With their bassist in palliative care for colorectal cancer, the group have a new album and two live shows to play. They reflect on friendship, facing terminal illness and ‘taking each day as it comes’
For most bands, releasing a new album is cause for celebration. For Brisbane band Bugs, the moment is much more bittersweet. Last month, before the release of their fourth album, Head Noise, bass guitarist Jordan Brunoli took to Instagram with a devastating update.
Diagnosed with stage-four colorectal cancer at just 29, Brunoli revealed that his treatments had been unable to stop the disease from spreading. “I am now entering the final chapter of my life, after being told in June I had a prognosis of 3-4 months,” he wrote, inspiring a flood of heartfelt comments from fans. The band announced they would play two album launch shows at a formative home town venue, Crowbar Brisbane; both swiftly sold out.