Brian Setzer Details Health Struggles Ahead of Stray Cats Summer Tour

Brian Setzer has shared new details about his recent health struggles as he prepares for a summer tour with the Stray Cats.

Setzer, who revealed last year that he had been battling a debilitating autoimmune disease, said he was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. At one point, Setzer said he was "frozen in pain" and developed an addiction to Kratom, an over-the-counter herbal supplement.

Setzer said his condition left him unable to complete everyday tasks.

"It's frustrating when you sit down and your hands do nothing," Setzer told Guitar Player magazine. "You really can't take it for granted. Playing guitar is certainly on top, but so is holding a toothbrush."

Setzer said he eventually found relief at the Mayo Clinic, where he received a proper diagnosis.

"The best way I can describe it is, your nerves are like wires, and wires have sheathing on them," Setzer said. "Well, that coating has kind of eroded, so the wires malfunction. Basically, they lock up my hands and feet. I can't move them. I can't button my pants, let alone play guitar."

Setzer described a slow recovery process, starting with the ability to hold a guitar pick and later regaining enough dexterity to fingerpick. "When my fingers came back, then I had the whole package," he said.

The Stray Cats had announced a 2025 tour but later canceled it. Setzer said he sought treatment for his Kratom addiction at the Hazelden Betty Ford clinic in Minnesota.

"They advertise it as a safe tonic to give you energy, and it's not," Setzer said. "So that just aggravated the whole thing. I just stopped everything and went away and cleaned out and came back fresh and clean."

The Stray Cats-Setzer, bassist Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom-are scheduled to begin a 16-show tour in late July, with dates running through August.