I'm Hanging On By My Teeth
[Melody Maker, 27th July 1996. Words: Steve Hochman. Picture: Uncredited.]
David Gahan has spoken out against drug abuse from the rehab unit in Los Angeles where he is currently recovering after his well-documented heroin and cocaine overdose on May 28.
The Depeche Mode singer, who pleaded not guilty to charges of cocaine possession in an LA court last week, said he was prompted to speak out after the death of Smashing Pumpkins' touring keyboardist, Jonathan Melvoin, from a heroin overdose on July 12.
Gahan spoke by phone to The Maker's LA correspondent Steve Hochman from the treatment centre where he's been cleaning up.
"All I can do is hope my actions will speak much louder than the crap that's come out of my mouth the last few years," Gahan said. "I don't want to be running round expecting to save anyone. I'm hanging on by my teeth myself.
"I don't have anywhere to go. I lost my house, even lost the visitation rights to my son. But all that will come back if I stay clean. Every day is better."
Gahan admits that the only thing separating his fate from Melvoin's was luck.
Commenting on his May arrest, when he overdosed on heroin and cocaine at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Hollywood, he said: "I was clean for a few weeks when I came back to Los Angeles from New York where I was working with the band.
"I went out and shot a speedball. The dealer left and I went green. Luckily there was someone to call 911 [the US equivalent of 999].
"When I left the hospital, I said to someone that I'd overdosed, and they said, 'David, you died. They revived you three times.' I could have had permanent brain damage.
"When I think of the insanity of this little powder - three minutes of euphoria...you don't have to be a lifetime user. It only takes one time. People seem to believe the myth that if you just do it once you're fine, and now many people seem to be going straight to heroin, bypassing pot and all that and going straight to the devil. It's really scary.
"I saw this happening in London - lots of kids smoking a joint in the loo are smoking heroin in it and are chasing the dragon. They think that because they're not mainlining it won't get them."
Gahan said that the last thing he wants is to appear sanctimonious, but needs to spell out the terrible dangers of heroin use.
"I don't want to be any kind of preacher. I'm in a rock'n'roll band, and I love to do that and just want to be David.
"I'm happy to get in touch with that little kid that was lost inside. I'm walking around on a cloud now that I'm clean."
[Melody Maker, 27th July 1996. Words: Steve Hochman. Picture: Uncredited.]
David Gahan has spoken out against drug abuse from the rehab unit in Los Angeles where he is currently recovering after his well-documented heroin and cocaine overdose on May 28.
The Depeche Mode singer, who pleaded not guilty to charges of cocaine possession in an LA court last week, said he was prompted to speak out after the death of Smashing Pumpkins' touring keyboardist, Jonathan Melvoin, from a heroin overdose on July 12.
Gahan spoke by phone to The Maker's LA correspondent Steve Hochman from the treatment centre where he's been cleaning up.
"All I can do is hope my actions will speak much louder than the crap that's come out of my mouth the last few years," Gahan said. "I don't want to be running round expecting to save anyone. I'm hanging on by my teeth myself.
"I don't have anywhere to go. I lost my house, even lost the visitation rights to my son. But all that will come back if I stay clean. Every day is better."
Gahan admits that the only thing separating his fate from Melvoin's was luck.
Commenting on his May arrest, when he overdosed on heroin and cocaine at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Hollywood, he said: "I was clean for a few weeks when I came back to Los Angeles from New York where I was working with the band.
"I went out and shot a speedball. The dealer left and I went green. Luckily there was someone to call 911 [the US equivalent of 999].
"When I left the hospital, I said to someone that I'd overdosed, and they said, 'David, you died. They revived you three times.' I could have had permanent brain damage.
"When I think of the insanity of this little powder - three minutes of euphoria...you don't have to be a lifetime user. It only takes one time. People seem to believe the myth that if you just do it once you're fine, and now many people seem to be going straight to heroin, bypassing pot and all that and going straight to the devil. It's really scary.
"I saw this happening in London - lots of kids smoking a joint in the loo are smoking heroin in it and are chasing the dragon. They think that because they're not mainlining it won't get them."
Gahan said that the last thing he wants is to appear sanctimonious, but needs to spell out the terrible dangers of heroin use.
"I don't want to be any kind of preacher. I'm in a rock'n'roll band, and I love to do that and just want to be David.
"I'm happy to get in touch with that little kid that was lost inside. I'm walking around on a cloud now that I'm clean."