Glasvegas - James Allan Finally Confesses To Drug Overdose At Coachella

23 March 2011
Mercury Music Prize, Grosvenor House, Glasvegas

Picture: Glasvegas at the Mercury Music Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel. London, England - 08.09.09

James Allan Finally Confesses To Drug Overdose At Coachella

Glasvegas frontman James Allan has opened up about his drug overdose at California's Coachella festival in 2009, revealing it came during a year of hell in which his cocaine use spiralled out of control.

The Scottish rockers were forced to axe their set at the legendary event in Indio two years ago, and at the time they claimed Allan was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.

Gossips speculated that the star had suffered a drug overdose backstage - and he's finally spoken out to reveal the truth about the incident and detail his torment as his heavy drug use plunged him into a nightmare world.

Allan tells NME, "I was lost and desperate. We'd played a TV show in L.A. the night before, and I'd taken a lot of coke. Just stupid amounts. Then the day of the festival, I took what I thought was Valium and it turned out to be an animal tranquiliser.

"I was walking off the bus - and I remember this as being almost like a dream - and I fell off the top stair. I couldn't put my hands up to break my fall, and when I hit the ground, it was the most relaxing, comfortable feeling I'd ever felt. Then the lights went out. Next thing I remember was waking up, like, whoosh!, in the dressing room with paramedics standing around me."

Allan also reveals the bizarre reason he decided to turn his back on drugs for good several months later - he felt he'd let down his family cat.

He adds, "My mum came into my room (one day) with the cat under her arm and tears in her eyes. That was bad enough, but I'll never forget the cat's face: it was horrible, man... My mum walked in that morning and said that she knew something had been going on, so I sat up in bed and said, 'Look, I need to talk to you. This is the way I've been living for the last year... '"


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Comments View All Comments (1)

24th March 2011 04:00

SP     (1)

Thank you.After reading this I think I may be able to forgive him and Glasvegas.They were one of my top acts to see in 2009, I'd had their record on repeat for months, and since, I haven't listened to it once. It was a heavy blow.I hope he's gotten his shit together and learned to fucking read the directions before he comes to the party, to quote Charlie Sheen. You're a professional, know your limit, and the show must always go on. Get the bassist to sing or something.

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