“A lot of good acts can be done for selfish reasons, and I if I wanted to be the face of it.” “There’s a thing that happens sometimes with charities and promotions that feel self-serving or cheap marketing, and I have always been delicate with other people’s emotions and not wanting to cross any boundaries,” Gilbert reflects over a Zoom call from his home in Tennessee. Gilbert had more than enough serious subject matter to pull from but was admittedly unsure if he wanted his cancer story to be front and center on the release. Read more: 10 incredible alternative albums that turn 10 in 2023 With stunning bravery, Gilbert carried on with business as usual, albeit in a slightly different capacity, to begin the writing process for New Found Glory’s largely acoustic and most mature, vulnerable album yet, Make The Most Of it. However, he also knew that he needed to turn to his greatest passion: music. Of course, Gilbert’s greatest joys lie within his family, including his loving wife and daughter, who was born just months before his cancer diagnosis. From that moment on, Gilbert’s journey to recovery was long and trying, consisting of multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and the overall emotional roller coaster of living with such a serious illness.Įven through the darkness, uncertainty and understandable fear, Gilbert knew that he needed to overcome the disease and wasn’t going to let it define him or take away his joy.

Shortly after, Gilbert was admitted to the ICU, where it was discovered that he had a sizeable tumor due to pheochromocytoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal gland. However, if resilience was ever needed, it was undoubtedly in December of 2021, when guitarist and chief songwriter Chad Gilbert nearly lost his life. He was found unresponsive in bed by his wife, who quickly performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while waiting for paramedics to arrive. For over 25 years, New Found Glory have remained one of the most celebrated modern pop-punk acts, thanks to their relatable lyrics, infectious hooks and resilient nature.

New found glory