On Wednesday, October 21st singer-songwriter Bob Forrest will perform at Johnny D’s in Somerville, MA. Formerly the lead vocalist of LA rock bands Thelonious Monsterand The Bicycle Thief, Forrest is also known for appearing as the lead drug counselor on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
Forrest’s Survival Songs was released on October 9th via Six Degrees records, with Forrest saying “Survival Songs is my life laid bare. Presented in the rawest most intimate way possible. Songs I’ve written throughout my life. Songs of my youth. Songs about right here right now. Songs about love and death. Songs I look back and see the younger version of me and my perception of the world then. Songs about where I’m at now. Songs. Songs. Songs. In the end, my kids and my songs are all I’ve got.”
To record Survival Songs, Forrest worked with friend and Grammy-winning producer and author Ian Brennan (Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Tinariwen). The pair, along with a small crew of musicians that featured Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks, Joe Strummer) went to Big Sur to record the album on a plot of property owned by Bob’s close friend Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers).
Survival Songs coincides with the paperback release of Forrest’s memoir, Running With Monsters, which details his struggle with addiction in L.A.’s ‘80s and ‘90s indie rock scene.
During his past battles with addiction to cocaine, heroin, and alcohol, Forrest once almost killed himself onstage, and infamously mangled the “Star Spangled Banner” so badly at a Clippers game he become a minor sports celebrity. After 24 attempts at rehab, Forrest finally recovered from addiction in 1996 — eventually going from celebrity drug-runner to celebrity drug-counselor and Dr. Drew Pinsky’s right hand man. A fixture in the recovery community, Bob Forrest has appeared alongside Pinsky in Celebrity Rehab and Sober House.
Recently, Bob spoke to Marketplace about life after his comeback from homelessness and addiction. Bob Forrest was also the subject of the full-length documentary Bob and The Monster, which featured testimony from his peers including Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots), Keith Morris (Black Flag/The Circle Jerks), Steven Adler (Guns & Roses), Courtney Love, and more.
Wednesday, October 21st
Johnny D’s
17 Holland St
Somerville, MA 02144
Doors at 5:30PM // Show at 7PM