In my past...mostly in college...I was only an occasional smoker of weed. And I was out of the Rock and Roll business at the end of high school...


BUT...

Sadly, my participation in the first lament of the Musician's classic description went beyond excessive, to the point where I'm now more than a little regretful.

Briefly, if I'd kept track, there would be pages of encounters
where I don't remember even first names.

There would be several pages of brief, repetitive (think 15 minute breaks) encounters that lasted years; still, no names.

I quit drinking in 1988, but, sadly, only fast approaching old age brought me around on the "other" issue. I was a social drunk (think 4 old fashion glasses of straight brandy-minimum six nights a week for nearly 30 years) AND a full blown sex addict, to the point where I only played in hotel lounges near hospitals (nurses visited before and after their shifts and airlines overnighted flight attendants). I always demanded and got a free room and free booze. As a headliner; even in a 300 seat hotel lounge, it was way too easy. I always worked it so I could leave my day job for a quick trip to the hotel.

Now, I think that addiction cost me dearly. It took my focus off the music and the business end of the music. It took time from my interaction with family and friends. I wasn't a very nice guy for a long-long time. I could have contributed much more to education and done a better job in my day "gigs".


What about you? Without revealing the "juicy" details, how did you survive the era of "DRUGS, SEX and ROCK and ROLL"?


Russ

Hi Russ...I was an ardent partaker back in the day....got addicted, and eventually, lost everything important around me, and, very nearly lost my life!

Clean and sober since 1982...no regrets; just giving someone else a turn!

Can't imagine playing under the influence of any drug or drink today...it would just get in the way.

Thanks for sharing, buddy.

Ian

I think I survived by being more addicted to the 'Rock and Roll' bit than the other two... I guess I've always been lucky in that I recognized very quickly if either of the first two was affecting the last one, and it always came first...

Not to say that I have always made the right decisions in my life, but on the whole, sticking to the R&R as #1 priority always mitigated the damage..!

I don't think anyone makes a "decision" to be or not to be an "addict".

I know I didn't.

I was (and still am) a strong willed person, disciplined in martial arts, and totally involved in music.

In my opinion, the only way a person can be certain they won't become an addict, is to not ever use in the first place.

Ian

Never tried drugs, never drank much (I'm a control freak), but the sex, Oh Lord.
I made many decisions based on letting the wrong head do the thinking. Somehow it eventually turned out right, but there many bends in the road.

DonM

I think they have stints that can fix those bends now, don't they?

I'm taking the fifth.

What started this is a photo in the obit section of the local paper. I had been with the lady years ago, and didn't treat her very nicely. Never knew her name until I read it in her funeral announcement.

Man, I'm not very proud of that.


Russ

Im still here and thats enough evidence for me ...

Drugs!? does aspirin count?