Stray Cats’ Brian Setzer can no longer play the guitar due to autoimmune disease
Brian Setzer, best known for being the guitarist with the American rock band Stray Cats, has revealed he can no longer play the guitar due to suffering from an autoimmune disease.
Despite his diagnosis, Setzer is confident that he’ll be able to play the guitar again in the future with the right medical assistance. However, the Stray Cats star is also aware that it will be a long road ahead before he’s back on stage.
In a post on X, Setzer shared with his followers: “Hi everybody, I just wanted to check in with you all. Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I’ve since discovered that I have an auto-immune disease. I cannot play guitar. There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.”
The guitarist, who didn’t disclose the specific autoimmune disease, continued: “I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I was at a point where I couldn’t even do that. Luckily, I have the best hospital in the world down the block from me. It’s called the Mayo Clinic. I know I will beat this, it will just take some time.”
Stray Cats concluded their tour last August which suggests that Setzer has been struggling with the autoimmune disease for a period of many months.
The band, who rose to prominence in the 1980s, currently have no shows scheduled in their calendar.
In addition to his work with the Stray Cats, Setzer has an accomplished solo career. His last album, The Devil Always Collects, was released in 2023.
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