Kevin Bronson on October 17th, 2014

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club drummer Leah Shapiro has been diagnosed with a brain ailment that will require surgery. The band has been forced to cancel its appearance at Saturday’s Moon Block Party at the Pomona Fairplex.

The news came in a note from Shapiro on BRMC’s Facebook page, which explained that recently she had been experiencing “dizziness, insomnia, headaches, tingling/numbness in my hands, stiff neck and pain.” After undergoing tests, she was diagnosed with Chiari malformations, a structural defect that affects the cerebellum.

Wrote Shapiro: “The good news is that there’s a surgical solution for it that is usually
effective. The bad news is that when Rob, Pete and I tried to rehearse this week for the Moon Block [Party] on Saturday, I realized that the effects of this illness has made it impossible for me to play drums. I just can’t do the music any justice right now. So it is with deep regret that we’re going to have to pull out of the show on Saturday …

“As you can imagine, I’m hardly looking forward to having my skull cracked open and my brain operated on, but it’s the only thing that’s going to help me get better. And while the thought of not being able to play drums for several months while I recover from the surgery totally sucks, I’m determined to make a full recovery and get back to playing music with Rob & Pete as soon as I can.”

Photo by Michelle Shiers