SweatyHands

I just saw on Facebook that Rob Halford from Judas Priest has 35 years in recovery today. I’m a musician and play metal, and I’ve always been a huge fan of Rob Halford as a musician, and as a genuinely decent guy, so this was an unexpected boost for me today. So much of the metal scene in general, and the doom metal scene in particular, is based around drinking and drugging. I’m in a band with another guy in recovery, but I do sometimes worry about the peer pressure (I’m 44 and this is still a threat to my addiction, sadly) and just the image piece of playing metal as a guy in recovery. Whenever I find out that another musician that I admire is in recovery or at least public about their boundaries with substance use, I feel more confident in being in this scene and also being vocal about how important my recovery is to me.

Dee74

I did not know that,. Cool

D

aasharon90

There are many paving the way for you, me, us,
just as we are paving the way for others who are
wanting to live a meaningful, healthy, honest, way
of life in recovery.

Continue to be an inspiring beacon of light with
your sobriety and music because both are awesome
gift.

Rock on..!!!

Mizz

That is awesome!
I remember when I shared a room with my brother and we would listen to Ozzy on tape. This was early 80's when Ozzy was thought of a Satanist or evil....I actually don't know what people thought? I was not even 10. When I listen to Ozzy's lyrics now, I'm Like "What a big soft teddy bear he is."

I digress, I think it is very cool to find inspiration. There ain't no shame in your game! ROCK ON!

Surrendered19

Amazing stuff SweatyHands. My real life recovery support group is made up of judges and attorneys and a few of them are local celebrities in the legal community. Two of them have 30+ years of sobriety. I've always looked up to these folks and they are so inspirational to me. They are my rock stars.

theVman31

Thanks sweatyHands.
I like a little Judas Priest.
I knew Rob was in recovery, 35 years wow 6th Jan 86. Mega.

https://youtu.be/55XlIPzY5q0

Hevyn

I didn't know about Halford - very encouraging. Thanks, SH.

Anna

It's so good to be inspired by someone you admire.

brighterday1234

The longer you’re in recovery the more “celebrities/famous ppl” you learn are also in recovery. It definitely is great inspiration, especially for the Newcomer 🙏

Steely

I thought everyone looked to ME for inspiration. 😂

I'm very humble.

Plus, I've got 12 months, and have only relapsed 1,000 times.

ScottFromWI

That is indeed inspiring, and I'm guessing one of the reasons he's still able to perform at such a high level at his age, that in itself is truly remarkable as well. As others mentioned, there are indeed quite a few musicians/performers out there in recovery, some for quite a long time. The metal/rock genre definitely has the party reputation, and there's a lot of it going on, but many examples like Mr. Halford as well. Duff McKagan is another one who has some very interesting interviews about his journey if you like to watch that sort of thing. On the flip side there's too many stories about incredibly talendted people's lives ending way too soon so these stories of success need to be told more often.

RecklessDrunk

Im not an artistic person at all, its just not me. I never could even draw, never got into an instrument. I like math.

I really liked hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn's story though. Maybe just who he was kind of grabs my attention. The level of musician, what I'd consider one of the God's of rock. I could relate to his story, especially his early years. Before he was famous.

If SRV was sober that's probably the right way to do it!

He finished the game too, as far as I know he never took a drink or drug the last 4 years of his life.

SweatyHands

I read in ani terview with Ray Wylie Hubbard that it was SRV who took him under his wing and helped him get sober and get his life back.

SweatyHands

Yeah, there are so many stories out there of musicians who have been through hell with their addictions and made it out the other side. I remember hearing Slash on Howard Stern talking about when he discovered that leaving a drink on his nightstand for when he wakes up, he never had to be hungover, and that was the beginning of the downward spiral for him. Same thing for me. I always went to bed with a glass of something strong on my nightstand, and about two years of that was my first hospitalization. It’s amazing what we put our bodies through for the sake of not facing our addiction.

MythOfSisyphus

Halford has long been an idol of mine, at least since junior high! IIRC Nikki Sixx is also sober now, along with James Hetfield. Alice Cooper, too, IIRC. Lots of musicians are in recovery and it certainly didn't hurt them artistically!

fishkiller

Rob is a metal god!
Recently saw an interview where they talked about his drug use and sobriety.

He said he always drank and did a few lines before getting on stage to calm his nerves, and of course feed his addiction.
He said the 1st time he got on stage sober he was scared to death but once they started playing and he began throwing his unworldly voice at the crowd he said he was like, Holy ****! This is what I've been missing?! It was no turning back after that.

I have seen exactly what he has seen. Spent decades in the vicious cycle of thinking I was enhancing my experiences when in reality I wasn't even there. Now sober, I agree with Rob. There is no better way to experience life.

I too grew up in that scene and thought all those guys partied like, well, rock stars. So I did the same.
Truth is many did but a surprising amount did not.

owen90

Big metalhead here too. Ozzy is a big inspiration for me as well as Rob Halford. There's quite a few metal musicians who are really inspirational with their recovery. Nikki Sixx, David Ellefson, Slash and Duff Mckagan come to mind too. I think all of the above improved with sobriety

Hevyn

SweatyHands - I did the nightstand thing too. It's inconceivable that we somehow justified it.

SweatyHands

you know what’s awesome though? I don’t miss anything at all about living that life. The thought of downing 6 ounces of 100 proof bourbon at 8:00 in the morning and then going back to sleep for a few more hours sounds like a nightmare now.

Hevyn

Yes, it does! I still can't believe I allowed myself to reach that frightening stage.