Skunk Anansie’s Cass diagnosed with stage 4 cancer during album recording
Band member Cass Lewis of Skunk Anansie recently disclosed that he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer while the group was in the midst of recording their latest album, The Painful Truth. The musician revealed this information during a Q&A session and playback event of the rock band’s seventh album, which marks their return after a nine-year hiatus, in London. Cass, accompanied by his bandmates Skin, Ace, and Mark Richardson, kept his diagnosis and subsequent treatment a secret from the band while they were working on the record.
“In the process of recording I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and so I was having chemo while we were making the album,” Cass recounted emotionally. “I thought my f***ing cards had been marked, actually, and so I was just, I was happy with having had a good life, and I was quite content, you know, I accepted whatever my fate was.” Despite undergoing intense chemo treatments, Cass remained optimistic. “I wouldn’t think about the work, the record, I would think about my life. I’d had some very intensive chemo sessions, and no one knew [anything]. I just thought, I’m on this long road of chemo. And that took a year.”
Tears welled up in Cass’ eyes as he shared a heartwarming moment involving Skin’s daughter, who had a premonition that Cass was no longer sick. “About two weeks later, I had to go and have tests to see how the chemo was affecting me, and they couldn’t find any cancer,” he revealed. “So from stage four, it disappeared. So her little angel is my little angel. As soon as I knew that I wasn’t going anywhere, I was ‘Just get back on the record. There’s nothing better to work for!'”
Skin elaborated on the album’s title, which was inspired by Cass’ journey and the band’s collective experiences over the years. “That’s what all the songs are about, that connects everything, that connects what we’ve been through over the last few years,” Skin expressed. “It’s the connection with these guys. I love them to bits, you know, they’re my brothers. What we’re going through, and everything, it’s quite emotional, it’s the painful truth. It’s what you’re here for, and what’s important in your life, and what you’re going to do about it. That’s the painful truth!”
Scheduled for release on 23 May, The Painful Truth is now available for pre-order. Skunk Anansie has also announced a headline tour with two sold-out shows at the Roundhouse in London. Despite the hardships faced during the making of the album, Cass’ story serves as a testament to resilience, hope, and the healing power of music.