An excerpt from a recent Fan Community exclusive Q&A with Gene Bowen from Road Recovery, an incredible organization that is dedicated to helping young people battle addiction and other adversities by harnessing the influence of entertainment industry professionals who have confronted similar crises and now wish to share their experience, knowledge, and resources.
John Taylor has been very involved with Road Recovery, and is active in supporting their cause.
Tell us the genesis of www.roadrecovery.org. What was the inspiration?
After getting sober in 1992, I went back out on the road in 1994 as the tour manager for Jeff Buckley, and with the tremendous support of friends, family, and the industry community, I was able to stay clean in his professional life for the first time ever. Touring the globe, I was open about my story with colleagues, and this allowed me to connect with many who had confronted their own demons. After a two-year stint, I returned home with a different perspective about his industry, and those who inhabit it.
Since I was a kid, bicycle riding was always a passion…so I got back on my bike… for exercise, for pleasure, but also to think… to reflect on what I had learned… and for inspiration… how could I connect these two worlds, recovery and music, in a way that could benefit both… and it was on the road on my bike that I began to forge the idea for www.roadrecovery.org.
I envisioned a way for my fellow entertainment industry professionals to share both their personal life struggles as well as their triumphs with at-risk teens, through the dynamic process of creating, planning and executing their own live concert events – to harness the empowering experience of live music performance as a path away from self-destruction, and towards a healthy, happy future, while at the same time connecting these young adults with medical and treatment providers in the community.
How did you come in to contact with John Taylor?
I’ve known Duran Duran’s manager – Wendy Laister for many years. Once Wendy discovered Road Recovery, she made John aware of our work…the rest is history…John and Wendy understood intuitively our mission and quickly rolled up their sleeves...they got involved!
What was your impression of him the first time you worked together?
John is a very humble person who fully understands himself as a result of his personal life experiences. He is a person who wants to see others succeed in finding happiness in their own lives and in any way he can...John is willing to show up and roll up his sleeves toward that end!
To learn more about Road Recovery, please visit http://www.roadrecovery.org or visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/roadrecovery
