Brent Smith: "health is part of who I am now"
Shinedown singer kicks destructive drugs and over-eating habits.
After a four-year struggle with cocaine, painkillers and alcohol, Brent Smith is celebrating his return to health.
As part of an extreme health regiment, he has dropped a total of 70lbs. He became conscious of his weight problem after TV presenter Kathy Lee Gifford joked that she "thought he was Meatloaf". Â
"The weight came on about four years ago" says Brent. "I’ve toured for over 12 years, and for the first two records I was addicted to cocaine, OxyContin and alcohol. The coke and Oxy kept my weight down. But for the third album I quit the opiates and started to crave sugar. I was still drinking a lot of alcohol and started to pack on the pounds."
Speaking on Gifford's comments he said they "really stung. I’m a fan of Meat Loaf but she wasn't talking about a musical comparison. My heart kind of fell on the ground – it was like the performance didn't even matter."
He also spoke out in the supporting role which his girlfriend has played - "Teresa sat me down in November last year and said, 'Listen to me. I love you and I’m not going anywhere. But this lifestyle that you’re leading is not going to work.'"
"I felt like I’d been in a death spiral and I realised I needed to be healthy and strong for my family. It’s amazing how much clarity I have and how my body feels so much better – health is such a big part of who I am now" said Smith.