Page 14 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 103

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and I had a moment where I just hit a wall. There nothing to do with that. You can still go to shows, ond, so if Kellin needed that time… I told him,
was this one night where I realized that drinking you can still enjoy music, you can still enjoy ‘Hey, if you need the time, by all means, take the
wasn’t… it wasn’t destroying my life by any being in a band and not have to do that. And that time ‘cause that’s more important. I love you like
means, but it wasn’t making my life any better, was something that I realized when I stopped a brother and I just want to make sure that
so… About four years ago, I’d started really fo- drinking, I’m still rock ‘n’ roll, I’m still having fun you’re happy and that you’re content and that
cusing on my health. When I met my wife, I re- on stage, I can still go out with my friends, that you want to do this, so if you’re not wanting to
alised that my life wasn’t just about me anymore. doesn’t mean I have to get fucked up to enjoy do this, let’s take the break.’ But fortunately, we
I couldn’t be that selfish, ‘self-destructive’ person my time with them, and that was an amazing re- got through a lot of stuff together, and specifi-
anymore, that there was even more reason for alization after I stopped being on the road and cally our communication, that kind of helped get
me to be the best me, but especially from a stopped drinking was that I just don’t need that us through the kind of turbulent time that we had
health standpoint, so I started there for a little bit. Fortunately
focusing more on my diet and it all worked out.”
just kind of cutting stuff out that Hardships often make peo-
I knew wasn’t good for me. And ple stronger. Pain can drive us
then alcohol was one of those forward if we allow it. We can
things that was kind of last on turn negative situations into
the list of ‘I don’t need to do ,’ something positive if we don’t
and for me to be better physi- give in or give up at the first
cally, but also mentally, I de- hurdle. Nick agrees.
cided… we were in Australia “I’ve inherited the motto or
and I was like, ‘I’m not going to the mantra of ‘Every negative
drink tonight,’ and then the next that is presented or experi-
day it was ‘I’m not going to enced in life can be turned into
drink today, and then the next a positive no matter how bad or
day, ‘I’m not going to drink how grave something is.’ I think
today,’ and that has spiraled there’s a lot to be learned from
into a year and a half later of ‘I that, that you can make that a
just don’t feel like drinking positive, so... when you reach
today.’ I learned later on that your rock bottom or you hit
that rubbed off on everybody those moments in your life,
else and made everybody want where you’re ‘I can’t… How am
to slow down a little bit. People I going to get through this?’
were gaining new perspectives once you finally do get through
about themselves, but also that, the strength that you get
about the environment. The from that, there’s no other way
scary thing about being in a for you to have really gained
rock band is, drinking and par- that strength without feeling
tying is celebrated. It’s such a those bottoms and feeling the
part of our regular life. If you heartbreak or whatever it is in
want to wake up and just start your life that you felt you could-
hitting the bottle, no one will n’t handle than realizing that
frown upon you for doing that. you could handle it. So when
No one will say ‘Hey man, why those negative experiences
are you doing that?’ It’s almost come at you again or when
like, ‘Cool! Crack open a beer, crack open a bot- to have fun. Maybe before I used that as a something bad happens in your life, you’re able
tle,’ so it’s so normalized in touring culture that crutch to be like, ‘Well, if everyone’s drinking, to take a deep breath, take a step back and go,
when you start doing that for years on end, you that’s how we’re going to have fun, that’s what ‘You know what? I’ve gotten through this before,
lose sight of that it’s not a normal thing. we’ll do.’ It’s nice to not be doing it. “ I can do it again, and that has continuously
“When you go home you have to put the made me an insanely stronger person, because
brakes on that. It’s sad, but a lot of musicians go nitially, after the ‘Gossip’ touring cycle, vo- there’s definitely points in my life where I felt so
home and it doesn’t stop. With me being 36 now, Icalist Kellin Quinn said he didn’t know if he broken, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m going to
I have to be more aware of that. And for me, wanted to make a new record. Looking back, bounce back from this,’ and then overcoming all
hangovers, they last two or three days now. My Nick says that worried him at the time. “I remem- of those struggles, and those moments. has only
body hates me for it. So, it was just time for me ber the phone call,” he tells Black Velvet. “I re- made me the most positive, optimistic person
to take a step back, and, like I said, it helped member we were on a call with our that it almost makes my band upset! They’re
pump the brakes for m a n a g e - like, ‘Dude, do you get upset about anything?
everybody as well. ment and Do you ever get bummed out?’ It’s like, ‘Yeah,
Even though some of “I’ve inherited the motto or the mantra we started of course I do, but I have a choice in those mo-
the band still drinks, of ‘Every negative that is presented or ex- t h r o w i n g ments to either let it affect me negatively and
it’s not to the ex- around the take me down to the ground or I just say, ‘Hey,
tremes and the ex- perienced in life can be turned into a pos- option of you know what? Yeah, this sucks, but what can
cesses of where we itive no matter how bad or how grave ‘Maybe it’s I do right now to just make it better? What can I
were a couple of time that we do to make this positive? What can I do to help
years ago, so… it’s something is.’ I think there’s a lot to be hang it up, other people that may experience what I’m ex-
created definitely a maybe it’s periencing to help them, to guide them through
better environment.” learned from that, that you can make that time we take whatever bullshit’s going on?
Nick cutting a positive...” - Nick Martin a long
down on his drinking break, a hia- ince the album release on September
certainly had a posi- tus, what- S6th, Nick and his bandmates, Kellin, gui-
tive impact on Kellin. ever it may be,’ and at that time, you know, it tarist Jack Fowler, bassist Justin Hills and cur-
“I think that Kellin, he’s told me that it en- was a little scary, but it was also due to Kellin rent touring drummer Matty Best (of Tonight
couraged him to take a step back and just say and where he was at, and he just didn’t feel Alive) have been back on the road. They toured
‘Maybe I need to pump the brakes too,’ so I think 100%. In that moment, I just said, ‘Hey, your the U.S. with Bring Me The Horizon and Poppy,
that’s definitely bettered his health, but it’s defi- wellbeing and your health, mentally, physically jumped up to Canada with Poppy, and headed
nitely bettered our friendship and the relation- or whatever it may be, that is far more important to UK and Europe with Palisades. When looking
ships within this band for sure.” than this band.’ We love each other so much at his own life now, Nick says, “As much as I like
When we tell Nick that we have never drank that we’ve eradicated that selfishness that we to be as introspective as possible, I think, when
and that we’re ‘so un-rock ‘n’ roll,’ he replies, maybe had previously and now it’s just about us I look at my life, I view my life as a one-day-at-
“There’s this stigma that if you don’t drink, ‘Wait, as a family. It’s about putting ourselves first and a-time thing. I do what I can to not dwell on my
that’s not rock ‘n’ roll’, but you realize that has foremost before the band. The band comes sec- past anymore. That was probably a problem I
SLEEPING WITH SIRENS