Mystery Jets have delayed their new album and cancelled their tour dates as frontman Blaine Harrison waits to have emergency surgery.
The band were due to release ‘A Billion Heartbeats’ on September 27, and they were to embark on a tour on November 5, starting at Cambridge Junction and wrapping at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on November 20.
However, all of their dates have been postponed until next year, whilst the 34-year-old singer – who was also unwell over the summer – undergoes a medical procedure to cure a nasty infection close to the bone, which is in danger of "spreading around" his body.
In a lengthy statement to fans shared on the band’s social media accounts, Blaine explained from his hospital bed: "It is with a lump in my throat that I bring you the following news from my bed at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, a place that has been something of a home from home to me over the years.
"Early on Saturday morning I awoke with a swelling in my thigh and a temperature in the high thirties.
"Upon arrival at A&E I was put straight onto the emergency operation list to halt an infection close to my bone from spreading around my body.
"As some will know, I was struck down at the beginning of the summer under similar circumstances. Upon my release, I made a plan to charge on with our summer shows as well as instores around the album release and go in for follow-up surgery straight off the back of the November tour.
"In retrospect, perhaps I hadn’t taken into account how demanding the past couple of months would be on my body.
"This industry is not one that runs from 9-5, and as anyone trying to get their art out in to the world will know, when it’s your baby, it is all-consuming and takes all that you’ve got."
Blaine added how "humbling" it is to have a loyal fanbase who have supported him through ill-health and promised to "come back stronger than ever" in 2020.
He added: "One of the most humbling parts of being a Mystery Jet is the understanding we have known from our fans whenever my health has fluctuated. We are also fortunate to have gathered a team around us over the years of good people who understand our vision and work tirelessly to bring our ideas to light.
"Even in our efforts over the past two days to conceive a way of partly sticking to the original plan, they have been the first to remind me that health always comes first.
"Therefore, we have reluctantly decided to postpone the release of ‘A Billion Heartbeats’ to the beginning of next year, including the instore shows and UK tour.
"We believe in these songs too much to not give them our all, and love our fans too much to not bring you the show you deserve.
"We have been touched by the response to the music so far and promise you there is plenty more to come.
"Watching the autumn leaves begin to curl and golden into burnt umber and ochre hues from my hospital window, I feel a quiet excitement, that these songs are part of a conversation which we would love to keep open with you.
"2020 will be upon us before soon and we are going to come back stronger than ever. ‘God bless the NHS, Blaine and the Jets x. (sic)"
Mystery Jets delay album and tour as frontman battles infection
