OF MICE & MEN Cancels Remaining Shows On European Tour To Focus On Singer's Health

Orange County, California-based rock band OF MICE & MEN has been forced to cancel the remaining dates on its current European headlining tour. The group says in a statement: "We had to cut short our set in Portsmouth on Saturday night due to [singer] Austin [Carlile] being in pain throughout the show. We attempted to play the show in Cardiff the following night, but it became increasingly obvious that we were not able to continue and that we need to focus on Austin's health.

"As much as we wish we could complete the remaining dates of this tour, we know that we would be doing a disservice to all of our loyal fans, as well as ourselves, performing under the current circumstances.

"The reality is that we feel the best thing to do right now is go home, get Austin the appropriate medical attention and regroup before we head back out on the road again.

"We appreciate that our fans understand how important it is that we put health first and foremost and know that we would never cancel shows unless we felt it absolutely necessary.

"Refunds will be available at point of purchase for all cancelled shows."

Carlile suffered a collapsed lung during OF MICE & MEN's set in Denver in August but still finished the show. Carlile told Rolling Stone: "I couldn't breathe right and I was gasping. I managed to do the rest of the show. Then the medics came and gave me oxygen and the lung somehow kind of naturally re-inflated."

The lung collapse was one of the latest in a long series of medical issues that have plagued Carlile since he was a teenager. When he was 17, Carlile was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, which affects his connective tissue and causes weakness in his heart, lungs, ears, joints and muscles. Carlile revealed: "I have so much arthritis from this condition I'm in chronic pain from my wrists to my elbow. My spine and back hurts, my ribs hurt and my legs cramp up at night."

Carlile has had surgery on his ears, hip, heart, head and feet over the years, with operations last year on his ribs and skull forcing him to cancel a series of tour dates and undergo months of therapy.

Even with his ailments, Carlile decided to quit prescription drugs last January while recording the band's new album. He said that getting off his daily mix of OxyContin, Ritalin and antidepressants was a painful experience. "In January, I stopped taking all that and the next three months of my life, which was when we were in the studio, those were the worst months," he said. "You know, I would be throwing up over the toilet in the middle of the night or shaking in my bed and waking up, like, moaning and screaming, and you know, it was rough. I did physical therapy like four times a week, all while I was coming off the stuff for the first time in ten years."

The new OF MICE & MEN album, "Cold World", came out on September 9.

The first single and video from the band's fourth record was called "Real".

The band recently wrapped up a tour with SLIPKNOT and played several festival dates before kicking off the European trek.