Robert Fripp is recovering after undergoing emergency heart surgery last month, the legendary guitarist has revealed.
The King Crimson co-founder shared the news in a YouTube video posted with his wife, singer and actor Toyah Willcox, on May 11. In the clip, the 78-year-old explained that he unknowingly suffered a heart attack in early April while traveling to Italy for a performance with The Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists.
Fripp initially believed his symptoms were related to acid reflux. “I’d been suffering what I considered to be acid reflux for a couple of weeks,” he explained. “On the Saturday morning I flew, it felt a little bit more.”
“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,” Fripp continued. “Now the dear man, I really didn’t wish his job on him at that point. Now this is the thing. So you’re concerned with my heart, fine. What are you doing shaving my balls?”
Upon landing in Bergamo on April 6, Fripp’s companions took him directly to a cardiac hospital instead of waiting for a scheduled doctor’s appointment. There, doctors discovered dangerously elevated troponin levels, a protein that indicates damage to the heart. “You’re supposed to have 10 of these, but you’ve got 500,” a doctor reportedly told him.
The guitarist underwent five hours of surgery, followed by intensive care and a second operation. Despite the ordeal, Fripp still managed to perform with the 124-member ensemble at Villa Sancelso. He is now on medication for life and slowly adjusting to the change.
“It was stunning. The audience were prepped with orchestral manoeuvres and it really was a magical event for me,” he added.
Willcox, visibly emotional in the video, praised the medical team and expressed her gratitude. “I’m so proud of you and so grateful to your team who kept us all informed,” she said. Fripp also urged fans to take symptoms seriously. “If you think you have heartburn or acid reflux, really look into it. It might be something more.”
Fripp, widely regarded as one of the most innovative guitarists in rock history, founded King Crimson in 1968. Beyond the band’s genre-defying catalog, he’s contributed to landmark records from David Bowie, Brian Eno, and Peter Gabriel. In recent years, he’s reached a new audience through the couple’s viral “Sunday Lunch” YouTube series, where the two cover rock classics with a theatrical twist.
