The Alarm’s Mike Peters has died at 66

Sad news. Mike Peters, who led Welsh alt-rock vets The Alarm since the early-’80s, has died following a long battle with cancer. He was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1995, beat it, but was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2022. He was 66.

Following early groups The Toilets and Seventeen, Peters formed The Alarm in 1981 and the band’s strident, anthemic rock sound — as heard on early singles “Marching On,” “68 Guns,” and “The Stand” (based on Stephen King’s novel) — made them contemporaries with U2 and Big Country. Their 1984 debut, Declaration, was a Top 10 hit in the UK and alt-rock/college radio hit in the US, and remained in the UK charts through the ’80s with singles “Spirit of 76,” “Rain in the Summertime,” and “Sold Me Down the River.” The band broke up in 1991 but Peters revived The Alarm in 1999 and waved the flag till his death.

Peters’ completed new The Alarm album Transformation will be released July 6 (hear “Chimera” below), and his second memoir, Volume 2 HOPE – 1991 – 2005, is out now. He also formed the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a music-driven cancer charity that revolutionized awareness and action around stem cell donation.

Rest easy, Mike.