The second leg of W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint’s North American tour has been canceled due to a back-related injury Blackie Lawless sustained during the band’s European run of the tour.
Speaking about his injuries and the cancellation of this tour, Lawless shares the following (via W.A.S.P.’s website):
“The extent of the trauma I endured on the 2023 European Tour was far greater than originally diagnosed and surgery will now be needed to correct the problem. In addition to the original herniated disc, as that tour continued, a 2nd disc became herniated.
“Upon returning home a 2nd MRI also revealed a broken vertebrae to my lower back. I’ve been fortunate to work with the best specialists in the U.S. and I’ve been in intensive rehab since we got home. It’s going well but the damage was pretty extensive and all the Dr.’s agree moving the tour a few months back will be the safest thing. It’s all been as the result of an injury that happened several years ago.
“I’m working my butt off to get ready and I’ll be up riding on Elvis… bigger and badder than ever. If the Torture Never Stops, then the 40th Never Stops!”
In a separate press release regarding this tour’s cancellation, Armored Saint’s John Bush shares the following:
“To say we are super bummed about the tour being canceled would be an understatement. We were all prepping hard, and I was looking forward to turning 60 years old in Wheeling, West Virginia. That being said, we understand Blackie’s physical condition and we stand behind him and hope for a speedy recovery. Thank you to all the fans who purchased tickets and VIP packages.
“The Concert Tickets and VIP packages can be refunded at the point of purchase. Armored Saint VIP Upgrade holders should go to national-acts.com for a full refund. Thank you for all your loyalty as always! I’m gonna turn a negative into a positive and let you know that his little snafu has allowed us to start writing songs for a new record. It’s sounding killer!”
We wish Lawless all the best in his upcoming surgery, and we hope his recovery goes smoothly.