Prologue
Sex. Drugs. Money. Although the music industry was forever growing and expanding, even in the 1990's, these three elements were part of a superstar's way of life, the driving forces. If they were caught without only one of these forces, then they were tossed aside. They came in the package the stars were presented with when they were just starting out. Very few entered the business and came out as the same person they were to begin with, no matter how many times they swore black-and-blue that fame and fortune hadn't changed them. It changed everyone, whether they liked it or not. It's an addiction that, once they had it, was near impossible to shake. Those who survived without being chewed up and spat out were still left scarred.
The business could be rewarding, whether it came in the form of trophies, trinkets or simply the satisfaction of knowing that you were idolised and even lusted after by hundreds of thousands of peopple. While the industry was fickle, the fans were the people who would always stick with you - they would praise your achievements and forgive your mistakes. And there were those who genuinely loved the industry and everything it entailed. It was important that you made the most of whatever time you had in the spotlight, because eventually you would be replaced with a newer, shinier model of superstar - the '15 Minutes of Fame' syndrome.
But I digress. Throughout the course of my tale, I will be presenting to you the various breeds of superstar. In particular, there was one man who did what very few could dream of doing; entered the industry clean, became stained but then exited purified. He gained the respect and adoration of many people - myself included. During my time with him, we not only discovered a lot about each-other, but about the world and ourselves. They were some of the most important life lessons we would learn.
Part 1