The veteran performer - who spent a year-long stint with Anthrax last decade - suffered a frozen shoulder while snorkelling a year ago, although doctors first told him he'd sprained tendons in his rotator cuff.

And although he's not looking for sympathy, he's hoping fellow victims will offer him some words of hope. Vera says: "I went through four weeks of physical therapy and then did two tours with Fates Warning. This past January, the pain came back in a big way. It led to two MRIs and, thankfully, they ruled out a tear.