Simian Mobile Disco cancel tour after Jas Shaw is diagnosed with rare disease

Upcoming London gig will be their last "for a while"

Simian Mobile Disco have announced that they have cancelled their US tour after member Jas Shaw was diagnosed with a rare disease.

The electronic duo – comprising of Shaw and James Ford – had been scheduled to tour America in June, but they’ve now been forced to cancel all dates after Shaw was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis.

Thanking fans for their “continued support”, a statement from the group described Shaw’s condition as “a rare disease caused by abnormal deposition and accumulation of proteins in the tissues of the body”.

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According to the NHS website, AL amyloidosis (formerly known as simply Amyloidosis) can often lead to kidney and heart failure. There is no known cure for AL amyloidosis but it is usually treated with chemotherapy and steroids.

Simian Mobile Disco’s Jas Shaw

Issuing fans an update on Shaw’s health, the band wrote: “He is receiving treatment but unfortunately this means he is not able to tour, and we have reluctantly decided that SMD’s live performances will have to be put on hold for at least a few months.”

“We are hopeful that following treatment, he will be able to return to a full work schedule but we’re not currently in a position to confirm when this will be.”

Simian Mobile Disco’s live date at London’s Barbican next week (April 4) will still go ahead and will be their last show “for a while”, they say. Profits from the show will go to the UCL Amyloidosis Research Fund.

See the band’s statement in full below.

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Simian Mobile Disco formed from the ashes of the band Simian in 2003. Their sixth album ‘Murmurations’ is due to be released on May 11, following on from 2016’s ‘Welcome To Sideways’.

NME has asked Simian Mobile Disco’s press representative whether the new album release will be affected by this news.

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