Gillian Gilbert, the iconic keyboardist of New Order since their formation in 1980, has announced that she is battling cancer. The statement follows a misunderstanding in which it was believed that her husband, Stephen Morris, the band’s drummer and a former member of Joy Division, was facing a serious illness. The couple also collaborated as The Other Two during the 1990s, and have since remained active on an occasional basis.
In June, New Order had announced that neither Stephen nor Gillian would go on tour for “serious health reasons.” During an interview with Rolling Stone, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Stephen Morris said that due to serious illness he would be unable to tour. People assumed it referred to him, but it actually referred to his wife, as has now been clarified.
Gillian’s statement reads: “I would like to clear up a misunderstanding stemming from an interview, in which it was interpreted that Stephen is seriously ill. Fortunately, he is well. In fact, I am the one who, like many others, lives with cancer. We fully understand how the misunderstanding arose, and we simply wanted to share the correct information.” Finally, Gillian thanks the solidarity they have received as a couple, and they request privacy “to continue with the treatment”.
