Producer James Ford, who’s known for working with Arctic Monkeys, has been diagnosed with acute leukemia.
In an Instagram post Friday, Ford shares that he was feeling “pretty rough” leading up to the holidays before “things took a turn for the worse” on Christmas Eve.
“It’s a huge shock and while it’s very clear in my mind how serious this is, it is curable,” Ford says of his diagnosis. “As of today I’m starting pretty aggressive chemo to treat it.”
Ford adds that he expects a “bumpy road ahead,” but feels “confident, upbeat, and ready to fight,” and aims to be “out the other side of the initial treatment in 6-8 months time.”
“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,” Ford writes. “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.”
He continues, “I am really looking forward to getting back into the studio in my own time so that I can once again work on the music that is dear to me.”
Ford worked with Arctic Monkeys on albums including Suck It and See, AM, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino and The Car, and on frontman Alex Turner‘s two records with his Last Shadow Puppets side project.
He’s also produced albums for artists including Blur, Depeche Mode, The Last Dinner Party, Foals and Portishead‘s Beth Gibbons.
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