Robert Fripp recently underwent two surgeries after a heart attack.
King Crimson Guitarist shared the story with his wife/collaborator Toyah Wilcox in a new video released over the weekend. “He had a heart attack two weeks ago,” Wilcox said in the clip. “And you got to the right place at the right time, and I’m so grateful because you’ve been through a lot.”
Freep then explains the surreal sequence of events. Last month, the musician said he had been dealing with the acid reflux he thought was going to Italy for a few weeks. After going through something similar a few years ago, Fripp didn't think too much about it. But he said he felt "more uncomfortable" the day he flew to Italy.
Fripp's team had arranged a visit from the doctor, but after landing, they decided to take him to the heart hospital in Bergamo. Fripp said that while he thought doctors would prescribe some acid reflux medication, they ended up reminding him of some shocking troponin levels in his blood, which could be a sign of a recent heart attack.
Wilcox later said Freep had “five hours of surgery, intensive care, and then a second surgery.” But the musicians are fixed at a completely different moment.
“I was in A&E (accident and emergency) and didn’t know what happened, except I knew what they would do. Freep said with a smile. “Dear man, I really didn’t want his job at that time.”
(Wilcox then anxiously explained that this is likely to have anything that might have bacteria hiding before undergoing a heart surgery.)
Fripp has since been able to return to the UK and although he is currently taking several medications, he has recovered well over the next few months. Fripp ends the video by encouraging people who think they have heart burns or acid reflux to "really watch it" because "this may be more."
The musician also didn't seem to let emergency surgery get in the way of his music. Fripp noted that he still managed to attend the scheduled show after being released from a hospital in Italy. Wilcox quipped, “You’re going to work, and Freep replied, “No, my dear, I’m going to play with my friends. The performance in the church in Castione della presolana was amazing on Saturday night. The audience prepared orchestralists, which was indeed my magical activity. ”