In a candid interview, drummer Tommy Lee opened up about his alcohol abuse and how he finally stopped drinking.
Lee spoke with Yahoo Entertainment to promote his new album Andro. During the interview, he admitted to drinking two gallons of vodka a day last year before going to rehab.
Lee built a reputation for his partying lifestyle. The drummer for Motley Crue, Lee and the rest of the band became known for their excessive drinking, drug use and antics in the 1980s and 90s. The Netflix film The Dirt documented some of their party boy lifestyle.
(Click here to watch the video of Lee’s interview).
“I was like, ‘Oh dude, I’ve got to stop,'” the rocker told the outlet. “Like, I was drinking just out of boredom. I would just wake up and be just building [a cocktail with] just all vodka and just a little eyedropper of cranberry or lemonade.”
Lee said he was four years sober before he went “out-of-control” and started drinking again last year. The drummer had just finished a tour with Motley Crue. He said he felt “burnt out” afterwards and stay at home doing nothing but lounging in the pool and drinking.
“I was drinking two gallons — not pints, not quarts, but gallons, the big-handles — a day. That’s f–king crazy,” Lee said. Even Lee felt concerned for his health. “I just realized, ‘Whoa dude, you’re drinking enough to like, you could probably die.'”
Tommy Lee Thanked His Wife for Intervening
Lee’s fourth wife Brittany Furlan expressed concern for the drummer’s health. Lee had previously married Pamela Anderson, who he shares two sons with, Heather Locklear and Elaine Starchuk. Furlan decided to intervene and urge Lee to seek help for his drinking.
“She was like, ‘Baby, I don’t think I’ve ever even seen anybody drink that much. Like, you’re kind of scaring me,'” Lee recalled. “She was definitely concerned. And her concern obviously helped in my decision to [check himself back into rehab].”
Lee recently celebrated his 58th birthday, and his one year of sobriety is in a few weeks. He said he’s fortunate not to have any lasting health issues from his alcohol and substance abuse.
“I’m really lucky. I’m grateful. I don’t know, man, it’s pretty crazy,” Lee said. “Somebody is obviously looking out for me, because that shouldn’t be the case.”
Lee will release his third solo album in 15 years called Andro. He also plans to hit the road again on a reunion tour with Motley Crue next year.
{H/T: Yahoo Entertainment]
