Richards remains outpatient in New Zealand
A New Zealand hospital has againdischarged rocker Keith Richards, who underwent surgery earlier this week for a head injurysuffered in a fall.
However, the Rolling Stones guitarist will remain in Auckland as an outpatient and will be returning to the city's Ascot Hospital for checkups, according to a statement from Richards's publicist Fran Curtis.
It is unclear how much longer Richards would remain in New Zealand, where he was flown in late April after falling and suffering what the Stones camp has labelled "a mild concussion" while vacationing in Fiji.
After spending a few days under observation, Richards was released from hospital last week but returned Monday after complaining of headaches. He then underwent an operation to relieve pressure on his brain.
"I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the arseâafter all, it was my head that was fixed," Richards joked, adding his thanks to the hospital staff for their "truly wonderful" care.
The 62-year-old Richards, whose wife and children have been at his side, also extended his appreciation to everyone "from the doctors to the beautiful ladies who make painful nights less painful and shorter. I'm pretty much at a loss for words to express my deep gratitude."
The injury has forced the Rolling Stones to postpone the start of the final, European leg of its current A Bigger Bang world tour.
The final stretch was initially scheduled to begin in Barcelona on May 27. The band has postponed the start date until June, but has yet to release new dates.