Swedish punk legends Refused were forced to abruptly cancel what was billed as their last-ever festival gig in Sweden after lead singer Daniel Lyxzen suffered a “massive heart attack.”
The band were scheduled to perform at Stockholm’s Rosendal Garden Party festival this weekend, a gig that — in addition to being “their last festival gig in Sweden. Ever,” Refused previously stated — was also their first show in four years, when the Covid pandemic cut short a North American tour in 2020.
However, on Lyxzen’s Instagram, the singer revealed he suffered a heart attack Thursday and shared a photo of himself recovering in the hospital.
“So this morning I had a massive heart attack at my hotel room. It’s was extremely painful and wildly scary,” he wrote. “Thanks the 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.”
Lyxzen continued, “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.”
Refused released three acclaimed and influential albums in the Nineties — including their post-hardcore masterpiece The Shape of Punk to Come in 1998 — before disbanding soon after that album’s release. The band reunited in 2012, putting out two more well-regarded LPs over the next decade, most recently 2019’s War Music. However, Refused had been largely dormant since the pandemic, which only revved anticipation for the now-canceled Swedish gig that already had an air of finality to it.
Lyxzen added in his message to fans, “Life is weird and precious. Take care of each and tell your loved ones that you love them.”
