Beady Eye's Gem Archer Says He's Recovered From Fractured Skull

Gem Archer has talked for the first time about the injuries which caused Beady Eye to cancel performances in Belgium, Japan and at V Festival this summer.

Talking to NME ahead of the band's show at Dublin Olympia tonight (November 7), the first of their autumn Ireland and UK tour, a now-fully recovered Archer recounted how he slipped at home in August and fractured his skull, leading to a week in hospital.

He said: "The odd thing is I can't remember falling, or much after it. It was pretty serious, shall we say, and there are a lot of people affected by it, but it seems we're through it. My wife, certainly, and the kids… It was something I wouldn't wish on anybody. I almost feel I missed it all, but they didn't – they went through it and it was horrible."

He continued: "The second fall, two weeks after the first, I've since found out, isn't that uncommon for people who've fractured their skull. Once you've had that, there is the chance of falling again and breaking an arm and/or a leg. At least I didn't do both. It's one of those things. You could think yourself into a corner with these things, worrying, but I'm not one of those guys. I've never broken a bone in my body before this summer, and now I know what it feels like. I'd hate to repeat it. And when I speak to my mam and she's worried, I just have to say 'It could happen again but I'm still here'."

Thankfully now Archer is recovered and says he's "match fit" ahead of the tour starting. He said: "I am fine. In some ways more than fine. There are slight things I see differently, which is always a bonus in life. The weird thing is when I have my guitar strapped on I feel better than ever and walk around without even thinking about what I'm doing. When I don't have it on…there are certain parts of the day when I should have my guitar on to help me. But I am definitely match fit for these gigs."

"Whether I'm completely recovered, that's a different thing. For me, completely recovered would mean being able to run down the street faster than my son and I can't yet, but maybe those days are over anyway?"

He also promised Beady Eye's setlist would be different from the band's shows earlier this year, saying: "We've rehearsed enough stuff to change it up. We'll see, I don't know what tonight's setlist is, we'll see how the soundcheck goes, but we do have a few permutations. Even just for the band's sake it's good to change things and put new songs in, and then there are a lot of people who have already seen us this year."

Finally, he talked of Jon Brookes tribute concert organised by The Charlatans which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in October. On the night former Oasis guitartist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs stepped in to replace Archer, who watched from the side of the stage.

He said: "It wasn't frustrating, it was weird for everyone else but me, I think. I loved it, and there's no way I could've done it anyway. To see them step up, and Bonehead get up like that, was a bit of a moment."

Source: www.nme.com