Recently recovered from a life-saving liver transplant – metal survivor Mike IX Williams of EyeHateGod returns to the stage this weekend, first tonight at Berserker Fest in Pontiac, Michigan alongside Off!, Negative Approach, GWAR, The Obsessed, Fuck You Pay Me and many more. Then the band will play a string of headline dates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York this weekend, with additional booked shows for next month in Louisiana and Texas. Mike IX chatted with Ghost cult Chief Editor Keith Chachkes about his current health, his transplant surgery, recovery, and getting back on stage!

Mike! It’s great to hear your voice! How are you feeling man?

Mike IX: I’m good now man! I’m fine. Everything is going great man! The recovery, I’m feeling great! The recovery was a pain in the ass. I never thought I would get sick like that. You never plan for things like that in your life, it just happens, you know? A few years ago I started feeling bad, just getting sicker and sicker. And it turned out my liver was…destroyed. Ever since the operation, I have been fine. The doctors have been proud of the recovery, it has been pretty quick. There’s still a little ways to go, but as far as getting back to society, everything is pretty normal.

Did you think you were going to die?

Totally man! I was a goner! That was it. There was one point where besides the liver, they had to do some work to my heart even, and other things were going on at the time. They just kept finding out all these other things. From abusing myself all these years, these things just kept adding up. I was in the critical care unit and that was it, it was over. They couldn’t believe I made it back.

I just believe in PMA man. EyeHateGod is a negative band, and we write about negative things and negative sounds and all that (laughs). But as far as a person, me I just like to keep a positive vibe in my head. I am sure some people think EyeHateGod are depressed 24 hours a day. But no. (laughs)

They don’t come out and tell you, oh yeah – you’re dying. But they talk about you, and you see the machines you are hooked up to. But I just tried to stay as positive as i could. Be positive, keep my spirits up. I could have just given up. I’ve been suicidal and all that before. And there were times when I was way younger and I wanted to give up. But at this point I wanted to fight and keep going.

How did you deal with the transplant and the recovery? Convalescing couldn’t have been easy for you.

No, it’s the worst man. Its horrible. Being in the hospital a long as I was, it was horrible, just a nightmare really. You’ve nothing to do. Even in the hospital I sick as I was at some points , all you can do is lay there and be sick. It is not a fun thing. Anyone who has even spent time in the hospital knows, and been in the hospital like that, they know its terrible. There is nothing to do there and no fun at all.

I would read a lot and watch TV, there’s stupid, usual things, but there is not much else. You just sit there and think. I would sit there and think. Think about the future a lot. I have these people that love me and I am not giving up. I was thinking that this was like, this is a passing thing and it will be over soon, and I am going to get back from this and do what I want to do.

From your wife, friends, fans and the entire music community really came together for you.

As far as the community we’re in, this music community; it is a lot of friends where everybody helps each other out. You don’t expect it on that level. I didn’t. Not for me! I didn’t thing it was going to be that insane on the that level. It was overwhelming. There are really no words for it. It was crazy it. I just couldn’t believe how many people came out and said they would help. It’s really overwhelming, There are no words for it. Just crazy! Which has pretty much been our existence as a band.

Crazy in a good way! What were your thoughts on the tours without you and the charity shows in NOLA?

It was our idea as a band, what to do. Jimmy called me up and talked about what we should do. I did not want to cancel the Discharge tour or the other little tours we planned. As a band I was just tired of the band canceling as a band, even if I couldn’t do it. I wanted them to continue. Even if I was not in it for a minute, I wanted them to do what we are supposed to be doing as a band.

The people I would give my blessing to would be Phil (Anselmo) and Randy (Blythe). It’s cool to have two of these huge names in metal like Phil and Randy play with my band. Even if it was surreal to see other people sing with my band, it was still pretty cool.

Did you see any of those shows with Phil or Randy?

I was going to meet them in Seattle and go see them. I was too sick. I think it was Seattle. It turns out I was took sick to do anything. I couldn’t even get on the airplane if I wanted to, so I didn’t go.

I know it’s tough to cancel tours for your band and for everyone else associated with a tour, from crew on down.

It’s totally true. The guys in Discharge, we knew some of them before, but Jimmy and them got to meet em. They are friends with the the band now. Discharge is one of my favorite bands since I was a kid. So I said “you guys gotta do that tour”. Just to see my bands’ name associated with Discharge. It sucks that I didn’t get to do the tour, but that’s life. It’s still cool to know that Jimmy and them got to do the tour. Hopefully, we will get to do it again and I will get to fulfill my childhood dream of touring with Discharge.

You come back at Berserker Fest and more tour dates. I bet it’s going to feel amazing for you to get that microphone back in your hands.

I can’t wait man! I am super excited. I don’t know how I am going to feel and react, but its going to be crazy. I’m wondering how I am going to feel. It’s going to be crazy. I wonder how these people are going to feel with me coming back. All my friends band are playing at Berserker fest too! The Obsessed is playing and GWAR is playing. All my friends a going to be there, so its going to be amazing.

Any thoughts on the set list and the playing the material from the 2014 self-titled EHG album?

I am very proud of that record. It came out really great. The production and the songs themselves were awesome. We are doing a lot of it live. it will be our “greatest hit” of EyeHateGod.

EYEHATEGOD tour dates:
Apr 14: Berserker Festival IV – The Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
Apr 15: First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 16: Brooklyn Bazarre – Brooklyn, NY
May 26: Strange Brew – Shreveport, LA
May 27: White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
May 28: The Rail Club – Fort Worth, TX
May 30: Barracuda Austin – Austin, TX

The official For The Sick Benefit poster and benefit T-shirt are still availabl

e for purchase at Indie Merch HERE. Those wishing to buy charity or other EHG merch to help Mike IX directly as well as receive updates can visit his YouCaring site.

KEITH CHACHKES

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