A book can be a powerful thing. Just ask Max Green, bassist and founding member of Escape the Fate, whose new self-titled album came out on Interscope last week. Green, who has been very open to the public about his struggles with drug addiction, found solace and help in Nikki Sixx’s recent memoir The Heroin Diaries, which details the Motley Crue bassist’s ongoing issue with heroin. Here Green discuss how he discovered this book, why it’s helped him and how he believes it can aid others.
Describe this book in one sentence.
Comforting.
How did you first come across this book?
I was dating this girl and she was into reading a lot. She bought a book for me called The Dirt by Motley Crue. I read that book and it was a really good book. In the back of the book it said Nikki Sixx was coming out with a book called The Heroin Diaries about his struggle with addiction and things like that. It goes deeper into his life than The Dirt did. So I was really interested in reading that book because at the time I was struggling with an addition myself. I read the back of the book and read some reviews about it and had to get it. He holds nothing back. All the nitty gritty is there. The worst of the worst and the best of the best. The goal is to let people know they’re not alone and not to let it happen to them and if it has happened to them he can relate.
How long ago did you first read it?
I probably read it two years ago.
How many times have you read it?
I’ve read it twice. Once during my first struggle [with addiction] and once during my second.
Have you passed it on to anyone else?
I have. That’s how much of an impact this book made in my life. I’ve recommended it to kids at our shows. I put my whole life out there for the whole world to know— to know when I’m doing well, to know when I’m winning my battle against drugs and addiction. If kids ask, I tell the truth. When they ask, “Hey how did you do this?” I recommend this book to them.
What is it about the book that is specifically helpful?
When you’re in that zone and you need help, you feel like no one understands you and no one can relate to you. But reading that book it’s crazy because he lets himself be a human being. He shows the world that he’s a human being. A lot of the stuff he did in that book when his life was spinning out of control were a lot of the same things I was doing in my life. I thought, “No one understands, I’m just a terrible person.” But no, I’m not. This guy is someone I idolize who has influenced me as a visionary in his band. That’s me. I’m started my band and everything in my band is my vision. I look up to Nikki Sixx for all that stuff and to know I went down the same path he did and I did a lot of the same things he did brought comfort to me and made me feel like I’m not alone.
Is there a specific emotion you associate with the book?
I’m not sure what emotion this would be but it gave me chills. Almost every chapter gave me chills once or twice.
Do you keep a diary of your struggles the way Nikki Sixx did?
Actually after that book it inspired me to keep a journal. I try to do it on a daily basis. I don’t go any longer than a week without writing in it. This book is a real life changer. For someone like me anyway. I know there’s other people out there like me too.
Who should read this book?
Really the book is more than just for people struggling with addiction. It’s also really just a good story as well. It has such tremendous highs and lows. It really takes you to another place. The book is for anyone struggling with a problem or something like that, but it’s really just a crazy book that any normal person can like. And when I say normal person I mean any random person on the street. I could probably recommend this book to any person and they’d go tell their friends about it after they read it. It’s really interesting.
Is this the type of book you usually read?
Yeah. I’m not a big reader. For me to read a book I need something that will keep your attention. I need something that’s a page-turner. I recommend Dave Navarro’s Don’t Try This At Home. That’s a great read. The Dirt by Motley Crue is a great book to read. I need a book where shit’s going down and I want to keep reading.
Has it influenced your music?
I’ve never really thought about it, but I would say yeah. It makes you feel strong at the end of the day. It gives you chills. It motivated me to get out there. Not just sit around, but take action. I remember reading that book when we were in Australia and I was kicking a lot of withdrawals. I’d go and read that book and then I’d put on an amazing show because it gave me power in a weird way. I’d go out and I’d do the best that I could.
