Watch: Blackie Lawless Suffers Back Injury, Performs Anyway
Touring is hard on the body in any situation, let alone when you’re working injured, which is the case for W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless, who is suffering from a herniated disc in his back while performing on the band’s 40th anniversary tour. As the singer andd guitarist explains, the herniated disc stems from complications relating to a broken leg earlier in life and was allegedly made worse by a doctor performing a procedure incorrectly.
Lawless was advised to fly home and not complete the band’s European tour, but he performed Dave Grohl style, using a chair nicknamed Elvis. Lawless explained his mentality in pushing forward via a post on the band’s website.
“As many of you already know I had a serious setback at the hands of a very unqualified Doctor here in Europe about 2 weeks into the tour. I’ve been receiving treatment at a hospital in Berlin and that team of Doctors has been nothing short of fantastic. But, at the same time they strongly advised me to stop the tour and go back to L.A. and begin my rehab. But it’s hard for them to understand, this is the only 40th Anniversary I’m ever going to get, not to mention the fans that have stood by us this entire time have waited over 3 years, and because of the pandemic suffered 3 different sets of tour postponements.
“At the start the Doctors [in Berlin] told me without rest and rehab I would definitely get worse. As hard as I’ve pushed through these shows, they were right. The show last night in Zurich was cut short by 2 songs, and I do apologize for that but the pain reached a point where I could no longer perform and it lasted throughout the entire show. My legs were giving out on me and it got dangerous. I will not be able to stand to do the remaining 5 shows, so the compromise I reached with the Doctors was if I would stay seated, in a chair to do these last 5 then they will give me clearance to finish the tour and do those remaining 5 shows.”
Injuries be damned, Lawless won’t be deterred and is looking forward to healing up.
“I’ve never done this before, but please understand, my intention is to finish this tour, come hell or high water, and give this incredibly dedicated fan base, that has been with us from the beginning, the show they have all heard about. Plus we’re going to build the chair into ‘Elvis’. Hey, he’s been with us the whole time and he will finish this tour right beside me because he’s basically one of the Band.
“But, as frustrating as this all has been I can’t wait to get into rehab, and then destroy America…. Again, on the 2nd, and final leg of the ’40th Anniversary World Tour’!! We are Coming Back….and we’re Coming to Hurt Somebody!!”
Check out the video below:
