Punk Legend, 67, Reveals Heartbreaking Diagnosis

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East Bay Ray, the guitarist and founding member of the iconic punk band Dead Kennedys, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the band’s management has announced. But the 67-year-old, whose real name is Raymond John Pepperell, “plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health allows,’ the band said. Ray “expressed his appreciation to everyone for their continued support,” the band wrote on Instagram alongside a black-and-white photo of the guitarist. Ray co-founded Dead Kennedys in San Francisco in 1978 and is the “only Dead Kennedy to remain a constant member of the band since its formation,” according to the band’s website. The punk group split in 1986 before reuniting in 2001. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that mainly affects a person’s ability to control movement. Typical symptoms include tremors, muscle stiffness, and increasingly slowed movements. Dead Kennedys has West Coast dates scheduled from Oct. 6 through Oct. 11.