Blur's Damon Albarn has risked drawing the ire of anti-drugs campaigners after describing his 90's heroin habit as "incredibly productive" in a recent interview with Q Magazine.
The singer, now sober, has addressed his former habit in a new song, saying that he managed his intake by operating a "five days on and two days off" policy.
Albarn was quoted by Q as saying: "[Heroin] freed me up. I hate talking about this because of my daughter, my family. But, for me, it was incredibly creative. A combination of [heroin] and playing really simple, beautiful, repetitive shit in Africa changed me completely as a musician. I found a sense of rhythm. I somehow managed to break out of something with my voice."
Albarn describes coming home from tour "at the height of Britpop" and finding the drug "in the front room", referring to the time he spent living with former girlfriend Justine Frischmann of Elastica.
"I just thought, 'Why not?' I never imagined it would become a problem.
His former habit is addressed in a new song, to feature on his upcoming debut solo record. "Tin foil and a lighter, the ship across. Five days on, two days off", he sings in the song 'You and Me' and Albarn maintains he that he is happy to have found those words.
"I can move forward now without all the nudge nudge, wink wink innuendo I've had in the background for years", he added.
In spite of the benefits that Albarn claims he has received from the drug, he maintains that heroin is a "cruel, cruel thing".
"[Heroin] does turn you into a very isolated person and ultimately anything that you are truly dependent on is not good."
Source: The Guardian