No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
Sad as this news is, fans should not panic – Dumont says he will be able to take part in the band’s upcoming run of shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which start on 6 May and run through to 13 June.
Speaking in a video message posted to Instagram, the 58-year-old revealed that he has been living with the news for a while: “A number of years ago. I was experiencing a number of symptoms. I went to my doctor, I went to a neurologist and I did a whole bunch of tests, and I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease.”
“It’s been a struggle. It’s a struggle every day,” he says. “And I’ll make another video with details about what Parkinson’s entails. The good news is, I can still play music. I can still play guitar. I’ve been doing really well.”
He added that “I’ve just been very inspired by so many people who have come out to talk about their health issues on social media and that sort of thing. I think it helps erase some of the stigma and it raises awareness, obviously, and awareness is really important for prevention and for research.”
Parkinson’s is a condition that can be lived with for a number of years without it seriously affecting one’s life. But, as yet, there is no known cure.
Dumont is the latest of many musicians who have suffered from the disease, a group that includes Ozzy Osbourne, Maurice White of Earth Wind And Fire, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond and Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton. Some, like Diamond and Ronstadt, only opened up about their experience when the condition virtually forced them to retire. But, as Dumont says, it’s possible to work ‘normally’ for many years, even decades, with Parkinson’s.
For Dumont and No Doubt the show goes on. The band haven’t released a new album since 2012 but the guitarist says that they are all looking forward to their latest reunion.
Preparing for the shows has been “very fun” he says, adding that “Looking through old footage and looking at old photographs and relearning old songs and rehearsing and creating all the video stuff for the screens at the Sphere, it’s kind of made me think about how grateful I am for the life I’ve gotten to lead as a musician all these years.
“It’s thanks to our families and our friends and listeners, and you and everyone who’s come to our shows over the years. Thank you… I’m really excited about the shows. I can’t wait to see everybody.”
