Billy Idol Decided 'Not To Be a Drug Addict Anymore' and Became 'California Sober' 
Larisha Paul
Music News
The 68-year-old says his sobriety journey took a while, but he eventually fell into a routine and surrounds himself with other (mostly) sober people

Billy Idol reached the height of his drug addiction four decades ago, but the 68-year-old has since found a routine that works for him: no more hard drugs, just an occasional crisp glass of wine. In other words, he is California sober.

“I can have a glass of wine every now and again,” Idol recently told People. “I don’t have to do nothing. But at the same time, I’m not the drug addict that I was in the peak ’70s, ’80s.” He adds, “I’m, I suppose, ‘California sober.’ I just tell myself I can do what I want, but then I don’t do it. If I tell myself I can’t do anything, I want to do it. So I tell myself, ‘You can do anything you like.’ But I don’t actually do it.”

The musician explained that his decision to pursue sobriety followed a motorcycle accident he suffered in 1990, which nearly resulted in him losing his leg.

“I really started to think I should try and go forward and not be a drug addict anymore and stuff like that,” he explained. “It took a long time, but gradually I did achieve some sort of discipline where I’m not really the same kind of guy I was in the ’80s. I’m not the same drug-addicted person.”

Idol shared that he tends to find himself surrounded by people who are also sober, which helps hold him accountable. “A lot of my friends from the old days are sober,” he shared. “[Guitarist] Steve Stevens is sober, and [guitarist-singer] Billy Morrison in my band is sober. There are people around me who are sober. That helps a lot.”

It also provides a support system outside of the environment of something like anonymous alcohol or drug-abuse programs. “I mean, AA would say, ‘You’re always a drug addict.’ And that may be true, but I don’t do anything that much anymore,” he added. “I got over it somehow. I was really lucky that I could get over it because a lot of people can’t.”
The 68-year-old says his sobriety journey took a while, but he eventually fell into a routine and surrounds himself with other (mostly) sober people
Billy Idol reached the height of his drug addiction four decades ago, but the 68-year-old has since found a routine that works for him: no more hard drugs, just an occasional crisp glass of wine. In other words, he is California sober. “I can have a glass of wine every now and again,” Idol recently told People. “I don’t have to do nothing. But at the same time, I’m not the drug addict that I was in the peak ’70s, ’80s.” He adds, “I’m, I suppose, ‘California sober.’ I just tell myself I can do what I want, but then I don’t do it. If I tell myself I can’t do anything, I want to do it. So I tell myself, ‘You can do anything you like.’ But I don’t actually do it.” The musician explained that his decision to pursue sobriety followed a motorcycle accident he suffered in 1990, which nearly resulted in him losing his leg. “I really started to think I should try and go forward and not be a drug addict anymore and stuff like that,” he explained. “It took a long time, but gradually I did achieve some sort of discipline where I’m not really the same kind of guy I was in the ’80s. I’m not the same drug-addicted person.” Idol shared that he tends to find himself surrounded by people who are also sober, which helps hold him accountable. “A lot of my friends from the old days are sober,” he shared. “[Guitarist] Steve Stevens is sober, and [guitarist-singer] Billy Morrison in my band is sober. There are people around me who are sober. That helps a lot.” It also provides a support system outside of the environment of something like anonymous alcohol or drug-abuse programs. “I mean, AA would say, ‘You’re always a drug addict.’ And that may be true, but I don’t do anything that much anymore,” he added. “I got over it somehow. I was really lucky that I could get over it because a lot of people can’t.”