Overview
- The Metal Hall of Fame confirmed his death Friday in statements on social media and praised him as its Global Metal Ambassador.
- He disclosed an ALS diagnosis in early February, and a fundraiser soon launched for his care as his family said the disease took away his ability to play.
- Friedman was a founding member of proto‑punk pioneers The Dictators and later helped launch Manowar, shaping both punk and heavy metal.
- He appeared on six Manowar albums, including Battle Hymns, Into Glory Ride, and Hail to England, before leaving after 1988’s Kings of Metal.
- Tributes from Manowar, the Metal Hall of Fame, and fans worldwide highlight his decades of influence, with memorial details to be shared later.