MUDVAYNE’s lead singer, Chad Gray, marked a significant milestone by commemorating two years of sobriety
The 51-year-old artist, originally from Illinois but now living in Las Vegas, candidly discussed his struggle with alcohol during a recent interview on Australia’s “Everblack” podcast.
He said: “I haven’t really spoken about it yet ’cause I’m not one for a bunch of fucking fanfare. But I haven’t even posted or done anything, but I’ve been sober now for two years. I just passed my two-year mark. The last day of [‘The Psychotherapy Sessions’] tour [in late August] was my two years. And I just didn’t make any — I haven’t told anybody. I haven’t really gone to the wire and been, like, ‘Hey.’ ‘Cause I don’t want a bunch of people to go, ‘Fucking great, man’; I don’t need all that. It’s been two fucking years.”
He continued: “You wanna think that when you quit drinking and shit — ’cause I was insane; I was a madman. I drank and I was volatile and I was fucking crazy as fuck and not a great drinker. I was just an asshole. I was just crazy — period. And I just got fucking fed up with that dude.
“I quit to try to help myself and to be a better me and to live a better life, and it just doesn’t work that way. You wanna think that you stop doing shit like that and all the voices get quiet, and it’s, like, dude, they’re screaming. And everything becomes more amplified — all the feelings, all the emotions, all the depression, all the fucking shit, you know.”
Gray added: “I’ve done so many things in my life to try to figure it out and be better. Am I better today than I was yesterday? I hope so. I assume I am. Am I better today than I was two years ago? Absolutely. I know that for a fucking fact. But I still have a lot of work to do on myself and I still have a lot of therapy to do on my own.
“And my therapy is writing those thoughts down and fucking creating and connecting. It helps me to be open and to be honest knowing that I’m going to connect with someone and knowing that I’m gonna help someone. And that’s the reason that I want to continue to write music. My biggest thing is that — the connection that I know that I’m gonna make with someone. And that’s my inspiration. And that’s my muse.”
MUDVAYNE made a triumphant return to the headlining stage with “The Psychotherapy Sessions” tour, their first in over 14 years, commencing in July. This 26-city tour, expertly produced by Live Nation, witnessed a stellar lineup featuring COAL CHAMBER, alongside GWAR, NONPOINT, and BUTCHER BABIES providing support.
In 2022, MUDVAYNE made waves with their “Freaks On Parade” tour, co-headlined with the legendary ROB ZOMBIE. However, 2023’s “The Psychotherapy Sessions” tour marked a significant milestone as it was MUDVAYNE‘s inaugural headlining venture since 2009.
MUDVAYNE, formed in 1996, boasts a remarkable track record of over six million records sold worldwide, with three albums (“L.D. 50“, “The End Of All Things To Come“, “Lost And Found“) earning gold certification. The band is renowned for its boundary-pushing musical experimentation, avant-garde album artwork, distinctive face and body paint, enigmatic masks, and striking uniforms. MUDVAYNE‘s lineup consists of Chad Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar, backing vocals), Matthew McDonough (drums, synthesizer), and Ryan Martinie (bass).
Chad Gray, in addition to his role in MUDVAYNE, spent a remarkable fifteen years as the frontman of HELLYEAH. In September 2019, HELLYEAH released its sixth studio album, “Welcome Home,” through Eleven Seven Music. Tragically, this album marked the final collaboration with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than five years ago, leaving an enduring legacy in the world of music.