Peter Frampton’s – Peter Frampton says Inclusion-Body Myositis, which he has endured since 2015, has changed how he plays guitar but not his momentum. The 76-year-old is releasing “Carry the Light,” his recently launched first album of all-new material in 16 years—made with his
In a cozy room lined with guitars and a keyboard within reach. Peter Frampton smiles as his service dog. Bigsby. stretches on a couch nearby. Frampton’s movements, he says, are limited now. The change came with Inclusion-Body Myositis, a progressive degenerative muscle disease he has endured since 2015.
“It’s hard to pick things up. I’ve got grabbers and I’ve got him. ” Frampton says. quick to gesture toward the black labradoodle that stays only a few feet away. The disease has kept him from doing things the way he used to. but it hasn’t stopped him from doing the work that has defined his life for decades—writing. recording. and performing in whatever form he can.
That determination is at the center of “Carry the Light. ” Frampton’s recently released first album of all-new material in 16 years. He made it with his son. Julian. and he is also stepping back into the spotlight with the documentary “Frampton. ” directed by his longtime bandleader. Rob Arthur. The film premiered at Tribeca Festival on June 4 and looks at Frampton’s health challenges. while also serving as a legacy-reminding love letter to “Frampton Comes Alive!”—the landmark live album celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Frampton, 76, says the disease is “very slow-moving,” and that’s made a difference in how he experiences daily life. He tells of feeling “great” and of still playing guitar, though it’s “a little bit different” and “a little restricted.”
“We haven’t got any dates booked right now, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility,” he says when asked whether he’ll tour behind the new record. For him, the focus is not on ignoring limits, but on adjusting to them—enjoying the challenge of making things work in the new reality.
When “Frampton Comes Alive!” exploded, the shift was immediate and electrifying—then unsettling.
Frampton remembers leaving for 10 days and returning to find his trajectory changed overnight: “we’d gone from one show on sale to four sold-out shows.” He described the moment as bewildering—then said the pressure became harder to manage as the album kept rising. He recalls that when it reached No. 1 and broke records, that’s when he started to feel nervous. He calls the success exciting, but says the pressure that follows is something else.
Looking back, Frampton believes he made a mistake during that period by listening too much to other people. He says he “started listening to everybody else rather than listening to my gut. ” and that the need to keep the momentum going pushed him toward another record. He points to the fact that “Frampton Comes Alive!” was still No. 1 when the pressure mounted, and he takes responsibility for the choice to rush.
On “Carry the Light,” the chemistry is different, and Frampton credits Julian for reshaping how songs came together. He describes himself as “a bit of a control freak,” saying he has produced his own work for years. Having another voice in the room changed the process. He says they’d written a couple of songs over the years. and then Julian visited—helping with “one lyric.” Frampton recalls that it felt like one of those moments where you think. “Why didn’t I think of that?”.
Frampton says they work from the same DNA. “He knows me, I know him, and we know what each other can do,” he says. The added presence. he continues. brought “another pair of ears. another pair of eyes.” When Julian came back for a few weeks. Frampton says they finished about 16 songs “right here” in the studio.
The album includes “Buried Treasure,” a tribute to Tom Petty that uses lyrics crafted from Petty song titles. Frampton says he only met Petty a couple of times. but that Petty felt like “the real deal.” For Frampton. Petty was a teacher—especially through Petty’s “Buried Treasure” show on SiriusXM. Frampton describes how Petty would play the originals and demos. including material that’s hard to find. and says that’s when he realized “This is what made Tom Petty Tom Petty.” That understanding. Frampton says. led him to write a tribute song—something inspired by what he learned.
Not every track stays in the realm of tribute. On “Lions at the Gate. ” Frampton says he tackles a political theme tied to what he calls the ability to buy influence. He describes being bothered by how much money is involved in politics now, and how that can translate into power. He adds that songs like that are “always timely,” linking the message to the present.
Tom Morello appears on “Lions at the Gate. ” and Frampton says the decision was rooted in the idea of a guitar battle. Julian’s suggestion was blunt: “There’s only one person if you’re talking about rage.” Frampton says he has long loved Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. including Tom Morello’s work with Chris Cornell. Frampton says Morello understood it quickly—not only lyrically but musically—and that he left space for him to play. He calls the result “phenomenal,” saying they couldn’t believe the track when they got it back.
Sheryl Crow is another major collaboration on the album, featuring on “Breaking the Mold.” Frampton says Crow came into his studio and “knocked out her part in about 40 minutes.” He describes her as a “pro,” able to sing anything and play anything.
He also points to the personal thrill in their partnership. Crow, Frampton says, likely felt honored to play with him the same way he did during her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction—when Frampton was her first concert.
Frampton describes their relationship in simple terms: “There’s a mutual respect and love there.” He adds that Crow has “no airs and graces,” and that she’s “just one of us.”
Even small family details come through in the interview, down to a nickname his granddaughters use for him. Frampton says it’s true they tried to call him “Frampa. ” but that they were “a little ahead of ourselves.” He says they agreed on “Papa. ” and that “Frampa” “just didn’t take off.” He adds that his granddaughter Elle would have to be 15 before she could say it. Frampton says he also has another granddaughter, Rain, who is 2, and that Rain also calls him “Papa.”.
Back in the studio and back in the public conversation. Frampton’s health remains present—but it’s not treated as a shutdown. It’s treated as a boundary he’s learned to work around. In the documentary “Frampton,” directed by Rob Arthur, the health challenges are central. Yet Frampton presents the story as more than a medical account. framing it as part of the legacy built across years—especially around the 50th anniversary of “Frampton Comes Alive!”.
The sequence of moments feels linked: the slow movement of his disease since 2015, the way he adjusts his playing, the pressure he once felt after “Frampton Comes Alive!” turned into an overnight phenomenon, and the renewed focus he finds now through making music with his son Julian.
Asked how he views this period in his career after everything—health challenges and decades in music—Frampton says it’s “a great period” for him. He emphasizes that he is still playing and still making new music, and that he’s doing it with family. He ends with gratitude, saying he feels “very lucky.”.
Peter Frampton Carry the Light Inclusion-Body Myositis Julian Frampton Tom Petty Tom Morello Sheryl Crow Rob Arthur Tribeca Festival Frampton Comes Alive SiriuXM Lions at the Gate Buried Treasure