Bad news folks: Bobby Womack is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier this year he made a brand new album together with Damon Albarn, who he collaborated with on the last Gorillaz album as well, but he has trouble remebering its lyrics and Damon Albarn’s last name:
“It’s not bad yet but will get worse,” Womack told the Sun. “How can I not remember songs I wrote? It’s frustrating … The most embarrassing thing is I’ll be ready to announce Damon [Albarn] and can’t remember his last name.”
Damon Albarn isn’t insulted the least bit and is a good sport about the ordeal:
“[It keeps] my feet firmly on the ground,” Albarn added. “He picks a new name every night … At Madison Square Garden he called me Damon Arsebarn. That was the worst!”
Let’s hope the legendary soul singer takes a long time before the disease develops further. Below is a video of Damon Albarn, Richard Russell, Kwes, Remi and Jaleel Bunton rehearsing in New York last year. This is the first take of the first rehearsal these guys did and it’s proof the composer and singer behind (among much else) the brilliant ‘Across 110th Street‘ hasn’t lost a step.
