After seeing how big a deal Mayhem‘s destruction of a hotel room was, I wondered about the state of rock-star excess in the present-day. Everybody knows the cliche of the whisky swilling, drug-taking, unwashed rockstar but what state is it in today?
Bonham’s Binges
It all began back in the days of Led Zeppelin and their legendary over-indulgence. As ‘the biggest band in the world’ they had access to an almost unlimited supply of alcohol and drugs; they exploited this for all it was worth. Most notorious of all was the demise of their drummer, John Bonham.
On 25 September 1980, Bonham was picked up by assistant Rex King to attend band rehearsal. During the trip he asked to stop for ‘breakfast’. At this point he purchased four quadruple shots of vodka (roughly half a bottle) and a ham roll.
He downed these and continued on to the studio for a day of more heavy drinking, ending up in Jimmy Page’s home. The following afternoon he was found dead, having choked on his own vomit.
Evolution of Slash
The tradition of over-indulgence continued throughout the ’80s with Guns ‘n’ Roses’ guitarist Slash, who showed that years of drug and alcohol abuse need not lead to an early death.
He spent the best part of his adulthood trying to stay free from sobriety for as long as possible. This included many forays with cocaine and heroin, or ‘speedballing’ as it is known. But despite his hedonistic ways, Slash managed to kick drugs and alcohol and is now a sober family man.
Sober Crusaders
Not only do some rockstars stop their untamed ways; some never start. Straight edge bands subscribe to a lifelong resistance to the allure of alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs of any kind. These relentless adherence to a ‘pure’ lifestyle is not as morally upstanding as it sounds. There is a sub-section of this group known as ‘militant straight-edge’ who take an aggressive approach to anyone that disagrees with their views.
The New Breed
So it seems that the new excess is moderation. But not if Peter Doherty has anything to do with it. Ever since ‘The Libertines’ broke through with their debut album ‘Up The Bracket’, Peter has been using the proceeds to fund an addiction to alcohol and heroin. Over the years he’s been arrested or charged with robbing his best friend’s flat, drug possession and driving without insurance (which is still before the courts). And recently his heart stopped as the result of a bout of blood poisoning. It is refreshing to see that even in these times when musicians are babysat and constantly scrutinised, a bright young kid can send his life off the rails in a haze of drugs and irresponsible decisions. Below are two clips of Peter Doherty, records of his life before and after his debauched years of drugs.
