Billy Idol Reveals How He Got Over Drug Addiction
via Billy Idol / Youtube
Billy Idol’s remarkable journey from the height of celebrity to an addiction-plagued existence and back to a level of self-realized control is proof of the resilience of the human spirit. In an open discussion with People, Idol looks back on his background, shedding light on how he came to practice self control and discussing a phrase he now embodies: “California sober.”
Idol’s Journey to ‘California Sober’
After a prolonged struggle, Idol recounts his progression to a place where substance abuse no longer holds the same power over him. “I really started to think I should try and go forward and not be a drug addict anymore and stuff like that. It took a long time, but gradually I did achieve some sort of discipline where I’m not really the same kind of guy I was in the ’80s. I’m not the same drug addicted person,” he articulates, exuding a sense of earned wisdom and clear-eyed reflection.
Idol diverges from the narrative of complete abstinence that often characterizes recovery stories. “I can have a glass of wine every now and again. I don’t have to do nothing. But at the same time, I’m not the drug addict that I was in the peak ’70s, ’80s,” Idol explains, embracing a moderate stance. This ‘California sober’ approach illustrates Idol’s journey towards a balanced life, accepting the occasional indulgence without reverting to the excesses of his past.
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Billy Idol’s Life-Altering Motorcycle Accident
Tracing back to the inciting incident that catalyzed this change, Idol remarks on a sobering moment from February 6th, 1990. Riding his motorcycle home from a Los Angeles studio, Idol made the fateful decision to run a stop sign, colliding with a passing car and sustaining serious injuries. The severity of this accident nearly cost him his leg. Amidst the chaos and pain, he realized the gravity of his situation, one exacerbated by alcohol and what he described as ‘some kind of Quaalude or something.’
Despite being inundated with ‘the highest grade morphine’ to combat the pain, Idol’s reflection on the incident ascended beyond physical discomfort. It brought forth a stark confrontation with his heroin addiction. Idol recounts, “I had to really think about my future, where I was going. It was a bit of a watershed time for me. I had to change my life, had to think about things. I mean, I was kind of destroying myself, really. And I had young children as well at that time. I was thinking, ‘What am I saying to them by continuing to be a drug addict and nearly having an accident that seriously hurt me and possibly could have killed me?’ … I needed to get ahold of myself. I was going to kill myself, or I was going to go crazy, or be locked up forever. The motorcycle accident was a good sign of ‘You’ve got to stop.’”
In the aftermath, rather than suppressing the trauma, Idol confronted it, channeling his experiences into his music. This cathartic translation of pain into artistry is exemplified in ‘Bitter Taste’, a song inspired by the tribulations that stemmed from the accident. The track becomes a vehicle for Idol’s reflection on both his mortality and the finer points of a life lived on the razor’s edge.
