Art Alexakis, the lead singer and guitarist for the Grammy-nominated rock band Everclear, revealed on Tuesday that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In a post on Twitter, Alexakis directed fans to a page on Everclear’s website that featured a long statement explaining his diagnosis.

“I want to tell you something about me that you might not know,” the statement began, before explaining how an MRI after a small car accident three years ago had led doctors to discover that the 56-year-old musician had been living with MS for about ten years. In that time, Alexakis had noticed that he had been struggling with his balance, memory and energy, but had “thought it was just me getting older.” Turns out, it was much more.

Since his initial diagnosis, Alexakis has kept his disease private from fans and has continued to record and tour with Everclear. In the message, he thanked his wife Vanessa for standing by him and helping him through the treatments. Now, Alexakis revealed that he takes three injections a week and can “feel the disease slowly growing in me.”

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Nevertheless, Alexakis has no plans to slow down his career. In the same statement that he revealed his illness, the singer also announced plans to record his first solo album, Sun Songs, which will be out in the summer of 2019. In addition to continuing with Everclear, Alexakis is beginning a solo tour for the album in May.

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Alexakis explained the reason behind coming forward with his diagnosis now, only about a month after actress Selma Blair also came forward with her MS diagnosis. “One of the reasons I wanted to be more public about my disease is that I have been hearing a lot of people say that I am drinking again or back on drugs because they have seen me look unsteady on stage or around town,” said Alexakis, who has struggled from addiction in the past but has been sober now for nearly thirty years. Reassuring his fans that he had not “fallen off the wagon,” Alexakis asked for understanding as he tries “learning how to be the new me.”

Alexakis has two children – an 11-year-old daughter Arizona with his wife Vanessa and a 26-year-old daughter Annabella Rose from a previous relationship.

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