Brian Setzer has issued an update on his health after the influential rockabilly icon announced an autoimmune disease had left him unable to play the guitar.
In February, the Stray Cats Gretsch guitar loyalist posted a statement to social media, in which he confirmed he’d been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after first noticing the effects of his condition while on tour.
After Setzer felt his hands cramping up as the trip reached its end, the guitarist was told he had the autoimmune condition, which ultimately rendered him unable to play the guitar. “There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play,” he wrote at the time.
In a new update, Setzer has offered a positive update on his recovery, revealing that the progress he is making is “excellent” – and that he dreams of returning to the stage soon.
“I just want to let you all know that I’m getting better day by day,” Setzer says. “The progress I’m making is excellent! My dream is to visit Japan, the States, and Europe with Stray Cats, and of course, one of my biggest thrills would be bringing back the BSO Christmas show tradition.
“Thank you all for your love and support – it truly means the world to me. I was deeply touched. I love you guys, and only we can truly understand what this sound means to us!”
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Autoimmune diseases occur when a person’s immune system attacks healthy cells in the body. It can affect virtually every part of the body, and at the time of writing, there is no cure, but a range of treatments – from targeted therapies to anti-inflammatory drugs – are available.
No timeframe has been put on Setzer’s recovery, but from the sounds of things, it might not be too long before we see the rockabilly king behind the wheel of his beloved Gretsch guitar once more.
Speaking to Guitar World last year, Setzer discussed his life-long love affair with hollowbody Gretsch instruments, and cited the physical characteristics of such six-strings as the reason for his affections.
“The whole thing shakes,” he said at the time. “You feel it. It’s the best thing in the world, for me.”
