Mike Peters, singer and co-founder of the Welsh rock band the Alarm, has died following a 30-year battle with blood cancer.
Peters was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1995, which was followed by a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2005. He lived in remission for a decade until the CLL returned in 2015. This led to a more serious diagnosis of Richter’s Syndrome, a stronger form of lymphoma.
Peters passed away on April 29 at the age of 66. A tribute video was posted to the Alarm’s social media with the message “totally free.”
A Brief History of the Alarm
Peters, who began playing in bands as a teenager, helped found the Alarm in 1981. They moved to London to perform the local circuit of venues and released five albums together. Though the Alarm disbanded in 1991, Peters went on to enjoy a career as a solo act, releasing multiple albums and performing live.
Peters did, ultimately, revive the Alarm name under the new moniker the Alarm MM++ and continue writing and recording music for them. Their most recent album, Forwards, came out in 2023, which Peters said he started writing while receiving hospital treatments.
“I didn’t take the guitar in to be creative. I just thought a bit of quiet strumming would be calming after the procedure – all these big needles coming at you,” he told Classic Rock in 2023. “Then after a while a bit of a melody would just arrive. All artists know that when you’re down or brokenhearted, that’s often when you write your best songs. When you’re being challenged, that’s when the muse strikes hardest. And mine was working overtime.”
In addition to his work as a musician, Peters co-founded the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a charity that raises funds and awareness for cancer research.
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
