Busted musician James Bourne is releasing a new album amid ongoing health struggles that saw him pull back from the spotlight.
The 42-year-old guitarist revealed in April that he has to undergo major surgery that would ‘extend his life.’
Fans were left concerned when the star appeared to have deleted his Instagram account earlier this month.
Behind the scenes, Bourne has continued to work on a long-term project he says he is determined to finish – a new album titled Murder At The Gates.
The 13-year megaproject has been created for a new musical by Tony Award-winning US playwright Steven Sater.
Speaking to The Sun, Bourne said: ‘I didn’t want my health to stop me from promoting this project because I’ve put 13 years of my life into it.
‘There was a fear of not finishing it. But I knew I had to finish it and give this to the people.
‘There’s like a few people that have been waiting for it. There are hardcore fans who show to up for everything – and I have been speaking about this for a long time.
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‘It feels so good to now have this as a finished product. And it’s the first album I’ve ever produced. So I’m proud of it.’
The new album will be released on July 1, and features the Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo.
Bourne said the closely-guarded new album, which even his Busted bandmates have not heard entirely, has a ‘different feeling to all the others.’
The musician, who lives in Cornwall, announced in September that he wouldn’t be on the Busted tour.
Instead, Bourne’s brother Chris stepped in to replace him and toured with the two other Busted members, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson. You can read more about Willis thoughts on the tour without Bourne here.
He said that not being on the tour meant he has given the ‘gift of time,’ although dropping out ‘was such a shame.’
Bourne continued: ‘But you have to turn negative into positive. They’re the conversations I’ve had with my closest friends.
‘I wanted to take the time I’d been given and deliver this album.’
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