Producer James Ford announces leukaemia diagnosis
James Ford, the renowned producer known for crafting some of the biggest records in the indie scene from groups such as Arctic Monkeys, Blur and Fontaines DC, has announced that he has been diagnosed with leukaemia.
Ford has been a major player in the music scene since the 2000s, working with Arctic Monkeys to create albums such as Favourite Worst Nightmare and Humbug. He has also produced records for Haim, Gorillaz, Declan McKenna, and most recently, Romance by Fontaines DC.
The producer announced his health status on Instagram on January 17th, writing, “I was feeling pretty rough in the run up to Christmas suspecting burnout but on Xmas eve things took a turn for the worse.
I had a scary few weeks where I was very ill and they didn’t know what was wrong with me, but finally I got a diagnosis.”
The Simian Mobile Disco musician continued: “It’s a huge shock and while it’s very clear in my mind how serious this is, it is curable, and as of today I’m starting pretty aggressive chemo to treat it. I’m in Barts Hospital, who are world leaders in leukaemia treatments, and I’ve had excellent care from our wonderful NHS, both initially in Canterbury Hospital before being moved here to Barts just last week.”
“I’m very aware that it’s gonna be a bumpy road ahead but I’m confident, upbeat, and ready to fight and I hope to be out the other side of the initial treatment in 6-8 months time,” he added. “Needless to say, I’ve had to clear my work diary which has meant putting on hold a lot of very exciting musical projects I was eager to get stuck into. Whilst this is a massive shame, I know they will go on to deliver great records with whoever takes the reins, and I wish them all the best”.
Ford has also taken time to thank the various people who have helped through the past month of treatment, saying, “I want to express the deepest possible gratitude to my family, friends and colleagues who have been so supportive at this difficult time, particularly my wife Sereen and all the NHS staff who’ve looked me so brilliantly.”
This comes at the end of a very productive year for Ford. Having come off work on the latest Blur album, The Battle of Darren, he helmed Fontaines DC’s Romance, The Last Dinner Party’s debut Prelude to Ecstasy, as well as the latest album from Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, Lives Outgrown.
In addition to his work as a producer and Simian Mobile Disco, Ford is also a founding member of The Last Shadow Puppets with Alex Turner and Miles Kane, acting as their producer and drummer. He released his debut solo album, The Hum, in 2023.
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