It was no secret that Mark E. Smith, the late frontman of post-punk icons The Fall, was in ill health leading up to his death last month at the age of 60. But his family today released a statement revealing what ultimately killed him: terminal lung and kidney cancer.
In that statement, posted to The Fall’s website, his three sisters write, “He took every treatment going, which could be brutal at times and left Mark with some horrible side effects. Mark was such a strong man and hated letting his fans down and tried to carry on regardless against all advice.”
Read the full statement:
We would like to thank family, friends and fans for all their kind words, condolences and memories about our brother Mark.
Also, the N.H.S and staff who treated Mark throughout and Mark’s partner Pam who loved, cared and cherished our brother.
Mark fought a long and hard battle after his diagnosis of terminal lung and kidney cancer. He took every treatment going, which could be brutal at times and left Mark with some horrible side effects. Mark was such a strong man and hated letting his fans down and tried to carry on regardless against all advice.
Mark had a great life and loved and lived it to the full and always by his own rules and we, as his sisters were privileged to be part of it too.
Mark is at peace now and pain free, but we, his three sisters have been left heartbroken and will miss our big brother very much.
Barbara, Suzanne and Caroline.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Fall’s 7-disc ‘The Singles 1978-2016’ box set to collect 117 A-sides and B-sides
- The Fall postpones rare U.S. concerts to 2018 due to concerns about Mark E. Smith’s health
- A week of The Fall: Mark E. Smith and Co. extend Brooklyn residency to 7 nights
- The Fall returns to America for 5-night Brooklyn residency, Kentucky festival
- The Fall to release ‘New Facts Emerge’ — band’s 32nd studio album — in July
