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TV on the Radio Bassist Gerard Smith Battling Cancer

'Gerard is fortunate enough to have health insurance and is receiving excellent medical care,' the band writes

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March 14, 2011 6:20 PM ET
TV on the Radio's Gerard Smith
TV on the Radio's Gerard Smith
Photograph by Josh Rothstein for RollingStone.com

TV on the Radio bassist Gerard Smith has been diagnosed with lung cancer, the band announced today. Smith will be sitting out TV on the Radio’s tour this spring while he undergoes treatment.

“Gerard is fortunate enough to have health insurance and is receiving excellent medical care,” the band wrote in an online statement. “Already we have seen dramatic results. Combine that with Gerard's legendarily willful disposition and it might just be cancer that has the problem.”

According to the statement, Smith was diagnosed shortly after the band finished recording their upcoming album Nine Types of Light (due April 12th). He has been a member of the band since 2005, contributing key parts to their acclaimed albums Return to Cookie Mountain and Dear Science.

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