"Johnny was a punk, always wore his leather. Johnny was a punk didn't care about the weather."
You like booze, I like booze, musicians like booze. I'm doing a series of lists about substances, the folks who enjoy them and the ones that destroy them. (Hey, that rhymes! Fuck off.)
Grace Slick
Grace may have dabbled in a variety of substances throughout the swinging 60's but it was, undoubtedly, under the influence of good old fashion hooch, during an especially wrecked performance in Germany that she started yelling, "Who won the war? Who won the war?"
Okay then.
Rory Gallagher
Because he blew out his liver, requiring a transplant, and because he was Irish, most who have actually heard of him, assume he was a huge boozer. Pals say he was an average drinker at best, who liked his pills a lot.
I just wanted an excuse to mention this amazing and underrated player, with the beat up Strat, who nearly joined the Stones instead of Ron Wood.
*Unverified awesome rock legend; a reporter asks Jimi Hendrix what it's like to be the greatest guitar player in the world. He answers "Go ask Rory Gallagher."
John Bonham
One of the best rock drummers of all time, Bonzo didn't necessarily hit the booze or drugs much harder than other members of Led Zeppelin, he just had the misfortune to pass out face down and aspirate on his own vomit. Why couldn't it have been Robert Plant?
Bob Stinson
I never knew Bob personally, and therefore, I am probably unqualified to make this judgement call, but Bob strikes me less as the classic alcoholic or degenerate boozer (Westerberg and the rest of the band likely qualified as the latter) than he does, someone recklessly bent on self-destruction. The difference; if boozing didn't kill bob, something else likely would have. He was their Belushi .. or Chris Farley or Artie Lange if you prefer. His choice to continue drinking and drugging, despite his diabetes speaks to this.
Bon Scott
Did Bon really drink or party more than any other Scottish immigrant to Australia would, while fronting the biggest rock band in the world? On the night of February 19, 1980 he did and that was all it took.
Jim Morrison
I once heard a review of Oliver Stone's movie "The Doors," where the Jim Morrison story was summed up this way:
"I'm nobody, I'm drunk, I'm famous, I'm drunk, I'm dead."
Don't forget "I whipped my dick out on stage one time and got arrested."
Jim went on to further prove that, alcohol does indeed make you fat.
Joe Walsh
A frequent guest on Howard Stern's TV and radio show, Joe often appeared wasted and, on one Channel 9 show, passed out under Howard's desk. When he rejoined The Eagles for their reunion tour he signed a contract that said he would stay on the wagon. Fortunately for them, he agreed, since Joe Walsh is the only thing remotely interesting about The Eagles,.
Eddie Van Halen
Who knew Eddie was absolutely shit-canned half the time his fingers were flying across the fretboard. I mean, the whole band did the whole, "carrying a Jack Daniel's bottle everywhere," schtick and were king-shit during the entire cocaine-fuelled glam rock circuit... Eddie's getting sloshed was affecting the band and his relationship with Valerie Burtonelli, (bleh) after the smoke had cleared. then, I guess he took a few 28 day vacations to the old Betty Ford Hotel. I'd have assumed Eddie was the responsible one, at least over David Lee Roth, but Dave's hair all fell out, so they're even
GG Allin
"Didn't an overdose of smack kill GG?" you may ask. Well, sort of... I believe the official cause of death was, "Being GG Allin." Along with "fighting," and "fucking," the third commandment of GG-dom was "drinking." He was buried with a bottle of Jim Beam, as per his wishes.
Alice Cooper
So foolish of me to neglect him on the first go-around. Alice checked himself into a mental hospital for his near fatal alcohol addiction, which lead to several albums which, he claims to have no recollection of writing or recording. Alice has been sober for many years and has switched from boozing as a pastime, to golf.
So foolish of me to neglect him on the first go-around. Alice checked himself into a mental hospital for his near fatal alcohol addiction, which lead to several albums which, he claims to have no recollection of writing or recording. Alice has been sober for many years and has switched from boozing as a pastime, to golf.
Shane McGowan
Can you mention alcohol without mentioning Shane McGowan? Well, yes you can, but you can't mention Shane McGowan without mentioning alcohol. Officially the most famous piss-tank since Bukowski (Dean Martin was bullshit) it's amazing that he can even stand, let alone get onstage and spit out the lyrics to Pogues classics. (Which are difficult to sing, don't kid yourself.)
