Mike Peters, front man of Welsh rockers The Alarm and a longtime cancer campaigner and fundraiser, has died at age 66. Peters lived with blood cancer for 30 years, following his diagnosis of lymphoma in 1995, and later having chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Peters had visited The Current on at least two occasions. One notable visit included this live session recorded at the MPR booth at the Minnesota State Fair — in front of an enthusiastic audience.

That same day, Nate Ryan captured these portraits of Peters on the MPR booth stage and backstage:

Mike Peters at the MPR booth (2017)

Fullscreen SlideshowPrevious Slide

8 of 8

1 of 8

2 of 8

Next Slide

About a year later, Peters returned to Minnesota and visited The Current to record an episode of Teenage Kicks with host Jim McGuinn. On the program, Peters talked about growing up in Wales, being inspired by the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and forming The Alarm. Peters also recounted pulling a prank on the music industry in 2004 by releasing a song as pseudo-band The Poppy Fields. The song, “45RPM,” ended up in the top 30 in the U.K. singles chart.

Near the end of the episode, Peters, who had been battling cancer since 1985, remarked that life is “about where the positives and the negatives meet, and that's where the sparks happen in life. That's where the real beauty exists, and that's where I'm always trying to get to with my music.

“I live for what I do,” Peters continued, “and being in a band has blessed my life and given me some amazing opportunities. And there isn't a day goes by when I have to pinch myself and thank the Lord that I'm doing what I do.”

External Link

The Alarm – official site