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10 окт 2025
Legendary Extreme Metal Drummer NICK BARKER: 'I'm Dealing With Stage Five Chronic Kidney Failure Right Now'
Elaborating on his current medical condition, Barker said: "Well, I'm dealing with stage five chronic kidney failure right now, which is full renal failure. I've been on dialysis, hemodialysis since January '23. I've been approved by the transplant list here in Vancouver. I did all the pre-assessments, passed all the assessment tests. They said, 'Yep, you're totally fine. You've just gotta drop some of those lbs. So I've got about 20, 30 pounds to lose before they can operate on me."
According to Barker, the operation will involve him getting "a new kidney", explaining that "they don't give you two [kidneys] now. What they do is they make an incision and they basically implant the live kidney on one of your dead kidneys.
Regarding a timeline as to when something like that will take place, Nick said: "I'm on a waiting list. I could get a phone call after I speak to you, or it could be next year. It's really just a waiting game. To not sound so crass, I've just gotta wait for somebody to die."
Asked if he is still able to create and be involved in music at all on any level right now, Nick said: "Yeah, I am. I still play the drums, but not very often. See with me, I need somebody to jam with to be inspired. I can play do playthroughs all day, but they're not really challenging. But if I'm there with a guitarist and he's throwing riffs at me, I get really creative that way. But playing on my own, I'll be honest with you, I get bored after 20 minutes."
The 52-year-old Barker started playing drums at the age of 13 years old, but his professional career began back in 1993 at age 20 when he joined U.K. black metal icons CRADLE OF FILTH. After four albums and numerous world tours that followed, Nick went on to join the ranks of Norwegian black metal rivals DIMMU BORGIR in 1999 and went on to enjoy even greater commercial success with them up until 2004.
Nick has also been a busy session player in both live and studio environments, lending his skills to the likes of such heavyweight metal acts as TESTAMENT, OLD MAN'S CHILD, EXODUS, BRUJERIA, GORGOROTH, GOD SEED, ANAAL NATHRAKH and BENEDICTION, to name a few.
Barker previously discussed his health challenges this past January in an interview with Earth House. He said at the time: "I went from traveling the world every month to being stuck at home. And it took about six months to come to terms of it 'cause I felt like I was in prison.
"We picked up [touring] after COVID, and then I started to get sick," the British-born musician continued. "I ended up in hospital on a U.S. tour. 10 days in ICU in North Carolina. Yeah, it was pretty bad. The bill came to 98 grand. Well, I didn't pay. They've got a thing now in the States where if you're a non-citizen and you've got no insurance, you pay a waiver fee and you fill out the form, a waiver, and they just treat you. But they did show me, 'This is how much your treatment costs.'"
Barker went on to say that he really misses "not being able to travel or tour. When it's been pretty much what you do your entire adult life and then all of a sudden, it just stops suddenly, it's a bit of a headfuck," he explained.
Reflecting on another health scare that happened while he was on tour, Nick said: "We were on a heavy metal cruise from Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. And during the gig I had a panic attack. And the paramedics were there. I was, like, 'I need oxygen. I can't breathe.' They were, like, 'A thousand dollars.' And they were literally standing over me, watching me [gasping for breath]."
Asked if he ended up paying, Nick said: "No, I didn't. I said, 'Fuck you.' I kicked the emergency doors open and did a Titanic special. [Laughs]"
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