Pitchfork

Photo by Natalie Kardos

John Darnielle had us pretty worried when he nixed a run of Australian Mountain Goats shows late last month, citing "personal medical reasons", reminding us, "I don't cancel a show unless I absolutely have to", and then adding, "You'll be doing me a great favor if you keep me in your thoughts and prayers."

We were thus relieved somewhat when Darnielle returned to his website last week to post an update on his health situation.

Writes Darnielle: "First, let me assure everybody that I don't have anything terminal or anything. I am facing some chronic health stuff, to which I'll need to learn to adapt. But I'm not going to die or anything. Members of the Darnielle family, historically speaking, live to be frightfully old. Second, while I'm not in any condition to tour right now, that doesn't mean I'm not going to make music or give readings or anything like that.

Indeed, Darnielle and his Mountain Goats have two special gigs lined up right now: a Supersnack-sponsored May show in Brooklyn benefitting AIDS Walk ("possibly a solo set, that one," says John), and a performance at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles.

Darnielle also plans to do some readings at Durham, North Carolina's The Regulator bookshop and NYC's Housing Works, and to tour the UK before long.

As Darnielle concludes, "The most I'd like to say about my health is that I and some doctors are tinkering under the hood, and I'll be firing on all eight pretty soon. I thank everyone who has sent good thoughts; y'all mean the world to me and I will repay you as best I can as soon as possible."

Mountain Goats:

05-16 Brooklyn, NY - Masonic Temple (AIDS Walk benefit) *#
06-06 Los Angeles, CA - Natural History Museum

* John Darnielle: "Possibly a solo set, that one."
# with Rock Plaza Central, John Oliver of "The Daily Show"