It's honestly a miracle he survived as long as he did. He was definitely a character and the man had his own so voice style that would be recognised straight away.
Ozzy Osbourne is still alive, at 74. He was as much of an alcoholic as MacGowan ever was, if not worse (although I don't think Ozzy ever did heroin?)
Dick van Dyke is still around at 97(!) in spite of many years of chain-smoking and alcoholism (he stopped drinking in his late 40s, and smoking in his 70s). Look, I like Dick van Dyke and I wish him many more years, but he ought to have died decades ago.
“ Over the past forty years, I've been loaded on booze, coke, acid, Quaaludes, glue, cough mixture, heroin, Rohypnol, Klonopin, Vicodin, and too many other heavy-duty substances to list in this footnote. On more than a few occasions I was on all of those at the same time.” - Ozzy Osbourne
Genetics seems to count for a lot. Lifestyle is proven to have a huge effect on quality of life and the risk of certain ailments, but doesn't seem to be the main factor in longevity. As my dad used to fatalistically say: "When you're gonna go, you're gonna go." (Ironically, his lifestyle has resulted in him living under 24/7 care, but he's still alive.)
That's probably a bit too simplified; if you're a smoker and get lung cancer at 65 then it's very conceivable you would have lived longer if you never smoked (not certain: lots of things can cause lung cancer). It's even more clear-cut with things like asbestos.
Heroin surprisingly doesn't have a lot of long term effects to health (so long as you don't OD). It's the use of needles and blood born illnesses that can really well: kill you. Hepatitis, HIV, etc.
He also stopped doing heroin 45 years ago (self reported).
In Shane's case, is it any wonder that a chronic and extreme drinking problem eventually kills you? His quality of life has been impacted for almost as long as Keith Richards has been off the needle.
GP's comment that MacGowan was a partier is correct. But there was a terrible misdiagnosis in the case of Sinéad. She was never bipolar but was prescribed medication for it, after she had a mastectomy which caused hormonal unbalances.
Depressed and maybe borderline she was, but above all devastated by the preventible suicide of her son. (which is a huge story of Ireland's health service momumental fuckups on its own.)
I would say that people in pain are in a privileged place to understand other's suffering and sometimes able to do something about it. Even if they are unable to fix their own ghosts. Some of the O'Connor problems, like having an abusive mother, can't be directly attributed to her. Other are.
:) Yeah Sinéad saved him more than once. It was said at the time of her passing a few months ago that is was ironic she should go before him. Not ironic at all if you're getting saved by Sinéad.
In their wonderful duet "Haunted", she aptly sings about him "you've got a way of talking".
Not a bad writer herself if you read her autobiography.
Comments
It's honestly a miracle he survived as long as he did. He was definitely a character and the man had his own so voice style that would be recognised straight away.
Ozzy Osbourne is still alive, at 74. He was as much of an alcoholic as MacGowan ever was, if not worse (although I don't think Ozzy ever did heroin?)
Dick van Dyke is still around at 97(!) in spite of many years of chain-smoking and alcoholism (he stopped drinking in his late 40s, and smoking in his 70s). Look, I like Dick van Dyke and I wish him many more years, but he ought to have died decades ago.
Biology is funny business.
“ Over the past forty years, I've been loaded on booze, coke, acid, Quaaludes, glue, cough mixture, heroin, Rohypnol, Klonopin, Vicodin, and too many other heavy-duty substances to list in this footnote. On more than a few occasions I was on all of those at the same time.” - Ozzy Osbourne
Genetics seems to count for a lot. Lifestyle is proven to have a huge effect on quality of life and the risk of certain ailments, but doesn't seem to be the main factor in longevity. As my dad used to fatalistically say: "When you're gonna go, you're gonna go." (Ironically, his lifestyle has resulted in him living under 24/7 care, but he's still alive.)
That's probably a bit too simplified; if you're a smoker and get lung cancer at 65 then it's very conceivable you would have lived longer if you never smoked (not certain: lots of things can cause lung cancer). It's even more clear-cut with things like asbestos.
As for ol' Dicky specifically, he seems to be doing pretty well for his age: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL3AijekRYw
Keith Richards did become addicted to heroin and is 80 in a few weeks.
Heroin surprisingly doesn't have a lot of long term effects to health (so long as you don't OD). It's the use of needles and blood born illnesses that can really well: kill you. Hepatitis, HIV, etc.
Heroin is a funny one - it's not hard on your body; you are hard on your body as a user.
While true, opioid abuse can cause severe constipation (which perhaps helped kill Elvis), and increases your risk of GI disorders like SIBO.
He also stopped doing heroin 45 years ago (self reported).
In Shane's case, is it any wonder that a chronic and extreme drinking problem eventually kills you? His quality of life has been impacted for almost as long as Keith Richards has been off the needle.
Ozzy would get sober from time to time.
Sinnead O'Connor give him a few years more by the uncommon procedure of send him to the jail
"I love Shane," Ms O'Connor said, "and it makes me angry to see him destroy himself selfishly in front of those who love him."
That's just too much irony.
Sinead O'Connor developed some quite serious mental health issues, and the suicide of her son finished her. McGowan was just a hard-core partier.
Yes. Terrible, all of it.
GP's comment that MacGowan was a partier is correct. But there was a terrible misdiagnosis in the case of Sinéad. She was never bipolar but was prescribed medication for it, after she had a mastectomy which caused hormonal unbalances.
Depressed and maybe borderline she was, but above all devastated by the preventible suicide of her son. (which is a huge story of Ireland's health service momumental fuckups on its own.)
I would say that people in pain are in a privileged place to understand other's suffering and sometimes able to do something about it. Even if they are unable to fix their own ghosts. Some of the O'Connor problems, like having an abusive mother, can't be directly attributed to her. Other are.
Drugs just accelerate the melting mind process.
:) Yeah Sinéad saved him more than once. It was said at the time of her passing a few months ago that is was ironic she should go before him. Not ironic at all if you're getting saved by Sinéad. In their wonderful duet "Haunted", she aptly sings about him "you've got a way of talking". Not a bad writer herself if you read her autobiography.
Yes it made me chuckle when an article said he had been in bad health for the last few years - more like the last 40 years!