Fish in throat cancer scare
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Topic: Fish in throat cancer scare
Posted By: A B Negative
Subject: Fish in throat cancer scare
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 09:47
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There's a story in todays Sun "newspaper" saying Fish has quit the music business after a throat cancer scare.
Fish recently had a biopsy taken from his vocal cords:
"Just as I thought I had an all-clear, she pointed out a white area on one of my cords and said, 'This is worrying'. As soon as I heard the words 'irregular cell growth' my mind went cold. I knew what it meant."
Fish doesn't actually say he's quitting music. He's quoted as saying, "My spirits are high. There are no set plans for any musical activity. I intend to work on that elusive novel and start studying and writing screenplays."
The article ends by saying that earlier this month Fish proposed to partner Katie Webb.
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"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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Replies:
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 09:55
Wow, that's terrible news. I saw him in Bolton last month and he did hint that he wouldnt be touring in a long while.
He proposed to Katie Webb in Bolton too, I believe.
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Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 10:08
I've just checked his http://www.the-company.com/email/e2008-12-17.htm - website journal and he has this to say:
 Fish 2008 - Facing the music
Dear FishHeads, Freaks, fans and the Company,
I want to sincerely thank you all for all your good wishes to myself
and Katie on our engagement. It's been very uplifting reading all your
e mails and we are continuing to readjust to our domestic scenario and
are redesigning the studio as our home.
I apologise for the lack of contact in recent months but I can now reveal what has been occupying my thoughts since the Summer.
As you probably have noticed I have been hitting an average of around
50 shows a year since "Field of Crows" was released in 2004.
Apart from the 6 months writing "13th Star" in the first half of last
year I have been on the road for nearly 4 years and apart from a few
weeks off here and there and my trip to Vietnam this time last year, my
time and energies have been taken up by promotion and working on the
business aspects of my career. It's been stressful and has been taking
its toll.
Steve Vantsis and I had already adjusted keys of the "13th Star"
material to ranges I was more comfortable with but events of last
summer as we began recording added to the equation and I found myself
in the middle of principal vocals struggling to get performances
together.
Thanks to Calum Malcolm's patience and a staggered series of sessions
it all came together and I think I produced my best vocal performances
for some time.
I went into the tour without a proper break and the intended holiday before we started was lost.
The promotion activities were demanding and the collapse in Manchester was inevitable taking into account the stress factors.
I took a lot of flak around that time regarding my inability to hit "high notes" and my voice took a lot of criticism.
I didn't need to be told the obvious.
The tour however went really well once I had recovered from the viral
laryngitis and I finished the year with a huge sigh of relief and a
bunch of accolades from some great gigs.
Vietnam was a welcome break and this year began on a high. I was OK
until the O2 show when something started to go. I found myself with an
unusual hoarseness in my voice which I couldn't attribute to anything
specific.
In Tavistock a couple of days later I saw a doctor who told me my
throat was not infected and didn't show any signs of anything untoward.
But as a parting shot he told me my thyroid gland was unusually swollen
and took a crate of blood samples for analysis with advice to see my
own doctor in Haddington when I got back.
The blood works came back clear on all levels, two weeks and a lot of
worrying later, and I navigated the tour to it's close with no real
difficulties apart from occasional missing high notes. Needless to say
I was on double watch throughout and took no chances.
May was an easy stretch with sporadic gigs and adequate recovery time.
I saw my doctor and was recommended to see an ENT specialist in
Edinburgh for further examination.
The North American tour was being set up and I was locking myself into that obligation when I saw the ENT specialist.
He filmed my vocal chords and then announced that I had growths on my chords.
I wasn't too surprised. It had been a long and demanding tour so far and nodules are not uncommon with all that wear and tear.
I had them twice before, once with Marillion in the late eighties and
once in the early nineties during the heavy period of touring around
the end of the "Vigil" project.
They can "dissolve" in time and a few months off from singing makes a
hell of a difference. I wasn't that worried and was recommended to see
a voice therapist on my return from the US. I just had to look after
myself and avoid strains and putting myself behind the eight ball.
