ALICE IN CHAINS drummer SEAN KINNEY offers update on his health: “I'm going to be fine and I'm going to live”
16-05-2025
ALICE IN CHAINS drummer Sean Kinney has shared an update on his health, less than a week after the band canceled all of its previously announced May 2025 concerts.
ALICE IN CHAINS announced last Friday (May 9) that the band was scrapping its headlining shows as well as any festival appearances. The decision came after a previous gig was called off on May 8 because Kinney experienced medical complications.
Yesterday (Thursday, May 15), Kinney released the following statement via the ALICE IN CHAINS social media: “THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE WTF?
“Firstly, to everyone who came out to the Mohegan Sun show and was affected by the short-notice cancellation, and to everyone who had tickets to come see the band at one of the other shows, thanks for your understanding. It’s not lost on the band and myself that you spend money, make plans and alter your schedules to come and see us, and it’s deeply disappointing to have had this happen.
“I was very much looking forward to getting back out there and playing with the band again, and it’s been a difficult but necessary decision to make. I don’t personally utilize social media and I’m not particularly fond of my health issues being made public, but I understand that people are concerned.
“When the doctors advised me against playing in the short-term, I quickly went through The 5 Stages of Grief:
1. Denial (I’m fine)
2. Anger (F*** this – I’m still going to play)
3. Bargaining (What’s it gonna take for me to hear a better diagnosis?)
4. Depression (This sucks)
5. Acceptance (This sucks, but okay)
“I finally concluded that medical doctors with many hard-earned degrees on their walls might know a bit more about health than a musician with some shiny spray-painted records on his wall.
“The outpouring of love, concern and well wishes has been both extremely humbling and very much appreciated.
“The good news is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live. The bad news (for some of you?) is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live.”
One day after scrapping a concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut due to Sean‘s health, the band released a follow-up statement saying: “After careful consideration and following the advice of medical professionals, we have made the decision to cancel our upcoming festival performances and the ALICE IN CHAINS headline shows.
“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean‘s health is our top priority at this moment.
“Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.
“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and support during this time.”
ALICE IN CHAINS has previously announced to have canceled all shows this month after drummer Sean Kinney fell ill.
One day after scrapping a concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut due to Sean‘s health, the band released a follow-up statement saying: “After careful consideration and following the advice of medical professionals, we have made the decision to cancel our upcoming festival performances and the ALICE IN CHAINS headline shows.
“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean‘s health is our top priority at this moment.
“Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.
“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and support during this time.”
When the Uncasville show was called off on Thursday, ALICE IN CHAINS said in a social media post that “Sean experienced a non-life-threatening medical emergency” after the band’s soundcheck earlier that evening.”
No additional information is currently available on Kinney‘s condition or medical issue.
The Connecticut show would have been ALICE IN CHAINS‘ first full concert since an April 2024 appearance at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.
In a recent interview with “Whiplash”, the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, ALICE IN CHAINS singer William DuVall was asked where things stand with him and his bandmates at the moment. He responded: “Well, we’re excited for these dates we have coming up in May. We’re excited to get out there and see everyone. We are in regular contact and communication, and so we’ll just have to see what comes after May. I really wouldn’t wanna say anything more than that. But we’re excited about these shows in May. We’re really looking forward to it.”
In the last four years, ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell has released two solo albums, 2021’s “Brighten” and 2024’s “I Want Blood”, and has toured extensively in support of both efforts, performing material spanning his solo career and ALICE IN CHAINS.
ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, “Rainier Fog”, in August 2018.
Prior to joining ALICE IN CHAINS, DuVall was a member of punk rock bands AWARENESS VOID OF CHAOS, NEON CHRIST, BL’AST! and FINAL OFFERING. DuVall‘s long musical history also includes COMES WITH THE FALL and Cantrell‘s solo work.
Cantrell befriended the members of COMES WITH THE FALL in the early 2000s, playing shows with the band on the West Coast, then enlisting the musicians to tour with him as both opening act and backing group in support of his album “Degradation Trip”.
DuVall appears on the last three ALICE IN CHAINS albums: 2009’s “Black Gives Way To Blue”, 2013’s “The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here” and the aforementioned “Rainier Fog”.
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