Rick Parfitt is recuperating at home following surgery to correct a heart problem after falling ill in Croatia – and he'll be back up and running in time for Status Quo's two summer shows.
The veteran guitarist was flown home by air ambulance earlier this week and had tests at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital, where it was discovered a graft from his quadruple heart bypass in 1997 had become furred. The 65-year-old underwent surgery to have a stent inserted which corrected the problem.
Simon Porter, Quo’s manager was delighted to hear Parfitt was on the mend and revealed the band would be announcing a new project soon: “We are all obviously delighted Rick has made such rapid progress,” he said, “especially as the band is shortly to unveil another exciting and innovative new project – details of which will be announced in the next couple of weeks.”
The band were forced to cancel six European dates after Parfitt fell ill last weekend. However, Quo’s management say gigs at Clumber Park, Nottingham on Aug 15 and Holkham Hall, Norfolk on Aug 23 will go ahead as planned.
The band will launch a live double CD, DVD and Blu-ray on September 1 which was recorded during their Frantic Four show in Dublin earlier this year, along with 14 extra tracks recorded during other shows on the tour.