Again the routing of the North American tour came to my aid and the
days off/ travel were more than welcome as stress levels pre tour and
on the bus were high.
It all came together and I strongly believe that the fans and the vibes
at the gigs did more than anything to alleviate all that accumulated
stress.
Within the outfit only Frank and Yatta knew I had problems and only some close friends and family.
I was mentally and physically exhausted when I got back.
I was back at the ENT unit in July, this time to see a voice
specialist. It started off pleasantly enough and my speaking voice was
deemed to be not too bad considering I'd just completed a tour. She was
not surprised to see my ravaged, swollen chords and in her words she
"would have been shocked if I had been someone with an occupation other
than singing for a living."
She took internal photos of my throat and vocal chords with an endoscope and pronounced that I didn't have nodules.
I thought everything was going to be diagnosed as down to heavy usage and prescribed a rest from singing for a while.
Just as I thought I had an all clear she pointed out a white area on one of my chords and said "But this is worrying!"
As soon as I heard the phrase "irregular cell growth" my mind went cold and focused.
I knew what it meant.
I had a tour on line in September with tickets on sale and fans who had
already made travel arrangements. I also had a band and crew who were
relying on me for work who had mortgages and families and no other
chance of finding alternative employment at this short notice.
And in all honesty I needed the income as well. To go down at this
point would have left me high and dry. I needed to complete the tour.
The doctor wanted me in for a biopsy under general anaesthetic but she
also knew and admitted that it could put me out for 6 weeks and also
potentially irreparably damage my voice.
We made a joint decision to monitor the growth and to reassess in the
weeks between the last leg of the European tour and the end leg in the
UK. The growth would only curtail the high register where I had to
"squeeze" my vocal chords as it hampered their movement.
The rest of my range would be unaffected.
The August festivals went well and my voice was on form after the rest and with ample time to recover between.
However a host of interviews and a stressful run up meant that in Malta
I was suffering, and it showed, but I got back to form by Holland after
a couple of days off.
The rest of the tour crawled by ever so slowly and a chance vocal
infection in Hamburg nearly closed me down early. I made the end thanks
to a couple of cortisone injections on the last few shows.
I was surprised on my next scheduled ENT visit to be told my voice
sounded better but thanks to a broken endoscope no photos were taken.
I was given the green light to end the tour. I was also told that I
would be in hospital as soon as I returned. I was let off for the
moment but still had to face the music.
I'd told the others during the European tour and they were obviously in
a bit of shock and at the same time worried about whether we would have
the 3 weeks work. The news that I had the go ahead was welcomed by all
as much as it was to me. I climbed back on the bus.
The voice was holding up and the reactions were carrying me on.
The relief when I arrived home was immense.
I had been in tears in Glasgow on stage and in Buxton I nearly collapsed.
The lurgy that I had avoided all throughout the British dates and that
had taken out most of the band (and travelling fans!) had finally got
me. I physically couldn't have performed another show.
It was a highly emotional return to the Studio.
130 shows done and dusted!
I've been getting my head round it all this since I first heard the
news. It was pretty bad in late Summer as there were so many other
issues I was dealing with that were bringing me down. Very few people
knew about my predicament and I didn't want to create a load of rumours
that I couldn't truthfully answer.
I just had to see it through to the best of my ability. I think we did pretty well! :-)
I was in hospital yesterday and had an examination under general
anaesthetic which involved taking a biopsy from one of my vocal chords.
I now wait on the results.
Either way I have come to grips with this as much as I can under the
circumstances.
In all honesty I am 50 year old, I smoke(d), drink, have a "colourful"
history, have sung nearly 1700 gigs in 27 years and have conducted
probably three times as many interviews. It's like standing on the M1
and expecting not to be hit by a car :-D
I am taking at least 6 months off from singing. I'd like to think that
I can play some festivals in the summer of 2009 but there will be no
arranged tours until 2010.
I don't plan to even contemplate a new album until the end of next year.
It all depends on what happens in the coming weeks. There are no set
plans for any musical activity at the moment or in the near future.
