Pete Doherty, singer of The Libertines and Babyshambles, reflected on the beginnings of his heroin addiction in a 2014 Independent article. “To me,” he said, “it wasn’t a dirty street drug, it was this magic potion I read about. It was Kubla Khan, Thomas DeQuincy, Oscar Wilde: it was an aspect of their world that appealed to me—the opiated dream-world”. This is a belief that exposes many musicians to the world of alcohol and drug addiction. We emulate our drug-addicted idols, who emulated their own drug-addicted idols, until the ideas of “musician” and “addiction” become inextricably connected. This stereotype does not necessarily reflect reality. Many musicians have found sobriety after struggling with alcohol and drugs, opening themselves up to the full potential of creative expression. Drugs and alcohol have a deadening effect on our emotional natures. Musicians, who tend to channel their emotions into creative output, may see drugs and alcohol as a temporary respite from constantly being engaged in these heightened emotional states. The effect, however, often transforms into addiction and, consequently, a lessening of their ability to create. It comes as no surprise that musicians who seem to push the bounds of their creativity, such as Tom Waits and Frank Zappa, are sober. Zappa, despite being well-loved by drug users for his psychedelic and avant-garde output, even did public service announcements against drug-abuse; “Suzie? Suzie speed freak?” he said, “You’ve got five years to rot your mind, rot your heart, rot your kidneys. Put speed down. Do it now.” Every day, more and more musicians are coming out against the stereotype of “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll”. The many preventable deaths of famous musicians, from Johnny Thunders to Amy Winehouse, serve as a wake-up call in the industry. The myth of the drug-addled rock star seems to be coming to an end as a new breed of “straight edge” artists gain popularity, spreading the message that the “live fast, die young” mentality of their predecessors was wholly unnecessary. After all, what would a musical genius like Kurt Cobain be doing now if he had not fallen into the dark world of heroin addiction, ultimately leading to his suicide? Times are changing, and with them, a shift in the way we view our musical idols. Creativity and musicianship are not dependent on drug or alcohol abuse. They strip musicians of their creativity and, often, their lives. Benjamin Haggerty, better known by his stage-name Macklemore, puts it best, “If I’m using drugs and alcohol, it means that I’ve given up on my fullest potential.”
You can make the choice to change the story of your life. Oceanfront Recovery is a treatment center with a professional and compassionate staff of detoxification specialists dedicated to making the process as comfortable as possible. For more information about Drug and Alcohol Detox Programs or other treatment options, please call: (877) 279-1777
