Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe sat down with That Sober Guy Podcast and recalled how he decided to go sober after years of drinking and using drugs.
He detailed how one of his tours with Metallica helped him get off the substances and explained how James Hetfield’s ‘brotherly love’ contributed to it.
“We had been on tour for about two years off and on with [Metallica], doing Europe and the States. They had had a few words with me and I went to them, I’m like, ‘Help me, I need some support, please. I can’t stop drinking.’ They’re like, ‘You’re going to be okay man,’ and showed me some brotherly love.”
“Then I went out on stage that night in front of 14,000 people and I was completely falling to pieces. I tell people my hair used to be long then and thank it was because I was weeping uncontrollably in between singing, and thank God we’re a heavy metal band cuz it’s just like and I’m like ‘Ahhh, say who gives a f*ck,’ screaming my lyrics. Then I’m like, ‘Oh my God my life, what the f*ck happened? Where am I?’ Just falling to pieces in front of 14,000 people. That was my first day sober and that was my first show sober. I spent my whole first month of sobriety on tour surrounded by free drugs and alcohol.”
Blythe has been open about his past relationship with alcohol and drugs. Celebrating the ninth year of his sobriety in 2019, the frontman made a public post about how he turned into sobriety. “I got sober while we were on tour with Metallica almost 9 years ago. The first day of that run, one of my crew guys came to me and said ‘Hey, Hetfield’s looking for you’- we had been touring with them in the States & Europe for over a year and I was just RAGING, especially in Europe, but inside I was MISERABLE.”
“He knew I had been trying to quit drinking, it wasn’t working for me anymore, & it all came to an end in Australia. A HUGE FACTOR in my willingness & ability to get sober while on f*cking heavy metal tour was the fact that I had James & some of his crew who were also sober to talk to – I didn’t have to do it alone.”
“James & crew babied me through my first month of sobriety out there on the road – it was a heavy trip. I couldn’t have done it without them. When I saw the news about James today, I hurt so bad inside for him, because he was there for me when I was in such bad shape- I know how dark it can get,” he continued. Blythe made the comments after Metallica canceled their Australia and New Zealand tour due to Hetfield entering rehab for his addictions.
“But it was also a very strong reminder for me of what I am, & what waits for me if I fuck up & forget I am alcoholic. If you’re an alcoholic, NO ONE IS IMMUNE, no matter how long you have been sober. James is in the right place right now, though, & as he has gone there of his own volition, it sounds like to me he wants sobriety back- and that is the key to it all, you have to want it. So my thoughts & prayers are with him – I love that dude. He literally helped SAVE MY LIFE,” the frontman added.
Blythe is now celebrating 14 years of sobriety. He talked about his experiences in his new book, ‘Just Beyond The Light: Making Peace With The Wars Inside Our Head.’ It is scheduled to come out on February 18 via Grand Central Publishing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L9gq9R-frs&ab_channel=ThatSoberGuyPodcast
