Nitzer Ebb frontman Douglas McCarthy enjoys successful comeback after health problems
Nitzer Ebb
Prior to the Nitzer Ebb concert at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach in November 2021, the band’s frontman Douglas McCarthy suffered complications from a pre-existing, non Covid related medical condition. He was admitted to hospital and was declared stable and undergoing continued treatment and observation so the band’s management informed.
Despite the illness of Douglas McCarthy, the tour continued with Bon Harris stepping in to perform lead vocals. This was a temporary lineup, yet a special one for those who were at the concerned shows. The band was at that moment on tour including the original band members David Gooday and Simon Granger.
Since then McCarthy has been working on his health and comeback. In a 2022 video he announced he was indeed coming back to the stage.
But he is back now, and we have seen him perform across Europe, including last night in Oslo together with Front 242. He is not the old one yet, but he’s clearly enjoying the shows. And that is what counts after all.
Welcome back Douglas!
About Douglas McCarthy
Douglas (John) McCarthy (born 1 September 1966) is the vocalist of the English EBM band Nitzer Ebb. Apart from Nitzer Ebb he has appeared on multiple recordings by Recoil (Alan Wilder) and has released material in collaboration with DJ Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy. He also contributed vocals to tracks by Die Krupps, Motor, KLOQ (band), Client, and Kenneth James Gibson’s Reverse Commuter project.
After Nitzer Ebb originally split, McCarthy began his work with Recoil, then left the music business and focused on film studies and design in Cambridge. He moved to London in 2000 to work in the advertising field.
McCarthy’s first solo album was originally titled “Life Is Sucking the Life Out of Me”. The album was written, recorded and mixed at Easier with songwriter/musician/producer Stephen Papke and British house DJ/producer Mark “Blakkat” Bell. All songs were co-written by McCarthy, Papke and Bell. Performing as Douglas J. McCarthy, his first solo album, “Kill Your Friends”, was released in November 2012 on the Los Angeles-based label Pylon Records followed by the EP “Move On” in 2013.
McCarthy then collaborated with Headman and producer Scott Fraser on the “Noise” EP, and with Cyrus Rex on the “DJMREX” EP.
You can read a long interview with Douglas McCarthy here on Side-Line.
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