Blackie Lawless gave a difficult update on the health of former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, who is undergoing chemotherapy in France for prostate cancer. The band’s frontman spoke on September 13 on KLOS’s «Whiplash» show, hosted by Full Metal Jackie.
Asked whether he had been in touch with him, he answered that their contact has remained an exchange of letters: «He’s not doing well, so we don’t really know where he is at the moment as far as his treatment goes. We know he’s living in France».
He then left the health topic and moved into a broader comment, vigorously defending the American healthcare system and criticizing the French one. In his view, anyone in the US who thinks the system isn’t the best in the world should «be examined», while he described wait times in other countries as «primitive».
Holmes’ side paints a different picture. His wife, Catherine, described on GoFundMe that an administrative error around the registration of their marriage led the insurance system to place him on «emergency only» coverage: he waited three months to receive any care, and since July only radiotherapy is covered. Everything else — hormone therapy, tests, PET scans, biopsies, blood work and the daily trips to the hospital — falls on the couple, with medical debt reaching 20,000 euros and growing every month. Because he has to stay in France for radiotherapy, he can’t travel and therefore can’t work.
It isn’t the first health ordeal of recent years. In February 2022 he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and neck, stayed off touring and completed seven weeks of radiation, only to say five months later that the cancer was gone. Last April he cancelled a scheduled UK and Scandinavia tour, with his wife speaking at the time of a «small prostate issue» being treated. He recently thanked those who supported his fund, saying the hormone therapy made him severely ill and that the goal has been covered by about 80%.
Lawless also spoke about Holmes’ legacy on stage, saying what set him apart was his ability to play live, though he recalled that several of the big solos, such as those on «Blind In Texas» and «Wild Child», were played by Randy Piper — drawing a comparison with Aerosmith and the Perry–Whitford relationship. Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982, left in 1990, returned for a second stint from 1996 to 2001 and hasn’t played with them since. W.A.S.P. are currently on tour in North America with KK’s Priest, as part of «1984 To Headless», which began on September 10.
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Source: https://metal-stop.com/w-a-s-p-s-blackie-lawless-gives-troubling-update-on-chris-holmes-cancer-battle-defends-u-s-healthcare-system/
