East Bay Ray, the guitarist and founding member of the influential San Francisco punk band Dead Kennedys, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the band announced this week. Despite the diagnosis, Ray has stated his intention to continue performing and touring with the group for as long as his health permits, expressing appreciation for the ongoing support from fans and the music community. The diagnosis comes at a particularly challenging time for the band's legacy, as founding member and former lead singer Jello Biafra suffered a stroke earlier this year.

Dead Kennedys was co-founded by Ray in 1978, initially dissolved in 1986, and reunited in 2001 with original bassist Klaus Flouride. The band's current line-up includes vocalist Ron "Skip" Greer (who has been fronting the band since 2008) and drummer Steve Wilson (who joined following the death of longtime drummer D.H. Peligro in 2022). A series of West Coast tour dates is scheduled to commence on 6 October in Seattle and conclude on 11 October in Riverside, California, with Ray's participation dependent on his health at the time of performances.