Dead Kennedys guitarist and founding member East Bay Ray has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the band announced on 22 September. Despite the diagnosis, he intends to continue performing and touring for as long as his health permits, making the announcement significant for fans and the group’s future live performances.

Ray, born Raymond Pepperell, co-founded the San Francisco punk band in 1978 and is its only constant member. Known for guitar work blending punk with surf-rock influences, he helped shape songs including “Holiday in Cambodia” and “California Über Alles”. Dead Kennedys’ planned shows remain scheduled, beginning in Seattle on 6 October and continuing through Portland and San Francisco before concluding in Riverside, California, on 11 October; the band originally split in 1986 and reunited in 2001.