THE ALARM releases “Chimera” single/video just as Mike Peters undergoes lifesaving transplant

JANUARY 23, 2025 – “I’m a very lucky man to be alive,” says THE ALARM’s lead singer Mike Peters, reflecting on his past 30 years living with cancer. Never one to let mortality stare him down, the resilient fighter is not only currently in the fight of his life (his leukemia had transformed into a deadly and extremely rare combination of leukemia and lymphoma known as “Richter’s Syndrome”), but he also wrote and recorded a new album TRANSFORMATION (Summer 2025 via Twenty First Century Recordings / Virgin Music Group), an extraordinary record made under extraordinary circumstances.

First single “Chimera” (pronounced kahy-meer-uh) is released today, January 23, 2025 as a symbolic rebirth for Mike as it is also the exact day that he receives a revolutionary new and hopefully lifesaving transplant known as CAR-T Therapy. Symbolically embracing the Greek mythos of a chimera that embodies multiple creatures’ characteristics, the CAR-T process involves harvesting and re-engineering his own harvested blood lymphocytes and re-introducing them into his system with hopes that it will destroy the Richter’s syndrome cancer cells.

“When I have CAR-T therapy I will literally become chimeric,” states Mike. “There will be two types of blood flowing inside of me. Two individual types of DNA in fact, and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about this ever since the process was explained to me by the doctors. The idea of an alter ego named CAR-T kept entering my thoughts while I was writing lyrics and singing on the microphone, and eventually this new persona forced its way onto the record.”

“The accompanying video for “Chimera” visually represents this duality with the doubling images of Mike. “I worked on the film concept with my cameraman Andy Labrow and also Alex Colettti of MTV Unplugged fame,” he explains about the startling imagery. “I wanted it to reflect the duality of the situation I find myself plunged into. There are two of me existing side by side, externally albeit with separate DNA markers. I really don’t know which side of me will come out on top post transplant but I do somehow hope to get to a new life because of it. Two DNA and Car-T gives me a fighting chance.”

“It’s amazing what a costume change can do to bring out your real personality,” he laughs. “Hopefully people will be able to see more of the real Mike Peters when they get to experience Transformation in full.”

The Alarm “Chimera”
Link/Embed: https://youtu.be/tkDP4MwKFgY?si=95WG3M5l05eU6CX4

In between chemotherapy sessions for this latest fight during the eight-month period of ‘extreme living’, Mike Peters wrote and recorded the 15 brand new Alarm songs that became the catalyst for Transformation, capturing the emotional and mental challenges of trying to stay alive as a human being, a father and a husband whilst being plunged into the abyss of uncertainty and having to prepare to face new life therapy or certain death.” Anthemic with soaring choruses and melodies that carry his trademarked message of love, hope and strength while facing adversity, it’s his resiliency that shines through.

“I’m glad I have been gifted enough life to finish the new record,” he says. “Nothing was planned up front and It’s all been touch and go not knowing how far I could take things in between all the chemo sessions.”

Produced by longtime Alarm collaborator George Williams, Transformation began as a simple musical exchange between father and son, with Mike’s youngest – Evan ap Michael (aged 17), backing him on drums while some of the initial song ideas took place at Rock Hard Studios in Blackpool, UK. At first only intended to lay down a future marker for post-transplant recording, Mike’s extreme living mindset soon gave way to further music creations that demanded recording and capturing while emotions were running high.

Described by Bono of U2 as “the second greatest rock and roll band in the world,” Mike Peters has been the driving force behind The Alarm for over forty creative years of new music making and dedication to presenting the band’s classic songs in ways both imaginative and inventive.

“Chimera” is released today, January 23, 2025. It is taken from the album Transformation (Twenty First Century Recordings/Virgin Music Group) which features a core of fifteen brand new Mike Peters compositions spread across all the media formats including Vinyl, CD, Digital and Dolby Atmos and will be released officially in the summer of 2025.