Tim Commerford from anger against the machine talks about his cancer diagnosis. The legendary bassist, 54, opened up during an interview with Turn, getting raw and real about how the prostate cancer label affects him. “I’ve been dealing with some pretty serious issues,” the Irvine, California native said in an interview published on Monday, December 12. “Just before I wanted to tour with Rage, I had my prostate removed and I have prostate cancer.”
The musician also lamented that in the face of cancer, taking care of yourself over the years seemed to make no difference. “I was someone who took a lot of pride in being in shape and taking care of myself,” admitted Tim. “But it’s something where you’re either lucky or not.”
According to the outlet, his girlfriend and sons xavier20 and QUentin, 18, have assisted in the face of illness. And he explained that finding out he had cancer was also a process. “Now I’m in the situation that I’m in, which is holding my breath for six months,” he told the outlet. “It’s not a good one and not one that I’m happy about. I’m just trying to take the reins. It’s going to be a long journey I hope. My father died of cancer in his early 70’s and my mother died of cancer in her 40’s. Divide the difference by 65 and I have 10 years. I’m trying to hit the 100 song mark – I have some goals now. Songwriting has become a catharsis for me. Back to the original question, how do I find the time? That’s all I have is time.”
On an even more personal level, Tim, who has been with the band since its inception in 1991, revealed why it’s been a difficult journey psychologically. “Prostate cancer is a very, very, very difficult thing because it’s related to your sexuality,” he said during the interview. “It’s hard to break away from that, and when you’re forced into that situation, it’s a brutal psychological journey. I’ve tried to find support groups and it’s difficult to find people and talk about it.”
However, the backing singer finds ways to be optimistic. “It might not sound like much, but being able to get through a conversation and not choke and get emotional is a win for me,” he said in part. “It’s a small victory.”
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