Rage Against The Machine bassist Tim Commerford has revealed he privately battles prostate cancer.
The 54-year-old musician opened up about his health with Spin magazine on Monday, just two months after the iconic rock band were forced to cancel their North American tour.
Tim got candid, telling the publication, “I’ve been dealing with some pretty serious bullshit.
Sad: Rage Against The Machine bassist Tim Commerford (pictured performing in New York in August) revealed he was privately battling prostate cancer
“Just before I was about to go on tour with Rage, I had my prostate removed and I have prostate cancer.”
Tim has always been in good shape as he has been performing for decades in sleeveless and even shirtless tops, but the star explained how the disease can strike anyone.
He explained: “I’ve been someone who takes great pride in being fit and taking care of myself. But it’s something where you’re lucky or not.
Bond: The 54-year-old musician opened up about health with Spin magazine on Monday two months after the iconic rock band were forced to cancel their North American tour (pictured left to right in February 1993: Zack De La Rocha, Tim, Brad Wilk and Tom Morello)
At the time of publication, only family, bandmates and close friends were aware of Tim’s diagnosis.
The bassist has been candid about his condition saying he’s started to wonder if every feeling, physical change and just about everything that happens in his body or mind has to do with cancer.
He explained: “Anyway, it makes me wonder if this is happening because I have cancer. And prostate cancer is very, very, very difficult because it’s related to your sexuality.
‘It’s hard to disconnect from that and when you’re forced into that it’s a brutal psychological journey’: The bassist (pictured in September 2017) was candid about his condition saying he had started to asking if every feeling, physical change, and pretty much anything going on in their body or mind has to do with cancer
“It’s hard to disconnect from that and when you’re forced into that, it’s a brutal psychological journey.”
Tim said he tried to find support groups, but it was not an easy task and it was hard on his body.
He explained: “The pain part, the physical pain after the operation, I’ve never felt such pain.” I have metal plates in my head and corpse parts in my body.
“I did a lot of damage through sports and mountain biking and that kind of stuff and always felt like I had a really high pain tolerance, and that shit brought me to my knees. After the pain was gone, I still couldn’t really get up, even though I train and do shit, but psychologically the damage is severe. It’s very hard for me not to break down and not get emotional.
Last October, it was announced that his legendary rock band Rage Against The Machine could not continue their North American tour after lead singer Zack de la Rocha tore his Achilles tendon.
‘I’ll be on stage staring at my amp in tears. Then just turn around and suck it in’: Tim underwent surgery just two months before kicking off Rage Against The Machine’s North American tour in July, he is pictured in New York in August .
Rage Against The Machine’s North American tour was originally announced in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the timeline back.
They kicked off the tour in July with support from hip-hop duo Run The Jewels before it was eventually postponed again.
Tim revealed that a few months before he had undergone surgery, saying, “Two months before the tour I had surgery and my doctors said I wasn’t going to be ready.” It was brutal. I’ll be on stage staring at my amp in tears. Then you turn around and inhale.
“Because of Zack’s injury, we were planning these little video interstitials that would pop in between blocks of songs. We were supposed to get on stage, play a few songs, get off stage, and go into the interstitials for a few minutes. was seamless. Then he got injured and we couldn’t leave the stage. So during the interstitials, we just sat there. It was surreal. Sometimes I would sit and try not to not thinking about certain things. It was weird. I kept it to myself throughout the tour that we did and it was brutal.
Freedom: In October it was announced that his legendary rock band Rage Against The Machine would not be able to continue their North American tour after lead singer Zack de la Rocha tore his Achilles tendon (pictured August 2022)
Tim had been with the band since 1991 before they finally broke up in 2000 due to creative differences and the departure of de la Rocha.
They reunited seven years later at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2007 and did some touring.
A dozen years later, the band announced they were reuniting for the second time in November 2019.
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