FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's MICHAEL GILBERT Opens Up About Battle With Colon Cancer: 'I'm Very Thankful That I'm Still Around'

In a new interview with Scotty J of Rock Titan, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM guitarist Michael Gilbert opened up about how he beat colon cancer 25 years ago during his time away from the band. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nobody knows this, but a long, long, long time ago, I had some issues with my stomach, and I ended up having my whole large intestine removed — all of it gone. Yeah, there's some complications that happened there, but anyways, years later I was at the doctor and he was asking questions. It was a new doctor, a new primary physician… But anyways, the doctor came and asked me some questions, and I told him that I had a colectomy years ago. And he goes, 'Well, you and I both know that that can't be done.' And I said, 'What? What do you mean that can't be done? It was done to me. How can it not be? Here I am. I'm still alive.' And this is a true story. And I said, 'Okay, I'm leaving now.' And he's, like, 'Well, why are you leaving?' I go, 'Because you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.' I go, 'I want my copay back and I'm never coming [back].' And I found a new physician after that. But that's where our healthcare is at. They don't give a fuck. They don't care."

Gilbert went on to say that he was battling "full-blown cancer in my colon," explaining that "they removed it. I had the bag, had the ileostomy bag for several months and everything got reversed. That doctor knew what he was doing," he said. "That guy saved my life, for sure. That was one dude that really cared. And this happened in 1999, so, again, when I say I'm very thankful that I'm still around and still playing in the band — there was a time there where I didn't even think I would make it another week… And it definitely gave me a huge, different outlook on life. And when I forget it, there's always something around to put me in check again. And I'm very thankful to be here."

According to Gilbert, he had "never shared that with any anybody in any interviews" before because he "was never sure how people take it, 'cause it makes people nervous and they don't know what to say."

As for what he hopes other people take away from his experience, Michael said: "I'm not an expert on it or anything like that, but I know what happened to me and I've watched over the years how much more prevalent it's becoming. I would say it's what's in our food, what's in the preservatives in our food. Like I said, I'm no expert on it, but that's the real pandemic right now, is cancer. Coronavirus, it was definitely super, super, super bad, but there's so many people that have it right now. And yeah, you should get checked out. Everybody should get checked out, for sure."

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's latest album, "I Am The Weapon", is the band's fifth release since the return of Gilbert, who is the only other member of the current FLOTSAM lineup, besides singer Eric "AK" Knutson, to have played on the group's debut LP, 1986's "Doomsday For The Deceiver".

Knutson told the Arizona Republic in a 2021 interview that Gilbert's 2010 return to FLOTSAM AND JETSAM after a 13-year absence was a pivotal moment in the band's rebirth.

"Michael was always a big part of the writing team back in the day," Knutson said. "And when he left, I just kind of used the band as an excuse to go on vacation in Europe a couple times a year. I really wasn't that worried about what the songs sounded like. I was just like, 'Okay, let's put a record out so we can get out on tour again.' We weren't serious about it." When Gilbert returned, Eric said, "We decided to make another serious stab at it and we've just been going uphill ever since."

"I Am The Weapon" arrived on September 13, 2024 via AFM/Believe.

It's been 38 years since FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, formed in Phoenix, Arizona, released "Doomsday For The Deceiver", the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to METALLICA while the band released "No Place For Disgrace" in 1988. "Cuatro" (1992),"Drift" (1995),"High" (1997) and "My God" (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016's self-titled "Flotsam And Jetsam", followed by the crushing 2019 successor "The End Of Chaos" that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt.