Tim Commerford has revealed he has prostate cancer and says he has been on "a brutal psychological journey" since his diagnosis.
The Rage Against The Machine bassist, 54, had his prostate removed just two months before the band started their comeback tour this summer and said he has "never felt pain" like the surgery.
Tim said the only people who knew about his illness originally were his family, bandmates and a tight-knit circle of close friends.
The musician admitted he has found it difficult to open up about the diagnosis and said he struggles to talk to people who aren't going through a similar situation.
"I’ve been struggling and it’s hard. It might not sound like much, but to get through a conversation and not choke up and get emotional is a win for me. It’s a little victory," he said in an interview with SPIN.
Tim added that he has been trying to find support groups to help him deal with his emotions.
He added: "The physical suffering after the surgery, I’ve never felt pain quite like that. I’ve always felt like I had a really high tolerance for pain, and that s**t brought me to my knees.
"After the pain went away, I still haven’t really been able to get up, even though I’m working out and doing s**t, but psychologically, the damage is severe. It’s very hard for me to not break down and get emotional."
Tim said he was first diagnosed with prostate cancer after trying to get life insurance.
He said his PSA numbers had increased meaning he couldn't get insurance. Tim then spent a year and a half watching them elevate further.
Eventually, a biopsy was carried out and he was diagnosed with cancer.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct at 0207 29 33033.
Tim said he regrets not taking his elevated PSA numbers more seriously and wishes he had "looked into alternate therapy".
Tim's dad died from cancer in his early 70s and his mum passed away from the disease in her 40s. The bass player said he wants to "split the difference" and make it to the age of 65.
Tim admitted he knows is at the start of a "long journey", but said he wants to complete some goals such as "trying to get to the 100-song mark".
* Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
