Refused singer Dennis Lyxzén suffers "massive" heart attack ahead of festival date in Sweden

Dennis Lyxzén in hospital
(Image credit: Dennis Lyxzén)

Hardcore punk legends Refused have pulled out of this weekend's Rosendal Garden Party in Stockholm, Sweden, after frontman Dennis Lyxzén suffered what he described as a "massive heart attack" in his hotel room. 

“It was extremely painful and wildly scary," the 51-year-old Lyxzén posted on social media, next to a photo taken at his hospital bed. "Thanks to the wonderful doctors and nurses at the Uppsala hospital I’m still around to fight another day. Under the circumstances I feel OK. Sore and tired and really shook up.

“I real really hate cancelling show but the doctor said no rock for a couple of weeks. Which means that the Refused show at Rosendal Garden Party is not happening. A complete bummer as I was really looking forward to it. But hopefully I/we will be able to make up to you soon.

“The good news is that with medication I can get back to my rocking self hopefully sooner than later. Life is weird and precious. Take care of each and tell your loved ones that you love them."

Refused were due to play at Rosendal Garden Party, a three-day event held on the central Stockholm island of Djurgården tomorrow night (Friday 14), on a bill that also included M.I.A., Turnstile, YG Marley, Les Big Byrd and Femme Fatale Selection. 

Refused's most recent album is War Music, which was released in 2019, while an EP, The Malignant Fire, followed in 2020. Lyxzén is also a member of punk supergroup Fake Names alongside Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dag Nasty), Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace), Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside) and Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Rites of Spring), as well as Swedish post-punks INVSN. 

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.