RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Rachel Martin.
Richie Faulkner of the heavy metal band Judas Priest was performing on stage when he felt something strange in his chest. It turned out to be serious. His aorta was rupturing - a condition only about 1 in 5 people survive. But that didn't stop Faulkner from shredding a lengthy guitar solo. Faulkner made it to a nearby hospital afterwards, where he had surgery. He's now recovering - and the song he was playing on stage - "Painkiller."
It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.