Machine Head guitarist collapses on stage in Finland

Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel collapsed on stage at Sonisphere in Pori, Finland this past Saturday (July 25) during the band's final song.

"I don't know how many of you people know about the history of Machine Head? But it looks like Phil has just collapsed on stage," bassist Adam Duce addressed the crowd. "He's done this a few times before. I'm very sorry about this. We are not going to be able to continue here tonight. I'm sure you will understand the severity of the situation. We're going to go take care of him right now and I wanna thank everyone for coming out and supporting Sonisphere and supporting Machine Head."

Demmel, who suffers from the rare heart condition, cardiogenic syncope, where the heart sometimes fails to pump enough blood to the brain, quickly regained consciousness after leaving the stage and issued the following apology to fans:

"I feel I short-changed the fans," he said. "And really want to make it up for them. Thanks for all the concern."

Machine Head were forced to pull out of Slipknot's European tour last December after Demmel collapsed on stage in Sheffield.

K! wish him a speedy recovery.

Tags: Machine Head

Posted by Dan at 10:26AM | July 27, 2009

Get better soon Phil, its a shame it happens to such a talented guitarist :(

Posted by phil | July 27, 2009 10:45 AM | Reply to this

as much as i dont wish harm on the mh guys . fucking kama is geting back at u for fucking over the brtish fan s for sonisphere this weekend . bottom line get well . and u guys have some short changeing to make up for in the uk .

Posted by Rob | July 27, 2009 11:17 AM | Reply to this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 11:19 AM | Reply to this

Never really listened to Machine Head, but having heard about what they did with the UK leg of Sonisphere, I've got to agree with the fella above, this is nothing more than karma.

Posted by Joe | July 27, 2009 11:35 AM | Reply to this

look before i starting a load of shit other my comments . i would like to state .i wish no harm on machine head i was not saying i wish them harm
i was just saying that what come around goes around . the fact they fucked every 1 over who bought sonisphere tickets with the view to see them and pulling out is fucking wrong i know limp bizkit took the slot . but this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 11:39 AM | Reply to this

its not karma its a fucking illness, he can't help it. yeah mh pulled out of sonisphere this weekend, i'm going and it pissed me off but they had a fair reason and its still gonna be an awesome weekend

Posted by Emz | July 27, 2009 11:41 AM | Reply to this

look before i starting a load of shit over my comments . i would like to state .i wish no harm on machine head i was not saying i wish them harm
i was just saying that what come around goes around . the fact they fucked every 1 over who bought sonisphere tickets with the view to see them and pulling out is fucking wrong i know limp bizkit took the slot . but this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 11:48 AM | Reply to this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 11:49 AM | Reply to this

wait for it
look before i starting a load of shit over my comments . i would like to state .i wish no harm on machine head i was not saying i wish them harm
i was just saying that what come around goes around . the fact they fucked every 1 over who bought sonisphere tickets with the view to see them and pulling out is fucking wrong i know limp bizkit took the slot . but this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 11:54 AM | Reply to this

emz yes ur correct i love machine head style the sound but i never said i wish them or any 1 harm i just stated the fact that kama . i kow he has an illness . please read the entiry comment b4 jumping on ur pony

Posted by Rob | July 27, 2009 12:01 PM | Reply to this

Posted by Rob | July 27, 2009 12:02 PM | Reply to this

i hope u have a quick and full recovery

Posted by nawaf | July 27, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply to this

Fuck me! Haha.

"Machine Head didn't play UK so in return Karma has attacked Phil's heart"

People really need to start thinking through what they're saying. Do you really think that him collapsing on stage makes up for the fact that the band pulled out of Knebworth? Is that your idea of Karma? To be honest I think you all need to say you're sorry, I know what I'd feel like if "fans" started saying I deserved to collapse on stage because I pulled out of a gig.

Posted by Patrick | July 27, 2009 12:07 PM | Reply to this

I was about to mention that's kind of what you get for playing Sonisphere still in another country, but don't get me wrong I wish him well too!

Posted by Joel | July 27, 2009 12:10 PM | Reply to this

look patrick buttkiss i never saidi wished him any harm the fact is butt nugget ur an emo cunt .

Posted by Rob | July 27, 2009 12:45 PM | Reply to this

look patrick buttkiss i never saidi wished him any harm the fact is butt nugget ur an emo cunt .

Posted by Rob | July 27, 2009 12:45 PM | Reply to this

Can I Just say, Yeah you may be saying you dont want any harm to come to them, but then saying that a heart condition is karma.

He wasnt the only fucking one to pull out of Knebworth, all four band members did, yet only one suffers from a seriously bad heart condition.

And Im sorry but, you shouldnt go to a fest to see one band, it will still be an awesome weekend, and I for one can't wait.

Get Well Soon. \m/

Posted by GeorgiaaGore | July 27, 2009 12:56 PM | Reply to this

wtf is wrong with some of you guys? MH got fucked around by the promoters at the UK leg of Sonisphere, not the other way around. And it's pretty sick you think Phil collapsing is karma for that.

