Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes has been battling prostate cancer. He shared a new health update in a video posted on Instagram. In it, he thanked fans for their support. He also singled out his former bandmate Blackie Lawless for publicly backing him, despite their past feuds.
Holmes began by saying he had finished his latest round of treatment.
“Hey everybody out there, this is Chris Holmes,” he said. “I’m going to give you an update on my health since last time, which is, I don’t know, about a month and a half ago. I just finished eight weeks of radiation therapy. And everything’s under control, okay?”
He then thanked the fans who shared his GoFundMe page and those who donated.
“Now, I have to thank the fans for sharing the GoFundMe. I have to thank the people who donated for me. Thank you,” Holmes said. “You gave me a lease on life, longer lease. I appreciate it very much.”
“Without that, I don’t know what I would have— probably the thing could have spread. Who knows? But thank you very, very, very much,” he continued. “I love all the messages everybody gave me. It makes me feel good for my heart, all the messages everybody sent me, okay?”
Holmes then addressed Lawless directly for sharing the fundraiser with W.A.S.P. fans.
“Now listen, I have to thank Blackie for sharing my GoFundMe on his pages to all the W.A.S.P. fans because I wouldn’t have gone out to them without him,” Holmes said. “I appreciate that very, very much, okay?”
He closed by sharing his upcoming plans.
“Now listen, in October, around Halloween, I’ll be at the Chiller Theater. It’s in New Jersey signing autographs for everybody at the Chiller Theater,” he said. “And I plan on coming back in 2027 and playing in my new band Holmes. I still got Mean Man, and be good.”
“I also got another thing that I’ve been working on next month,” Holmes added. “That is going to come out probably Terminal, but who knows about that. That’s going to come out next year too. Thank you very much.”
Holmes’ thanks to Lawless carries extra weight because of the fundraiser’s background. The long, complicated history between the two musicians adds to it.
The GoFundMe campaign was set up to cover the cost of Holmes’ prostate cancer treatment in France. His wife and manager, Catherine, launched it with a goal of €50,000, or roughly $57,000. The money was meant to pay for medication, medical exams and the transport he needs to finish his treatment safely. Holmes has lived in Cannes with his wife since 2014. The page explained that the treatment could not be interrupted. It also said he had to stay in France to receive it. The campaign has since passed its target, with more than €56,000 raised.
Lawless played a visible part in that response. The W.A.S.P. frontman asked the band’s fans to “support” and “honor” Holmes while the 68-year-old guitarist fights the disease. The appeal reached a large audience of W.A.S.P. followers. Holmes has said he would not have reached many of them without it.
The gesture stands out given how strained the relationship between the two men has been. Holmes has spoken openly about his long-running issues with Lawless, including the band’s early business arrangements.
“Blackie was the only one signed to the record label.”
The diagnosis is also a second serious health fight for Holmes. He began radiotherapy in France only a few years after undergoing treatment for a throat and neck tumor. He has described the prostate cancer as curable. His latest update suggests the treatment is going well.
