“Every note I play now is so much more important, because I know one of the notes will be the last I play”: Peter Frampton is prolonging his performing career to savor his remaining playing days
Not every artist can resist the pull of the stage, even after a farewell tour – just ask Kiss and Mötley Crüe.
Peter Frampton can also be put in that bracket, but as a new interview with the electric guitar legend reveals, his reasoning for pursuing more shows is wholly justified, as he looks to make the most of his playing days while he still can.
Having been diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM) – a rare degenerative condition that weakens the legs, arms, wrists and fingers – the Baby, I Love Your Way guitarist announced a farewell tour in 2019.
The tour was delayed by COVID until 2022, though was followed by another raft of live dates last year, with Frampton playing under the banner of the Never EVER Say Never Tour.
Frampton, who now needs the aid of a cane to walk and performs seated, has just completed that tour’s spring leg. During that run, he sat down with the San Diego Union-Tribune to discuss why he’s not calling it quits any time soon.
“Every note I play now is so much more important to me because I know one of the notes I play will be the last I play within my lifetime,” says Frampton. “But what I have to do now is create new ways [to play] because I’m a fighter, and I’m not giving up.
“I have weakness in my fingers, but I have created different paths to get to the end point of what I want to play.”
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“I am inspired by all the musicians I’ve read about that don’t have full use of their left hand on the guitar, or any instrument, and how they have altered their way of playing, and fingering and, stuff like that,” he adds.
Frampton was recently nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 and features on Dolly Parton’s latest album, Rockstar, released last November.
The Kent-born guitarist has 18 studio albums to his name from a career spanning over five decades. And, despite the challenges he now faces when playing guitar, Frampton says he’s “always looking for an upside”.
“For the things I think of that I can’t play,” he says, “I quickly work out what I can do at that point, and it’s different and I like it.
“I think: ‘Wow, I wouldn’t have played it that way [before].’ And if the end result I want is not there, it’s very sad. But right now, I’m having the time of my life.
“I can’t believe the audiences and I can’t believe where I am at in my career at this point. I never thought I’d be back playing at this level. So, every day is a great day for me.”
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