Jacoby Shaddix 8 Years Sober! 8 years ago, @jacobyshaddix made a decision that likely is the reason he is still living. Here is to 8 years of sobriety and a lifetime more. We love you Coby ??❤️ . Here’s a mock tail on us ?. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ? @brysonroatch Posted by Papa Roach on Wednesday, February 19, 2020
PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix celebrated the eighth anniversary of his getting sober on February 19.
The band posted a video of Shaddix and drummer Tony Palermo marking the occasion by hitting "the smallest bar in the world" in Milan, Italy while out on tour and enjoying a "mocktail" — a fake cocktail consisting of lime, vanilla syrup and pink grapefruit soda.
"To happiness and health," toasted Shaddix, telling the bartender, "No alcohol for eight years — me — and I'm coming to celebrate, to have a fake [cocktail]."
In a 2019 interview with Kerrang! magazine, Shaddix revealed that the struggle with alcohol had been in his family for generations, continually destroying lives and relationships.
"I remember my mom telling me when I was a kid that I had to be careful, as alcoholism runs deep in both sides of the family," he said. "I should have heeded the warnings, but when you're young and restless, you don't give a fuck, so I went for it. And lo and behold, it started damaging relationships, and my health and drive. I tried for a long time to put the bottle down. I got kicked out of the house and it looked like my wife and I were going to split up. There came a point when I realized enough was enough, and now I haven't picked up the bottle in seven years. It's dramatically affected my life in so many positive ways, giving me the opportunity to be a good husband and father, as well as a kickass frontman. I watch all the fucking VH1 documentaries about musicians dying, and having friends die from this shit, I'm lucky that I got out alive. I can't say I've been perfect — I've slipped up and smoked weed a few times, but haven't had any alcohol, cocaine, pills or anything else."
When asked if he ever feared that the need to stay sober might have meant he had to stop touring, Jacoby said: "I think that's why I kept falling off the wagon. Before we put out 'Getting Away With Murder' [2004], that was the first time I tried to put the bottle down. But on the road, I was apart from my sober friends, and I'd be on the bus with everyone drinking. So I'd end up in the back lounge, secretly chugging vodka. That was tough for years. Now I've been relieved of the obsession — I look back like, 'That's a young man's game.' Plus, I want to stay pretty."
PAPA ROACH is currently on a European tour promoting its "Who Do You Trust?" album, with ICE NINE KILLS and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD supporting.
