Tommy Lee says one of the clearest signs that his drug abuse was out of control was when he and his Mötley Crüe bandmate Nikki Sixx started injecting Jack Daniel's whiskey into their veins after they ran out of drugs.
During a recent appearance on the Zach Sang Show podcast, the drummer recalled an incident from the band's wild partying years when they stayed in a hotel room after running out of heroin and cocaine.
«"Just for a very short time," Lee said when asked if he actually injected himself with Jack Daniel's whiskey. "It was right before I got sober.".
Lee said it was the middle of the night and he and Sixx were unable to find any more drugs.
«"We were doing drugs, heroin and cocaine, just doing it, and we ran out," Lee said. "We were in a hotel room somewhere in Houston, Texas, and we had no way to get anything.".
Lee said they drank a bottle of Jack Daniel's instead of whiskey.
«"We just unscrewed the cap on this 0.75L bottle of Jack Daniel's, filled the cap with Jack Daniel's and started drawing the liquid through a syringe, and now we're making Jack Daniel's intravenously," he said.
Looking back, Lee said the decision didn't make much sense even at the time.
«"It didn't even occur to me then what we were doing. The stupid thing was, we could have just drunk it, but no, we had to wash it down," Lee said. "Why? You guys are completely crazy.".
Lee referred to himself and Sixx as the "toxic twins," a nickname associated with their scandalous lifestyle during Mötley Crüe's rise to fame.
«"That's what toxic twins are called. We did something stupid," Lee said.
The drummer said moments like these eventually forced him to confront the reality of his addiction.
«"It's only when you reach that level that you realize: This isn't working, man. Someone's going to die," he said. "Why don't we just slow down and do a little rehab?"»
Lee's relationship with alcohol has been well-documented over the years. He previously stated that at the height of his addiction, he drank up to two gallons of vodka a day.
In 2022, Lee announced that he had quit drinking and using drugs, although he has since spoken openly about the difficulties of maintaining such a lifestyle after decades of alcohol and drug abuse.
The latest comments came during a wide-ranging interview on the Zach Sang Show podcast, where Lee reflected on the most extreme moments of his career and the lessons he learned from them.
Scan any bottle of spirits to see all the expert reviews in one place with the free Daily Pour app. Download it today!
Founded by Dan Abrams, The Daily Pour is the definitive drinks guide for the modern consumer, covering spirits, non-alcoholic beverages, and cannabis-infused beverages. With a unique combination of cross-category coverage and a proprietary ratings system that aggregates reviews from trusted critics across the internet, The Daily Pour sets the standard as the leading authority on helping consumers discover, compare, and enjoy the best drinks in today's ever-evolving market.