Either way I intend to get to work on that elusive novel and start
studying and writing screenplays. My acting career I would like to
reopen and I definitely want to spend a lot more time at home. There
are bundles of unwrapped cunning plans.
It's a bit scary as I haven't had a "blank" year for as long as I can
remember and the prospect of being "unemployed" is quite weird!
It's an exhilarating time and not since I left my forestry career
behind in 1980 have I found myself in such an exciting and frightening
position in my life.
Katie has been a tremendous support as have my family, Yatta, Frank and
my band and crew and a strong network of close and dear friends all of
whom have helped me deal with the last few months and kept me focused
on what is important.
Thanks to them and to all of you who supported me over the last album
and tour and made me smile when it was hard to remember how to.
My spirits are high and I will deal with whatever happens in my own inimitable fashion,
See you on stage sometime ;-)
lots of love
Fish x
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 10:15
^ Much more positive than the spin put on the story by the Super Soaraway Sun.
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"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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Posted By: aprusso
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 11:09
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Big hug for the mig man, I love you
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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 12:08
Fingers crossed for the results, bath tub man.
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http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected]
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 13:16
Hopefully they it will turn out to be vocal chord nodules after-all and not malignant, many singers develop them (Pavarotti, Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Ian Gillan) and they are curable.
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What?
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 13:43
Wish Fish the best although I do find AB's choice of thread title a little funny.
Fish in throat cancer scare. Does eating fish cause throat cancer?
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Rivertree
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 17:08
Terrible news  best wishes to Fish ... CLUTCHING AT STRAWS 
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https://awesomeprog.com/users/Rivertree" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 19:17
That sucks...
Fish is awesome!!
Hope he recovers and does well!!
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Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: December 22 2008 at 19:27
Slartibartfast wrote:
Wish Fish the best although I do find AB's choice of thread title a little funny.
Fish in throat cancer scare. Does eating fish cause throat cancer?
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I thought of that too. I was like, "What the heck?!" 
On a more serious note, best wishes from me that everything works out, Fish!
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 03:14
Pretty frightening. I wish nothing but the best for the Mad Scotsman.
E
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 03:20
Slartibartfast wrote:
Wish Fish the best although I do find AB's choice of thread title a little funny.
Fish in throat cancer scare. Does eating fish cause throat cancer?
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The thread title has been changed to "Fish in throat cancer scare". The original thread title was the headline from the newspaper story, "Rocker Fish quits after Big C scare." (The Sun newspaper is famous for headline puns).
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"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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Posted By: SFranke
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 10:27
Angelo wrote:
Fingers crossed for the results, bath tub man.
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Chris Squire is called Fish because of his Diogenesian habit. Fish is called Fish because it sounds better than Derek Dick.
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 10:33
SFranke wrote:
Chris Squire is called Fish because of his Diogenesian habit. Fish is called Fish because it sounds better than Derek Dick.
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I have read that both were called Fish for this reason. As far as I am informed, they have this Diogenesian habit in common.
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Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 10:46
Damn, that's terrible news. I wish him the best.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: December 23 2008 at 14:53
Posted By: Mandrakeroot
Date Posted: December 24 2008 at 13:28
Terrible news... I'm  in this moment! But I thinking positive...
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Posted By: Anthony
Date Posted: December 29 2008 at 16:35
gee...how long will the engagement last this time....?
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Future prosperity lies in the way you heal the world with love
(Introitus - The hand that feeds you)
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: December 31 2008 at 06:48
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Powers-that-be changed the title so I'll leave it as it is.
I'd like to see Fish doing more acting, he's an imposing presence on the screen.
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"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: January 03 2009 at 15:51
Fish 2008 - A Happy Hogmanay
Dear Fishheads, Freaks, fans and the Company,
It seems apt that on the closing day of 2008 I received the news that I had been hoping for in a phone call from my ENT doctor.
The biopsy samples taken from my vocal chords have come back negative
on any malignant or pre-malignant growth. It appears that the source of
all my problems has been a cyst which has been present for quite some
time and was surgically removed during the recent examination.
