Back in January, Uriah Heep bassist Trevor Bolder disclosed that he’d be taking a break from the band to undergo surgery. At the time his illness had not been publicly confirmed but online rumors pointed towards a heart attack. In a recent interview Bolder sets the record straight, confirming that the operation was actually for cancer, not for a heart attack.

“I had pancreas cancer so I had to have that removed. Not the entire pancreas -- but still, it was bad news,” Bolder explained to Classic Rock magazine about the harrowing experience. “They’ve cut out the bad bit. I’ve had a bit of chemo, got to have that, which I’m doing now, in case there’s anything hanging about," he continued. "Once that’s done, I should be back to doing what I do for a living.”

Although Bolder admits that the life-altering news originally left him “shell-shocked,” he’s already moved past that phase and is focusing on his continuing recovery. He hopes that can get into his home studio soon and write some new songs. But for right now he’s taking it easy, noting, “I need to get my concentration back, to be honest, because I get tired real quick at the moment.”

So the good news is that Bolder is on the mend and well on his way to getting back on the stage. “In a couple of months I should be back to normal and doing roadwork with Uriah Heep,” said Bolder. “Originally, I was told it would be nine months. I’ve gone private now and they say it should be four months – as long as I take it steady.”

In addition to rejoining Uriah Heep, Bolder also mentioned that there’s a possible Spiders From Mars reunion show in the works, with a Christmas timeframe in mind.

So here’s to taking it steady and a speedy recovery for Trevor!

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