completist that wasn’t for me. Andrew and A Means With Media have been courageous and dedicated sufficient, to set me, my archive and my pen free to inform the story the way in which I’ve lived it and to not be edited down or discouraged from telling all of the tales and laying out all of the details of the life I’ve been blessed to stroll via.
“Quantity One alone concerned the writing of roughly 158,000 phrases. No stone has been left unturned…”
Message Of Hope
Simply 4 days in the past, on 25 April, The Alarm Fb web page relayed a ‘Private Message From Mike Peters’, asserting Quantity Two ‘HOPE‘. It stated:
“I’m writing personally to thanks for the love and understanding proven to me and my household throughout my trials at The Christie Hospital, Manchester, all through these difficult previous few months. Andrew Richardson (my writer at A Means With Media), has stored me absolutely abreast of all of the great suggestions you will have despatched him relating to the guide content material, story telling and a spotlight to element that I poured into the writing of LOVE 1959 – 1991. Fortunately for me, I used to be in a position to keep alive lengthy sufficient via 2024 to finish Quantity 2 HOPE 1991 – 2005.”
Transformation
Earlier this yr it was additionally introduced that The Alarm could be releasing a brand new album, Transformation, on 6 June. It was revealed that the recording classes for Transformation started spontaneously on 7 October 2024 and was accomplished on 15 January 2025.
Reflective of Peters’ combating spirit, the announcement was accompanied by the video for brand spanking new tune, Outlier, which was filmed and recorded in early March by Peters’ two “official and authorised guests” – Jules Peters and Andy Labrow, who helped create the movie inside his isolation room at The Christie NHS Basis Hospital.
Watch beneath:
Willpower By way of Adversity
Born in Prestatyn, Peters fashioned The Alarm in 1981 and scored a High 20 hit with Sixty Eight Weapons, two years later. Having stepped into the void created by the demise of bands like The Conflict, Peters and The Alarm have been celebrated for his or her anthemic, politically conscious, rabble-rousing rock.
Peters informed Traditional Pop in 2018: “We discretely did issues like supporting the miners’ strike funds. Nevertheless, I didn’t need our music to turn into like The Redskins or Billy Bragg, the place you’re actually only a mouthpiece. Our politics have been in regards to the politics of the person waking as much as who they have been after which making their very own selections. My function as an artist was to stimulate dialog.”
Their debut album Declaration was launched in 1984. Alongside Sixty Eight Weapons, the LP additionally featured Blaze of Glory. Nevertheless it was the follow-up Power (1985) which Peters claimed was: “The Alarm’s finest album, tune for tune.”
All through his profession, which additionally noticed him entrance Large Nation between 2011 and 2013, Peters was in a position to proactively use his place to advertise charitable causes – not least the aforementioned Love Hope Power Basis. His dedication via adversity impressed many and his passing has been greeted with nice disappointment and quite a few tributes from followers on-line.
Peters is survived by his spouse, Jules, and two sons, Dylan, 20, and Evan, 18.
For extra on Transformation and LOVE HOPE STRENGTH trilogy, click on right here
Go to the Love Hope Power Basis right here to search out out extra or donate.
For extra on Mike Peters learn our Declaration of Power: The Alarm interview
