Former BRICK BATH Vocalist Admits to Heroin Addiction

Former BRICK BATH singer Joseph McCaw has issued the following statement explaining his departure from the group:

"I am writing this letter to clear the air about the exact reason I dropped out of BRICK BATH last year. I know there were press releases stating that it was due to illness, but this was only part of the truth. It is true that I suffer from an intestinal disorder called Crohns disease as well as intense pain from many severe spinal injuries caused by several violent car accidents. Unfortunately, these were all contributing factors that led me into yet another problem…drug addiction.

"After several abdominal surgeries and no money for spinal treatments I began sneaking morphine over the Mexico border for about a year until the pharmacies tripled the price of morphine. This left me with a new dilemma. You see, I had become addicted and I was no longer using it for the pain only. I now had a habit to feed. I then turned to the next easily accessible and readily available type of opiate on the market…heroin. I won't go that far into details because we've all heard the 'poor rock-star all fucked up on heroin' story, but what started as a way to ease my suffering only ended up causing greater suffering. The guys in the band and management endured a lot and had many meetings with me before things finally came to ahead.

"While on tour during the summer 2002 I was taken by ambulance to a hospital in South Dakota for severe heroin withdrawals. I had been sneaking heroin with me while on the road. Now I realize that this selfish act could have landed the entire band in jail and ended up with all of their hard earned gear confiscated, but at the time, those issues were the last of my worries.

"Now everyone will know the whole truth. It's been a long scary road back to reality and since that day just over a year ago I have spent over $60,000.00 dealing with my pain and diseases (both Crohn's & addiction). I am now two months drug free thanks to Ibogaine.com and I am feeling better than I have in a long, long time. The guys in BRICK BATH (Eric, Scott & Pete) will never know the true depths of my shame and sorrow for what I put them through. I hope they know it was never intentional, but pain and addiction will make you do some crazy, desperate shit! Also, to the band's manager and record label: I am so sorry I let you guys down. Lastly but not at all the least, I'm also sorry to any fans that were expecting to see me on the last couple of BRICK BATH tours. I will be doing something musical again in the near future. I'm guessing the whole experience should make for some interesting story telling when I beginning writing again. Well, maybe not.

"Taking it one day at a time, Joseph McCaw"