Rage Against The Machine’s Tim Commerford Reveals Cancer Diagnosis
In a new interview with Spin, Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford has revealed he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although he’s just shared this personal news, he’s been battling the disease for some time and even had his prostate removed just two months before the Rage reunion tour.
When interviewer Daniel Kohn asked how he could play the arenas in that state, Commerford said doctors told him he wouldn’t be ready.
“That was brutal. I would be on stage looking at my amp in tears. Then you just kind of turn around and suck it up,” he said. “Because of Zack’s injury, we had planned these little video interstitials that came in between blocks of songs. We were meant to go on stage, play some songs, go off stage, and on to the interstitials for a few minutes. It was seamless. Then he got hurt and we couldn’t leave the stage. So during the interstitials, we’re just sitting there. That was surreal. I would sometimes sit down and try to not think about certain things. It was weird. I kept it to myself throughout the touring we did and it was brutal.”
The bassist is renowned for his physical fitness and has focused on keeping in shape despite cancer. He’s also focused on making every day his best by creating music. His latest band, 7D7D, has released a new single called “Misinformed.”
“The glass is half-full. That’s the beauty of songwriting and bass playing. When my mom was sick, that’s when I learned how to play bass,” he said. “When I was on stage with Rage, there were times that I wasn’t thinking about cancer for moments. When I play in 7D7D with Mathias [Wakrat] in the studio, I don’t care what we’re doing. I go into a trance, and I just completely forget about it. And it’s so beautiful. When I wake up in the morning, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a new day. Dope!’ Then it’s like, ‘Oh fuck, I have cancer’ and you can’t stop it. It puts a dark cloud on the day. When I go jam with Mathias, I just tune out and it feels so good. Music has always been there in the toughest of times.”
Be sure to check out the full interview for Commerford’s perspective and thoughts. You can check out the new 7D7D single below:
