After being diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland last summer, the Beastie Boys' [article id="1623332"]Adam Yauch is on the mend[/article] and thinking about music again. The MC, who underwent surgery and treatment in the fall, told Entertainment Weekly that he's ready to get back to work.

"I feel better," Yauch said on Friday at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles. "It was touch and go there for a while, but I am finally getting my energy back."

[article id="1616633"]Yauch announced[/article] on July 20 that the discovery of the cancer would necessitate the canceling of all of the Beasties' planned summer-festival appearances and push back their new album, Hot Sauce Committee, Part One, while he underwent treatment. According to a band spokesperson, because the cancer was discovered early and localized in an area that does not affect Yauch's vocal cords, it is believed the surgery was successful. While a the album, originally due out last September, is not yet officially rescheduled, Yauch said he expects it to drop this September.

"It was really disappointing to have to hold the record and postpone the tour, but doctor's orders," he told EW. "We may or may not [release the album], depending on how my health is come September. We want to but we have to play it by ear." Either way, the B-Boys are planning on taking another listen to the tracks they had prepped to see if some tweaking is in order.

"I was just talking to Adam [Horovitz] and Mike [Diamond] today on the phone and we were talking about working on it a bit," Yauch said. "We finished the record over a year ago, so we want to take a look at it and reevaluate and make sure it is what we want to put out there and that we are still happy with it. I don't think we will change it up too much."

A spokesperson for the group could not be reached at press time to confirm a new release date.