Former Bauhaus singer Peter Murphy suffers heart attack

Bauhaus's 1982 album The Sky's Gone Out reached number four in the UK

Peter Murphy, the former singer in influential 1980s band Bauhaus, is being treated after a heart attack.

The 62-year-old, referred to as the "Godfather of goth", was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition.

He experienced shortness of breath before a gig in New York on Tuesday, according to his representatives.

Cardiologist Jason Song said: "He had two stents placed in his right coronary artery and was started on medications to manage his heart condition."

Murphy's family added: "We would like to thank the fans for their undying support and hope that Peter will be back on stage with a refreshed heart, stronger than before."

The Northampton-born star had been preparing to perform the remaining dates of his residency at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan, but the concerts have been postponed indefinitely.

Masters of the dark arts

Murphy formed Bauhaus in 1978 alongside guitarist Daniel Ash, drummer Kevin Haskins and bass player David J.

They were credited with influencing subsequent goth rockers including Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails.

The East Midlands outfit produced four albums before splitting up in 1983, and another one in 2008 after reuniting for a second time.

Bauhaus were named after a German art school

Since their early 80s heyday, Murphy has put out 10 solo albums, with the last one, titled Lion, coming in 2014.

In recent years, however, he has suffered a number of health problems. In 2010 he was forced to pull out of a tour for undisclosed health reasons, and in 2017 he postponed a residency in San Francisco due to a problem with his vocal cords.