The Pogues member Philip Chevron diagnosed with inoperable cancer

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Guitarist for Celtic punk band The Pogues, Philip Chevron has been diagnosed with a terminal kind of cancer.

Chevron, who joined shortly after their debut in 1984, had previously been treated for – and subsequently recovered from – head and neck cancer in 2007 but was struck with another tumour last year.

A statement released online states the illness to be “inoperable and will prove fatal in time”, going on to say that “it is at present impossible to measure life expectancy”.

Chevron (pictured centre right) originally left the band in 1994 after struggling with alcohol and drug abuse, but rejoined the group in 2004 for reunion shows.

The full statement reads as below:

“The head and neck cancer for which he received treatment in 2007 and a clean bill of health in April 2012 has in fact returned. In August 2012, Philip and his doctors noticed a new tumour and this one is in a position whereby treatment is seriously ill-advised and would almost certainly cause a stroke or worse. The cancer is, in short, inoperable and will prove fatal in time, though it is at present impossible to measure life expectancy.

Chevron, who was last year part of the releases The Pogues In Paris and The Radiators’ Sound City Beat, is currently taking a break from both bands. The Pogues are on a prolonged time out, emerging only in support of matters relating to their 30th anniversary this year, while the Radiators From Space have formed a splinter group, The Trouble Pilgrims, in which Chevron plays no part. In recent times, Chevron has accepted several theatre music commissions, including the Old Vic Theatre in London and Galway’s Druid Theatre.

Philip thanks his friends, colleagues, family and management team for their enduring support and hopes to make some notable musical contributions before, as he puts it, the cancer becomes ‘lethal’.”

[via CoS]