SKUNK ANANSIE bass player RICHARD ‘CASS’ LEWIS has revealed he was diagnosed with stage four cancer, but has now been declared free of the disease, which has inspired the band’s new album
They will release The Painful Truth on May 23 and they’ve put out the first single Cheers today.
During a Q&A in London, he said: “During the process of recording I was diagnosed with stage four cancer and so I was having chemo while we were making the album.
“I’d had some very intensive chemo sessions, and no one knew nothing. I just thought, I’m on this long road of chemo. And that took a year.
“And then [frontwoman] Skin‘s daughter woke up one morning and said, ‘Uncle Cass is not sick anymore’.”
Two weeks later, doctors revealed the cancer had “disappeared,” and he added: “Her little angel is my little angel.”
Skunk Anansie recently announced a 2025 UK headline tour and have promised fans a completely new production.
Lead vocalist Skin, 57, said: “We are really excited to be getting back on tour, doing what we love the most which is playing live with fire in our belly.
“This tour will be a completely brand new production and we can’t wait to share it with the UK.”
Skunk Anansie’s 14 date tour will kick off on March 29 at London’s Roundhouse.
In 2020 Skin took part in The Masked Singer and competed as Duck.
She performed hits including Madonna’s Like a Virgin and Blinded By Your Grace by Stormzy.
Skin made it to week five of the comeptition before being unmasked.
She later confessed wearing the heavy costume wasn’t fun, saying: “Literally you can’t breathe.
“Inside the head was a helmet and a bunch of fans, and this whole architecture inside so it can sit on my shoulders.”
