On Black Friday final month, Rage In opposition to the Machine bassist Tim Commerford unveiled his newest facet challenge, 7D7D, with the trio’s first single “Capitalism.” The music’s upbeat music offers the proper paradox to the anti-capitalist message on the coronary heart of its lyrics. “I need to make music that isn’t political, however I simply can’t,” he tells me. “I don’t know why, however I simply can’t.”
The normally stoic Commerford beams about how totally different the band’s music is in comparison with something he’s performed beforehand, with its bizarre time signatures and complicated instrumentation, together with using harp and saxophone (“I believe the guitar goes the best way of the saxophone in the best way that it’s not going to be the primary instrument in a band anymore,” he says).
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Along with working with 7D7D, which additionally consists of his longtime friends Jonny Polonsky and Mathias Wakrat and is signed to Ben Harper’s Mad Bunny label, Commerford spent his summer time on the highway with Rage In opposition to the Machine for the primary time in 11 years. The long-delayed tour dazzled followers throughout North America, proving that the band’s songs imply simply as a lot as when initially launched practically three many years in the past. The Rage tour practically fell aside after only a few days, when singer Zack de la Rocha tore his Achilles tendon throughout a present in Chicago. De la Rocha completed the itinerary by performing whereas seated, however what the general public didn’t know was that Commerford was additionally battling a major problem of his personal.
“I’ve been coping with some fairly critical sh**,” Commerford tells me. “Proper earlier than I used to be about to go on tour with Rage, I had my prostate eliminated, and I’ve prostate most cancers.” With the help of his girlfriend and two sons, the 54-year-old musician, who’s the embodiment of a chiseled rock star, out of the blue confronted the hardest battle of his life.
“I’ve been somebody that’s taken numerous delight in being in form and taking good care of myself,” he says. “Nevertheless it’s one thing the place both you’re both fortunate or not.”
Earlier than our dialog, the one individuals who knew of Commerford’s situation had been his household, bandmates and a tight-knit circle of shut buddies.
Along with his most cancers, the musician mentioned his pleasure about launching 7D7D, touring with Rage and remaining optimistic.
SPIN: How have you ever stored a constructive outlook?
Tim Commerford: You could find your self in a state of affairs like I’m in the place it’s like, fuck, my entire life modified. With all the things that occurs to me now, I ponder, am I feeling this manner as a result of I’ve most cancers? Am I dropping my hair as a result of I’ve most cancers? No matter it’s, it makes me marvel if it’s taking place as a result of I’ve most cancers. And prostate most cancers is a really, very, very powerful one as a result of it’s related to your sexuality. It’s arduous to disconnect from that and if you’re pressured into that state of affairs, it’s a brutal psychological journey. I’ve been looking for help teams, and it’s arduous to search out individuals and arduous to speak about it. The struggling a part of it, the bodily struggling after the surgical procedure, I’ve by no means felt ache fairly like that. I’ve steel plates in my head and cadaver elements in my physique. I’ve performed numerous harm by means of sports activities and mountain biking and this type of factor and I’ve at all times felt like I had a extremely excessive tolerance for ache, and that sh** introduced me to my knees. After the ache went away, I nonetheless haven’t actually been in a position to rise up, although I’m understanding and doing sh**, however psychologically, the harm is extreme. It’s very arduous for me to not break down and get emotional.
It’s brave of you to share your story.
Thanks. I wasn’t planning on going right here with you till final evening. I’ve been struggling and it’s arduous. It may not sound like a lot, however to get by means of a dialog and never choke up and get emotional is a win for me. It’s a little bit victory. However then during the last 24 hours, I’ve been fascinated by it extra, and a bizarre factor occurred. I used to be with my girlfriend and we had been watching the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame ceremony on TV. Duran Duran was on and I used to be like, ‘Ah, fuck, I used to be taught these songs once I was a child. I noticed them on stage and questioned, the place’s Andy Taylor and why have they got this different man in right here?! Then it was like, ‘Andy Taylor is affected by stage 4 prostate most cancers and is unable to make it.’ My life is type of like that. There are lots of people who’ve it. There are lots of people who’re like, ‘The place do you go?’ You may’t speak to a therapist. You may solely actually speak to somebody who’s going by means of it.
I simply received my six-month take a look at, and it got here again at zero. I used to be like, ‘Fuck yeah!’ That’s the most effective I can really feel for the remainder of my life. Each day I get nearer to that take a look at is like, ‘Fuck man, is that this going to be the time when the quantity goes to go up and I’m going to the following factor, no matter that’s?’ I already went by means of some ache and sh**. And I’m persevering with to undergo like, some loopy sh**.
How did you discover out you had been sick?
I went to get life insurance coverage however my PSA numbers had been up. I couldn’t get it. They wouldn’t insure me. At first, the quantity was very low — like one-point-something. I watched it over the course of a 12 months and a half, and it stored elevating additional. Ultimately, they did a biopsy and discovered I had most cancers, in order that they took my prostate out. I had been pondering, properly, as a result of they’re watching it and let it get so far, perhaps it’s not that huge of a deal. I blame myself. I ought to have mentioned, ‘my numbers are elevated and what does that actually imply?’ I ought to have taken it extra severely. I ought to have seemed into alternate remedy as an alternative of getting sucked into essentially the most disgusting, capitalistic machine on the face of the planet: the medical institution.
