Bring Me The Horizon's Oli Sykes: "I Was Addicted To Ketamine For Years"
It inspired him to write Sempiternal
Bring Me The Horizon frontman Oli Sykes has revealed he was addicted to the drug ketamine for years.
27-year-old Oli made the revelation during an impassioned speech at the inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday night (22nd July).
Picking up BMTH’s Album of the Year award, an emotional Oli said that ‘Sempiternal’ was born out of his addiction to the horse tranquiliser.
He said: "I want to say something that I never thought I'd actually talk about: before we wrote 'Sempiternal' I was a fing drug addict. I was addicted to a drug called ketamine, I was on it for years and I was fed off my head.
“My band wanted to kill me, my parents wanted to kill me, my fing brother wanted to kill me, everyone wanted to kill me. They wanted to fing to take me to hell, but they didn't. They stood by me, they supported me through all that s*** and we wrote 'Sempiternal' because of it.”
Oli explained that it was the support of his family, friends and the fans themselves that helped dig himself out of his trough:
“No one fing knows this but I went to rehab for a month, and through that time, as well as my fing band and my family, you had no idea that I was in rehab but you were sending me letters, you were sending me texts, you were sending me fing emails and when I got out of rehab I didn't want to fing scream any more, I wanted to sing it from the f***ing rooftops. It's all thanks to you, so thank you very much."
You can watch Oli’s full speech here (WARNING: It’s very sweary):
On a triumphant evening, Bring Me The Horizon were also crowned Best International Band. The full winners’ list is as follows:
Best Vocalist presented by Victory Records Brendon Urie, Panic! At the Disco
Best Live Band presented by Vans Warped Tour Pierce the Veil
Breakthrough Band presented by Beats Music Crown the Empire
Best Bassist presented by Dyin 2 Live Jaime Preciado, Pierce the Veil
Best International Band presented by Zepeda Brothers Productions Bring Me the Horizon
Artist Philanthropic Award presented by Sub City/Take Action All Time Low
Best Guitarist presented by Gibson Phil Manansala, Of Mice &Men
Vanguard Award presented by AXS TV Billy Corgan
Best Drummer presented by DW Drums Mike Fuentes, Pierce the Veil
Icon Award presented by Blackstar Amplification Joan Jett
Most Dedicated Fans presented by Fearless Records Black Veil Brides
Guitar Legend Award presented by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Slash
Song Of The Year presented by Epitaph Records All Time Low w/Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil, ‘A Love Like War’
Album Of The Year presented by Journeys Bring Me the Horizon, ‘Sempiternal’
Artist Of The Year presented by Monster Energy Fall Out Boy