Posted by Fay | July 27, 2009 5:08 PM | Reply to this

first i said i wished him no harm secon iam a machine head fan . and thrid i never slag machine head off oh and im not going just to see one bad im going for metallica bfmv avenged . so many more . yes it a shame he has this illness

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 5:17 PM | Reply to this

Posted by rob | July 27, 2009 5:18 PM | Reply to this

And did you really need to post the same thing a million times? It was stupid enough the first time.

Posted by Fay | July 27, 2009 5:39 PM | Reply to this

Rob, first of all, you're a fucking inconsiderate idiot. You can't just say that you don't wish Phil any harm, yet in the same sentence say that the band got what they deserve because of the Sonisphere pullout.

It was the promoters that screwed the band over, thus them pulling out of the festival.

Posted by Dee | July 27, 2009 8:47 PM | Reply to this

It was the promoters that screwed the band over, thus them pulling out of the festival.

Posted by Dee | July 27, 2009 8:51 PM | Reply to this

You can't even spell! How can you call someone an emo when you're not intelligent enough to string a coherent argument together???

Posted by Laura | July 27, 2009 9:30 PM | Reply to this

You can't even spell! How can you call someone an emo when you're not intelligent enough to string a coherent argument together???

Posted by Laura | July 27, 2009 9:30 PM | Reply to this

i wouldnt really say theyw ere "screwed over" by the promotor, the promotor offered them more money and a longer stage time on the saturn stage inbetween LB and NIN.
And despite what anyone says I saw LB at download and they totally shocked me with how good they are live.
And I saw Bjorn Again at TITP and they are fantastic fun, maybe the "fans" should have more of an open mind like proper music fans, not fans of a "scene" or genre

Posted by Fraser | July 27, 2009 10:50 PM | Reply to this

Hey Phred, ditch Machine Head and get Vio back together.

Your heart and Vio fans will thank you for it.

Posted by Gorgar | July 27, 2009 11:18 PM | Reply to this

Here whats up with the dude saying about machinehead deserve it for pulling out of sonisphere?!?!?! they pulled out because of lack of respect from the promotors not because limp biskit are playing...
machinehead were promised the 3rd headliner spot, and at the last second were replaced... wtf machine head fucking own limp biskit and their "rollin'" anyday of the week.
Hope Phil ends up alright gotta beable to see MH again.

Posted by Sean | July 28, 2009 11:14 AM | Reply to this

i never said machine deserved this and i never said that limp bizkit where to blam ive seen both band mh download 07 and they rocked i saw limp bizkit download 09 and they fuckend ruled ,ain stage . please very get ur fucking stories straight . i said it was proble kama for machine head pulling out as a wholeand not because of phil illness . also it 50-50 yes the promoters fucked up and try to reddem them selves bottom line is thou goes machine head still said no and for that fact alone they have fucked over the fans in this country . it does not matter who was propmised where . the fact is both bands can destroy any gig as theu are both fucking amazing live . also for once and for all i never wished any harm aon phil or any other band memeber .

Posted by Rob | July 28, 2009 4:59 PM | Reply to this

i never said machine deserved this and i never said that limp bizkit where to blam ive seen both band mh download 07 and they rocked i saw limp bizkit download 09 and they fucked ruled ,ain stage . please very get ur fucking stories straight . i said it was proble kama for machine head pulling out as a wholeand not because of phil illness . also it 50-50 yes the promoters fucked up and try to reddem them selves bottom line is thou goes machine head still said no and for that fact alone they have fucked over the fans in this country . it does not matter who was propmised where . the fact is both bands can destroy any gig as they are both fucking amazing live . also for once and for all i never wished any harm aon phil or any other band memeber .

Posted by Rob | July 28, 2009 5:01 PM | Reply to this

Fuck. He needs to leave the band for a bit, he's fucking himself up. Get well soon, Phil!

Posted by Loz | July 28, 2009 5:39 PM | Reply to this

If you click on a link on the sonisphere website that says special guests,

http://blog.ugo.com/images/uploads/transformers_autobot_poster.jpg

it comes up with an image of the transformers autobot logo, and as we all know autobots are machines and it is an image of a "transformers" head... hmm... machine head or a band from the transformers soundtrack... im guessing machinehead as there are already two bands from it playing, the used and linkin

Posted by MFH | July 28, 2009 5:53 PM | Reply to this

is ur time of the month or something fuck off ur sad lil bitch

Posted by rob | July 30, 2009 8:21 PM | Reply to this

yes i said that i also wish him well . and yes the promoters screwd them over and then offerd more money longer time and then they said no witch in turn is screwing the fans over deal with

Posted by Rob | July 30, 2009 8:24 PM | Reply to this

may be your right first off i dont know u and u dont know me . second back off . im gonna put this to bed once and for all . what ever i said at the time i may not have thought it through . but i dont take it back also machine head i do honestly love but not the pull out . witch is not on . they did fuck us over . because longer time and more money where offerd . i did buy a ticker for this band i got 1 because of alot of talanted band sare playing and machine have now lost out on there die hard english fan base

Posted by Rob | July 30, 2009 8:31 PM | Reply to this