Q&A with the Secret Drug Addict
I’ve worked in the music industry since I was a teenager and been in recovery from addiction since 2007. I decided to set up the Secret Drug Addict a few years ago as an online account to talk about drugs, addiction, recovery and any other stupid shit that comes into my head. It’s grown into something far bigger than I ever thought it would and my Twitter now get over 70 million impressions a year … and I receive around 50 messages a week from people affected by addiction asking questions or looking for support or signposting.
Vice magazine has called me Twitter’s most helpful anonymous account.
Q. If you are in recovery, what was your Drug of Choice? and when did you stop using?
A. I suppose my drug(s) of choice were Cocaine, Alcohol, marijuana and Valium. But I would take literally any drug, I never said no when I was offered drugs I stopped using drugs in June 2007
Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice or a wicked twist of fate?
A. I don’t like the word disease and no one chooses to be addicted. However anyone’s addiction might have begun I’ve yet to meet someone entrenched in addiction who isn’t ill.
Q. Do you log on to ZOOM 12-step meetings? How often? Do you share?
A. If I’m honest I think during the last 16 months I’ve only really shared at meetings that I’ve been asked to be the main speaker at. I occasionally log into Zoom meetings, although I’m not a big fan of online meetings as I prefer the nervous energy and chaos of in person ones. I think they are brilliant for people who might struggle getting to in person meetings.
Q. Have you added anything to your Tool-kit to help keep you sober during the pandemic?
A. Not that I can think of, I know some people really struggled (in a recovery sense) during the pandemic but I didn’t. I actually really enjoyed being able to spend more time with my family.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. London
Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?
A.Refuge who are a UK domestic violence charity. They looked after me and my mum when I was a kid so although I do lots of work with different charities they are the one thats closest to my heart.
Q. Do you have any children?
A. I have two children
Q. Have you started any new projects because of the quarantine?
A. I’ve bought a load of recording equipment and am planning on starting a Secret Drug Addict podcast or a digital radio show but like most things in my life I have so far procrastinated…
Q. What is your favorite hotel or resort?
A. I’m not really a holiday person, I’ve never been to a resort and pretty much most of the hotels I’ve stayed in have just been when I’ve been on tour or whatever. Although I would love to visit the Park Hyatt in Dubai and Caesars Palace or the Four Seasons in Las Vegas
Q. Who has had the biggest influence on you throughout your life?
A. Andy Kaufman, Johnny Cash and my daughter
Q. What books are you reading now?
A. I generally only read music or sports biographies and I have a terrible habit of starting new books before I’ve finished whatever I’m in the middle of reading so will always have a few books on the go at the same time, at the moment I’m in the middle of reading Chamber Music: About the Wu-Tang (In 36 Pieces) by Will Ashon. She Come by It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs by Sarah Smarsh and Kraftwerk: Future Music From Germany by Uwe Schütte
Q. What book(s) have you read more than once?
A. I’ve actually only read one book more than once and that was High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess
Q. Who is your favorite poet?
A. It has to be the genius Ivor Cutler who I was lucky enough to meet and work with when I was a teenager. If you don’t know him he was a Scottish poet, author, humorist and songwriter oh and The Beatles were big fans of his too…
Q. What is your FAVORITE Radio show, news show, podcast?
A. My favourite podcast has to be Dolly Parton’s America
Q. What is your FAVORITE APP?
A. Spotify, although I do wish they would pay artists better
Q. Are you bingeing on any TV series? If so which ones.?
A. I’ve recently started rewatching the entire Baywatch series on Amazon Prime and once I’ve finished that I’m planning on watching the spin off series Baywatch Nights and then the Pamela Anderson series VIP where she plays a private investigator … I love bad TV!
Q. Which film have you watched the most?
A. It’s probably a toss up between Midnight Cowboy, The Deer Hunter, Roadhouse or The Room
Q. Who is your FAVORITE Director?
A. Stanley Kubrick
Q. Who is your favorite sober celebrity?
A. Elton John
Q. What/Who is your FAVORITE Band/composer/musical artist?
A. It’s impossible to pick just one so I’m going to pick a few. Elton John, Johnny Cash, Sonic Youth, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine and Dolly Parton
Q. What is your FAVORITE Broadway musical/play?
A. I don’t really get to the theatre much so I’ll pick one which was co-written by my friend John O’Farrell called Something Rotten!
Q. What is your FAVORITE City?
A. Los Angeles. I’ve only been once but I absolutely loved it out there.
Q. What is your FAVORITE Museum?
A. The Tate Modern
Q. What is your FAVORITE Restaurant?
A. Medieval Times. It’s a an American restaurant set in medieval times. You eat a four-course meal whilst watching people dressed as knights joust and sword fight. Unfortunately we don’t have anything like that in London, if we did I would eat there everyday
Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
A. Don’t be a dick
Q. What is your biggest regret?
A. I try not to regret anything.
Q. Have you ever been arrested and if so, for what?
A. I’ve been arrested a few times for possession of drugs
Q. What is the proudest moment in your life?
A. Becoming a dad to my daughter.
Q. Do you believe in God or a Higher Power?
A. To be honest I’m not really sure. I tend to not give it much thought.
Q. If you were putting together a time capsule from 2020 what 5 things would you put in it?
A. A picture of Joe Exotic, A small bag containing a face mask, hand sanitizer and a Covid test. Printout of a Zoom link. Toilet roll and a Rubber bullet.
Q. Are you more inclined to believe in UFO’s or life after death, or both?
A. I definitely don’t believe in life after death so I’ll say UFO’s.
Q. What is your FAVORITE weekly news bulletin?
A. The Addiction/Recovery eBulletin….
Is that the right answer?