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And Finally
Bob Dylan admits heroin addiction
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 24 May 2011
Newly uncovered tapes of an interview between rock critic Robert Shelton and Bob Dylan recorded in 1966 apparently see the musician reveal that he was for a time addicted to heroin.
Dylan, who turns 70 today, is reported to have said: “I kicked a heroin habit in New York City. I got very, very strung out for a while. I mean really, very strung out. And I kicked the habit. I had about a $25 a day habit and I kicked it.”
He adds: “Death to me is nothing. Death to me means nothing as long as I can die fast. Many times I’ve known I could have been able to die fast, and I could have easily gone over and done it. I’ll admit to having this suicidal thing, but I came through this time. I’m not the kind of cat that’s going to cut off an ear if I can’t do something. I’m the kind of cat that would just commit suicide. I’d shoot myself in the brain if things got bad. I’d jump from a window”.
Shelton uncovered the tapes while working on an updated version of his 1986 Dylan biography, ‘No Direction Home’.
