The ‘Sex, drugs, and rock & roll’ lifestyle is pretty common among rock musicians who enjoy living life to its fullest. Throughout rock history, many artists battled addiction, had several affairs at once, partied all night long, and lived wild lives. However, everything comes with a consequence. Although this hedonistic approach might seem fun, numerous rockers lost their lives while struggling with substance addiction.
The 27 Club is a list consisting primarily of these artists who died at age 27, such as Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison; these celebrities left this world due to heavy drug and alcohol abuse, homicide, suicide, or tragic accidents. Apart from them, many lost their battle against mental illnesses, like Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. Their deaths weren’t addiction-related, but they also struggled with addiction.
Steve Clark, one of Def Leppard’s original guitarists, also battled alcohol and drug addiction. Clark passed away at 30 from an accidental overdose in January 1991. Unlike him, Joe Elliott didn’t want to lose himself in a typical hedonistic rock star lifestyle. Although he has been sober for years, the musician refuses to advise others who struggle with addiction.
Why Did Joe Elliott Not Want To Advise Artists Battling With Addiction?
Joe Elliott was surrounded by many battling addictions, including his bandmate Steve Clark. Although Elliott tried drugs several times, he didn’t want to lose himself in this lifestyle. The singer stayed sober and didn’t drink alcohol or use drugs. Despite living a rather-healthy lifestyle, Elliott admitted that he didn’t want to give any advice to others who battle with addiction.
In a 2017 interview with Forbes, Joe Elliott revealed that things that worked for him might not work for others like Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain. According to Elliott, the artists who died by 27 would probably not take his advice, which was also the case for his bandmate Steve Clark.
As reported by Ultimate Guitar, Joe Elliott told Forbes the following:
“I don’t give advice because what works for me wouldn’t work for you, wouldn’t work for Chris Cornell, wouldn’t work for Chester Bennington, wouldn’t have worked for Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, nor anybody else who died by the age of 27.
It’s nothing new. It didn’t work for Steve Clark. The path to rock and roll glory is littered with casualties. It’s not like the great Joe Elliott speaks and everybody goes, ‘I want to stop taking drugs now.'”
Apparently, Joe Elliott didn’t want to offer others his advice about living a healthy life away from addiction. The musician believed what worked for him might not work for others, and nobody would stop using drugs because he told them to. It’s safe to say that losing his bandmate and friend Steve Clark affected his view on this issue.
