"Robert Fripp shares his positive experience: he's recuperating after a heart attack"
Guitar Legend Robert Fripp Shares Heart Attack Recovery Journey
Veteran rock musician Robert Fripp, known for his groundbreaking work with King Crimson, recently suffered a heart attack and underwent two emergency surgeries. Born on May 16, Fripp is about to turn 79, but his spirit remains unbroken despite the health scare.
Fripp, who also collaborated with The Police's Andy Summers on an intriguing trilogy of albums, shared this personal update through a new video on his YouTube channel, Upbeat Moments, alongside his wife, Toyah Willcox. The couple candidly discussed how Fripp had been experiencing chest pains for a couple of weeks, which were initially dismissed as acid reflux.
"My upbeat moment is: I'm alive," Fripp declared in the video, staring directly into the camera. Willcox expressed her support, acknowledging their exceptional journey over the past couple of weeks.
When these symptoms persisted, Fripp planned to fly to Italy to perform at an Orchestra Of Crafty Guitarists event in Bergamo. However, with the pains continuing, he decided to see a doctor upon arrival. A welcome coincidence led Fripp to the right medical care at the right time.
During his hospitalization, Fripp recounted an interesting detail. "Well here's the interesting bit," he said, "I was in A&E not quite knowing what was going on other than I knew they were going to do something, and an orderly came along and shaved my balls!"
Diagnosed with a trifurcated artery, Fripp had a pair of stents inserted during his surgeries. Toyah shared her struggles during the hospital stay due to the language barrier, as few medical staff could speak English. Despite the stress and uncertainty, they both emphasized the complex but transformative events they endured.
Unable to perform at the Italian event due to his health, Fripp instead served as the director for the Guitar Circle show, which he described as "magical." Looking forward, Fripp has been following the progress of Beat, a King Crimson tribute band featuring Steve Vai and Adrian Belew, from a distance. Vai revealed that Fripp offered some valuable guidance during the band's first tour.
With love and well-wishes, our musical community rallies behind Fripp during this challenging time. The road to recovery may be long, but Fripp's unyielding spirit and resilience inspire us all. Here's to a speedy recovery, Robert Fripp!
Keep in tune with the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals, and more by signing up for our newsletter!
- Despite the heart attack and subsequent surgeries, guitar legend Robert Fripp's spirit remains unbroken even as he approaches his 79th birthday.
- Toyah Willcox shared her struggles with the language barrier during Fripp's hospital stay, as few medical staff could speak English.
- Fripp, although unable to perform at the Italian event due to his health, instead served as the director for the Guitar Circle show, which he described as "magical."
- Vai revealed that Fripp offered some valuable guidance during Beat, a King Crimson tribute band's first tour, featuring Steve Vai and Adrian Belew.
- From mental health to entertainment, the musical community rallies behind Fripp during this challenging time, wishing him a speedy recovery.
