The The leader Matt Johnson is recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery for an acute throat infection. According to the U.K. post-punk hero, the entire ordeal has been what he describes as a "close shave with the grim reaper."
Johnson broke the news in a lengthy Facebook post earlier this week, revealing to fans that a throat infection nearly claimed his life, and now he may never sing the same again.
"Now, I'm a naturally active person, with no underlying health issues and with similar weight, fitness and energy levels as in my 20s and 30s, so no one was more surprised than me to find myself trapped inside a hospital at the height of the Covid-19 crisis," Johnson wrote. "It was like a surreal masked ball, not being able to see most people's faces plus no family or friends of patients allowed in the hospital.
"What happened was that a throat infection took an unexpected and freakish turn that could easily — if I wasn't in the right place at the right time — have concluded with me checking-out a few days after the unfortunate Florian Schneider."
Despite the frightening ordeal, Johnson definitely kept his humour intact about the whole thing, writing he was "feeling like a vampire squid had taken up residence — expanding and tightening its tentacles throughout my throat and chest."
He also told fans that "the operation was a complete success," though he's now not allowed to sing for six months under doctor's orders. And when he can sing again, "I'm not sure if I'll sound like Howlin' Wolf or Tiny Tim! Hopefully I'll still sound like myself."
You can read Johnson's full message below.
Recently, Johnson reissued a collection of pre-The The demos called See Without Being Seen.
Johnson broke the news in a lengthy Facebook post earlier this week, revealing to fans that a throat infection nearly claimed his life, and now he may never sing the same again.
"Now, I'm a naturally active person, with no underlying health issues and with similar weight, fitness and energy levels as in my 20s and 30s, so no one was more surprised than me to find myself trapped inside a hospital at the height of the Covid-19 crisis," Johnson wrote. "It was like a surreal masked ball, not being able to see most people's faces plus no family or friends of patients allowed in the hospital.
"What happened was that a throat infection took an unexpected and freakish turn that could easily — if I wasn't in the right place at the right time — have concluded with me checking-out a few days after the unfortunate Florian Schneider."
Despite the frightening ordeal, Johnson definitely kept his humour intact about the whole thing, writing he was "feeling like a vampire squid had taken up residence — expanding and tightening its tentacles throughout my throat and chest."
He also told fans that "the operation was a complete success," though he's now not allowed to sing for six months under doctor's orders. And when he can sing again, "I'm not sure if I'll sound like Howlin' Wolf or Tiny Tim! Hopefully I'll still sound like myself."
You can read Johnson's full message below.
Recently, Johnson reissued a collection of pre-The The demos called See Without Being Seen.
