F#@%in' Cancer

Pinback's in-store appearance this Tuesday at Lou's Records in Encinitas coincides with the release of their fourth full-length album, Autumn of the Seraphs. The band's subsequent national and world tours will be the first with their newest touring lineup. Joining Rob Crow and Zach Smith are Eric Hoversten (second guitar and keyboards), Chris Prescott (drums), and Terrin Durfey (keyboards and second bass), who is battling cancer...

again.

In 1998, Durfey was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer with the ability to spread to other parts of the body. This is Durfey's third recurrence.

"This time around, scans showed that it traveled to two spots in my left lung, my pelvic bone, and a spot on the back of the head," Durfey explains. "We have to schedule practices around my chemotherapy schedule. I get chemo every three weeks. The side effects last for about a week, and then I'm almost back to my normal self until the next session.

"I'm going to get one more dose of chemo before we leave for tour, and then I won't get another treatment until I'm back [after two months away]. I couldn't get it while out on tour because the doctor needs to keep an eye on my blood counts.... Recent scans showed that the tumors are getting smaller."

Though Durfey says insurance covers a great deal of his treatments, the help from friends has been "overwhelming." Until he is well enough to resume full-time employment, donations can be made at www.myspace.com/terrindurfeyfoundation.