So Ben posted a link to an interview he did some time ago, but in which he didn't use his last name. It's about his relationship with booze and sobriety and it's really, really good.
https://recoveryelevator.libsyn.com/re-364-booze-cruise
This seems to have been done in February 2022, but he posted it this week publicly, and 'outed' himself.
Huge respect for this guy. Super impressive. I can't help but think also that this interview was done before the band went back out on tour. You'd have to think the shenanigans that have gone down since would have been A LOT harder to sort out and work through if he hadn't been on the top of his game.
Well done Ben.
(I also recommend looking up the extremely heartfelt comment Chris C posted on Ben's instagram when he posted this podcast link.)
Ben on booze and sobriety
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lazarus corporation
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Kudos and respect to Ben for sorting his life out
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I just realised that it's ironic given this, the rumours that Dylan was sacked due to being drunk on stage; doubly so given that Von apparently drinks a litre of vodka on stage every gig (or at least did way back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, i.e. when the official site was written)
"We're Hawkwind and this is a song about love." - 
, 1993
"We will miss them when they are gone" - M. Andrews, 2024
, 1993"We will miss them when they are gone" - M. Andrews, 2024
Kudos and greatest respect to Ben for sharing this. It sounds really frightening what he went through. From his earlier interview about having stopped drinking I would never have gathered that he had such a big problem.
About Dylan, I don’t think his being drunk on stage would be a reason to sack him. His not being able to perform professionally would. Whether the reason is alcohol, drugs or something else, is probably irrelevant. And I increasingly think that that was just the final nail to the coffin (goth lingo
). I refuse to believe that Andrew is so unforgiving that he would kick him out for this alone.
About Dylan, I don’t think his being drunk on stage would be a reason to sack him. His not being able to perform professionally would. Whether the reason is alcohol, drugs or something else, is probably irrelevant. And I increasingly think that that was just the final nail to the coffin (goth lingo
). I refuse to believe that Andrew is so unforgiving that he would kick him out for this alone.