I have been given a clean bill of health and told to start vocal exercises in order to stretch the repairing tissue.
I can't explain how relieved I am.
My voice has dynamically changed since the growth was removed and was
noticed on the phone by my doctor and commented on by Mo when she
visited the studio yesterday.
Even the muscle movement involved in swallowing has eased and for the
first time in a couple of years I don't feel as if I have a golf ball
in my throat.
I have to admit that certain newspaper reports got me down when after
gleaning all their quotes from my blog they then came up with the
assumption that I was finished as a singer.
It appears they have most definitely got it wrong and one of my first
calls was to Yatta to tell him to go ahead and book festivals for the
Summer. :-)
The other plans remain the same and I will be actively pursuing a
revitalisation of my acting career and working on my novel as of the
beginning of next year 2009.
I've already been approached to present and co-produce a series of
programmes on '60s and '70s Scottish rock music by an independent film
company; something that I find exciting and which will take me into an
area I have wanted to investigate for quite some time.
It's most definitively going to be a busy year.
With the promise of festivals in the Summer there will obviously be a
couple of warm up dates as I will have to put together a new set with
hopefully my existing band line up. With this in mind I am going to
look at the possibility of a convention in Haddington sometime next
summer.
Yatta and I will need to put our heads together to work out the
feasibility of it all as I don't want to commit to any touring outside
of festivals and staggered dates are difficult to maintain a settled
band line up as some musicians will have other commitments that I have
to respect and adjust to.
I am confident I can make it happen and at least hit some stages in the middle of 2009.
I just want to wholeheartedly thank all of you who sent me emails and posted letters of support on the forum.
It meant a lot to me as it was a difficult head space to be in for
quite some time.
I sincerely appreciated your best wishes and genuine concern and it
continued to remind me what a special group of people I have out there
and who are brought together by the music.
All I can do is wish you all a very happy and brilliant new year when
it comes in and I will raise a glass to you all when the bells call in
2009.
You are most definitely the Company I choose :-)
Thanks for being out there for me!
Slainth Mhath
lots of love
Fish xxx
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: January 03 2009 at 15:57
 excellent news
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What?
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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 04 2009 at 05:11
Well.... for a second that golf ball he lost was in my throat. This is great news!
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http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected]
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: January 04 2009 at 07:36
Tony R wrote:
I've already been approached to present and co-produce a series of programmes on '60s and '70s Scottish rock music by an independent film company; something that I find exciting and which will take me into an area I have wanted to investigate for quite some time.
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Looking forward to it! 
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"The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: January 04 2009 at 10:27
Sorry -- with no disrespect or lack of sympathy to Mr. Fish or his fans intended or implied -- but when I first viewed the title of this thread just now, I honestly thought it might be the name of some new metal band someone was proposing for addition! 
It would make for a pretty catchy metal band name, you must admit (especially if you think of the "fish" named as being the finny animals, not the singer). 
It has the requisite reference to something distasteful and likely fatal, the fear/suffering element....
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"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 04 2009 at 14:19
Peter wrote:
Sorry -- with no disrespect or lack of sympathy to Mr. Fish or his fans intended or implied -- but when I first viewed the title of this thread just now, I honestly thought it might be the name of some new metal band someone was proposing for addition!
It would make for a pretty catchy metal band name, you must admit (especially if you think of the "fish" named as being the finny animals, not the singer).
It has the requisite reference to something distasteful and likely fatal, the fear/suffering element.... |
I see I'm not the only one who thought this thread oddly titled.
So I have to raise the question, if Fish were a fish what kind of fish would Fish be?
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 04 2009 at 14:43
 I wish him all the best. We went to see the Big Man in Pontardawe (S Wales) at the end of 2008, and he was in great form - a thoroughly enjoyable gig which will be remembered for some time.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time!
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Posted By: AstroAvia
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 03:40
I wish him all the best. This man has been very important in my life, yet he doesn't even know that!
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AstroAvia's faves:
Abraxas
Atria
Poverty's No Crime
Threshold
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