Now I’m within the state of affairs that I’m in, which is, maintain your breath for six months. It’s not a great one and never one which I’m comfortable about. I’m simply making an attempt to seize ahold of the reins. It’s gonna be an extended journey, I hope. My dad died in his early 70s from most cancers and my mother died from most cancers in her 40s. Break up the distinction to 65 and I’ve received 10 years. I’m making an attempt to get to the 100-song mark — I’ve some objectives now. Songwriting has develop into a catharsis for me. Again to the unique query, how do I discover the time? That’s all I’ve received, is time
How had been you in a position to exit and play arenas with Rage this summer time?
Two months earlier than the tour, I had surgical procedure and my docs mentioned I wasn’t going to be prepared. That was brutal. I’d be on stage taking a look at my amp in tears. Then you definately simply type of flip round and suck it up. Due to Zack’s damage, we had deliberate these little video interstitials that got here in between blocks of songs. We had been meant to go on stage, play some songs, go off stage, and on to the interstitials for a couple of minutes. It was seamless. Then he received damage and we couldn’t depart the stage. So in the course of the interstitials, we’re simply sitting there. That was surreal. I’d typically sit down and attempt to not take into consideration sure issues. It was bizarre. I stored it to myself all through the touring we did and it was brutal.
Did your bandmates know?
Yeah.
Based mostly on the movies from these exhibits, the performances, and the evaluations, nobody would ever have suspected something was mistaken.
That’s the best way it went down. You may nonetheless be in nice form. After I received my bodily, my physician mentioned I used to be in the most effective form of any 50-year-old he’d ever seen there. There’s loads of individuals which can be in nice form which have most cancers. And I’m hoping to proceed so long as I might be that. I work out religiously, and I strive my hardest to remain in form. I’m nonetheless very pleased with who I’m. After I first received identified, it fucked with me on that stage. However now I’m beginning to really feel this stage of, ‘I’m going to be the fittest motherfucker with most cancers that’s 54 that you just’ve ever fucking seen in your life.’
That’s the most effective and solely approach to take a look at it.
Simply attempt to see how good I can do in opposition to that adversary, you understand? The darkish passenger. It’s powerful, man, however I’ve an important help system. I’m buddies with Lance Armstrong, and he gave me some nice recommendation that most likely goes to increase my life.
The glass is half-full. That’s the fantastic thing about songwriting and bass enjoying. When my mother was sick, that’s once I realized tips on how to play bass. After I was on stage with Rage, there have been occasions that I wasn’t fascinated by most cancers for moments. After I play in 7D7D with Mathias within the studio, I don’t care what we’re doing. I am going right into a trance, and I simply utterly overlook about it. And it’s so lovely. After I get up within the morning, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a brand new day. Dope!’ Then it’s like, ‘Oh fuck, I’ve most cancers’ and you’ll’t cease it. It places a darkish cloud on the day. After I go jam with Mathias, I simply tune out and it feels so good. Music has at all times been there within the hardest of occasions.
It’s straightforward to inform with the vitality of the primary singles.
I received performed into the fucking largest offender on planet Earth. You may take a look at a rustic of People the place lots of people don’t have insurance coverage. After which you may take a look at a few of the billionaires. And to me, that’s it. It’s not a joke. It makes me very, very, very indignant. I really feel offended by it on a excessive stage.
However what made the Rage tour so pressing was the charity factor the band established. Few bands are as open about the place its charitable donations go.
It was an exquisite factor. There are numerous issues that occurred on that tour that had been superb. That display … earlier than we went on that tour, I used to be pondering, ‘Fuck that display. Let’s simply play with a fucking backdrop.’ Then Zack received damage and it turned a really useful gizmo. In Canada, it mentioned how indigenous ladies usually tend to be raped than different ladies. We had the info and figures up on the stage. It was a robust software.
How did 7D7D spark that artistic hearth in you?
I wrote a report’s value of fabric. Mathias and I wished to write down 10 songs. Mathias’ neighbor is Ben Harper and he received into it. That really was empowering, as a result of right here’s a man that comes from a distinct style, however one which I nonetheless respect, and he likes it. It was like, ‘Cool! Not everybody goes to hate it.’ Perhaps I’ll be capable of play golf equipment in the future. I simply need to have the ability to get to love a spot in my life the place I can go play golf equipment and folks may come to the membership to see us play.
What number of songs do you will have prepared?
We haven’t hit 20, however we’re shut. I’m going to get Logic and discover ways to use it. Then simply get 100 songs performed. I need to be like, ‘Fuck yeah, I wrote 100 songs.’ I simply go in [to record] with nothing and get impressed by Mathias’ weird-ass drumming and construct on the spot. Like, we ought to be leaving right here with a music that’s performed. Tom Morello is the king of that. Once we received along with Rage to write down our demo tape [in 1992], we had been like, ‘Fuck that. We’re making a report.’
Based mostly on all the things you’re going by means of, it looks like this razor-sharp focus is supplying you with a constructive sense of function.
It feels that approach. Every thing occurs for a purpose, and that’s what I at all times inform myself. That’s what lots of people say, however I actually consider that. It’s been arduous for me to think about most cancers and getting something good out of it. However there’s this little gentle on the finish of the tunnel that I’m seeing proper now the place I really feel like I can get some actually strong goodness from it in different areas. I hope there’s one one who reads this and is like, ‘Fuck, I must get checked out’ after they discover out about it. It’s going to be OK as a result of they discovered about it, and for me, that’s adequate.
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