Jerry Gaskill, longtime drummer for the rock group King’s X, suffered a heart attack on Sunday, February 26, and is currently in stable condition, according to the band’s record label InsideOut Music.

The 54-year-old drummer was rushed to the hospital yesterday and underwent emergency surgery. After surgery, Gaskill was placed in intensive care, where he currently remains.

All upcoming North American tour dates for King’s X have been cancelled.

Here’s some information from the official statement released by the label:

King’s X, which formed in the early 80s, is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled Atlantic Records debut, an album that contains one of their most popular songs, “Black Flag.” The band was scheduled to begin their “First Church Of Rock and Roll 2012″ North American tour in Austin, TX, on March 28, with dates planned through April 22.

Gaskill is a founding member of King’s X, along with currently bandmates Doug Pinnick (bass, vocals) and Ty Tabor (guitars, vocals), and is a co-writer on their songs and his vocals contribute to the band’s distinct harmonies. He’s been a part of every one of the band’s albums, beginning with 1988′s Out of the Silent Planet through to their most recent release, the 2010 live album Live Love in London.

King’s X is undeniably one of the most underrated bands in rock. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, the band always seemed on the edge of major success, with singles like on “It’s Love,” “Black Flag,” and “Dogman.” But, they never attained commercial success, perhaps because of their early association as Christian Rock — even though the band members are all Christian, they were not a Christian rock band nor did they consider themselves one, but that was what they were labeled as by others. This labeling didn’t fit the mold of their contemporaries, who choose to go with darker imagery. In the late 1980s, they were signed to Megaforce Records, one of the biggest and most influential heavy metal record labels at the time, which signed heavy thrash outfits like Overkill and Testament. But King’s X had a more progressive, melodic rock style that was blues and funk influenced with harmonies compared to those of The Beatles. Their sound is more in line with groups like Pearl Jam, so it’s almost as if they got signed too soon to be part of the grunge scene, but yet their music didn’t fit with the popular heavy metal bands at the time. Although King’s X is not a household name, they’ve stood the test of time and have a loyal following til this day.

All of us here at Geeks of Doom wish Gaskill a full, speedy recovery and hope he’s back on the road and making music with King’s X again real soon.

Video: King’s X – It’s Love (Live)