Rick Parfitt, the guitarist and vocalist for Status Quo (along with Francis Rossi) for over fifty years, has been ordered to rest for, at a minimum, the rest of the year.
Parfitt has had medical issues for almost the last twenty years, having suffered heart attacks in 2011, 2014 and June 14 of this year. He dropped out of the band’s summer tour and flew home to London where he had a defibrillator installed in his chest.
Today’s announcement extends Rick’s time away from the band, meaning he will not be able to go on their fall European and U.K. tour.
According to the announcement, Parfitt will spend his downtime composing music for a long-planned solo album.
The full statement:
Status Quo regrets to announce that guitarist Rick Parfitt has been ordered to rest for the remainder of the year at the very least following on from his heart attack and associated complications following a Quo show in Turkey on June 14th.
This means, of course, that he will be unable to take part in the forthcoming ‘Last Night Of The Electrics’ European and UK tour which commences in Vienna, Austria on October 12th.
Simon Porter, the band’s manager comments, “Although Rick is recovering well and is now able to lead a relatively normal day to day life, he is far from being fit enough to undertake the rigours of Quo’s touring schedule. Perhaps now is the time to reveal that Rick actually ‘died’ for several minutes directly following his heart attack which resulted in mild cognitive impairments for which he continues to receive neuropsychological support.
His medical team continue to be confident of a full recovery, but Rick’s absolute priorities for the foreseeable future are for his health and wellbeing and to be able to see his eight-year-old twin children Tommy and Lily grow up.
To this end, Rick may well have performed his last show with Quo, but no final decision will be made until next year. Regardless, it is his wish that the band continue to tour as planned and he will always be a part of Quo’s numerous other off stage activities”.
Rick has given his full blessing for the band to continue to honour their touring schedule in order to not let down the fans. Until the end of 2016, Status Quo will continue to utilise guest musicians. Irish guitarist Richie Malone, who is currently playing with the band, will continue in this role at least until the end of Quo’s European schedule which concludes in Paris on December 4th. Freddie Edwards, son of Quo bass player John ‘Rhino’ Edwards also stepped in for Rick during some of the Summer shows.
Rick will also use his convalescence period to compose songs for a long overdue solo album which he plans to record early next year. In the meantime, both Rick and the band would like to thank the fans for their continued understanding and support.
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