Elvis Costello has been ordered to cancel his remaining European shows to focus on his cancer recovery.
The singer revealed his diagnosis in a statement this morning, explaining that his specialist had advised him to "start playing the lotto" due to the rarity of successfully eliminating "a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy" in a single surgical procedure.
Costello also noted that the normal recovery time for such a surgery is three to four weeks, depending on the requirements of the patient's job demands.
"It was impossible to judge how this advisory would line up with the demands on a travelling musician, playing 90-minute to two-hour-plus performances on a nightly basis but by the time we reached the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was almost fooled into thinking that normal service had been resumed," he said.
Costello continued: "I have to thank our friends attending last night's show in Amsterdam and those in Antwerp, Glynde and at Newcastle City Hall for bearing me up. The spirit has been more than willing but I have to now accept that it is going to take longer than I would have wished for me to recover my full strength. Therefore, I must reluctantly cancel all the remaining engagements of this tour."
Shows in the UK, Croatia, Austria, Norway and Sweden have been affected. At this time, Costello's upcoming fall North American tour is scheduled to go ahead as planned.
He also reiterated that a new record with the Impostors is on the way. It's expected out in October.
Read Costello's full message below.
The singer revealed his diagnosis in a statement this morning, explaining that his specialist had advised him to "start playing the lotto" due to the rarity of successfully eliminating "a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy" in a single surgical procedure.
Costello also noted that the normal recovery time for such a surgery is three to four weeks, depending on the requirements of the patient's job demands.
"It was impossible to judge how this advisory would line up with the demands on a travelling musician, playing 90-minute to two-hour-plus performances on a nightly basis but by the time we reached the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was almost fooled into thinking that normal service had been resumed," he said.
Costello continued: "I have to thank our friends attending last night's show in Amsterdam and those in Antwerp, Glynde and at Newcastle City Hall for bearing me up. The spirit has been more than willing but I have to now accept that it is going to take longer than I would have wished for me to recover my full strength. Therefore, I must reluctantly cancel all the remaining engagements of this tour."
Shows in the UK, Croatia, Austria, Norway and Sweden have been affected. At this time, Costello's upcoming fall North American tour is scheduled to go ahead as planned.
He also reiterated that a new record with the Impostors is on the way. It's expected out in October.
Read Costello's full message below.