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The Lead On stage, Irish rockers Bleech 9:3 bring the intensity of Joy Division's Ian Curtis, with frontman Barry Quinlan hunching and jerking around the mic stand. Off stage, however, the band exudes a hard-earned calmness, forged through their shared journeys with addiction and recovery. With major label deals on both sides of the Atlantic, dozens of festival dates this summer, and a critically acclaimed debut EP, Bleech 9:3 is poised to become one of the most compelling rock acts to emerge from Ireland in years. From Darkness to Light Bleech 9:3 began as two separate bands: Barry and his younger brother James in one, guitarist Sam Duffy and drummer Luke O'Neill in another. Barry's personal journey with addiction began in his teens, with rehab stints starting at age 20. After multiple relapses, a profound spiritual awakening on February 22, 2019, marked his turning point. "I went into my last place – please God – and thought: how have I ended up in a place like this again?" Barry recalls. "In that questioning, it all hit me. I was so far away from myself, from everything, and I knew that was all coming for me again, like the bullet had left the gun." Sam Duffy's path to sobriety followed a similar trajectory, with multiple failed attempts before reaching out to Barry for help through Alcoholics Anonymous. "When that itch starts to tell you to have a drink again, you can never remember how much shit it caused you before," Sam admits. "Luckily, enough bad shit had happened to me, and I'd failed enough times, that the last time the itch came to me, I said to Barry: I need to do something about this or something really bad's gonna happen." Music as Therapy The band's self-titled five-song EP serves as both artistic expression and therapeutic release. With Barry's voice soaring over grungy guitars, the EP contains autofictional portraits such as the nihilist protagonist of "Jacky," and the doomed romantics on "Cannonball." On "No Surprise," he sings: "So to change your yesterdays / Call an angel in to sow your heart around your head." Barry describes this line as "a how-to. Like a book: Sort Yourself Out for Dummies. Seek some spiritual thing to take what's in your heart and plant it around your head as if it was a garden. Grow love in your mind as opposed to the barren wasteland there." The band's name "Bleech" represents a clean start, though they keep the meaning of the numbers "9:3" a mystery. Their sound, which Luke describes as "lightning and thunder, a big explosion," emerged organically from their collective experiences. "There was communal feeling that there was something different about this group – we were smiling more when we left the room," Luke notes. Spiritual Awakening Both Barry and Sam experienced profound spiritual awakenings during their recoveries. Barry's came during a visit to a Buddhist center near Cork, which had a room with a statue of Buddha on one side and Christ on the other. "I sat in the middle, not looking at anyone. And then I heard Jesus speak, as clear as day: 'Come and speak to me.' I can't ignore that; I'm not foolish enough to put that down to psychosis," Barry explains. "For me, recovery is proof that there is a God, and addiction is proof that there is a devil. You see the destruction that happens in an addict's life, to them, to their family: nothing but carnage and evil." Sam's spiritual journey took a different path, leading him to a belief in a personal God rather than traditional Catholicism. "I didn't understand Catholicism at all. I tried it, hard, but in the end I have a belief in a personal God. It is still Christian," he shares. The band's music reflects these spiritual themes, blending raw emotion with transcendent hope. Industry Recognition What began as a way to process their experiences has quickly gained industry attention. With major labels signing Bleech 9:3 on both sides of the Atlantic, the band is preparing for a significant rise in profile. "With major labels signing Bleech 9:3 on both sides of the Atlantic, dozens of festival dates this summer and a wildly impressive, impassioned five-song debut EP, the band will soon be playing much bigger rooms than this," the article notes. Their most popular song to date, "Ceiling," was inspired by another addict who was in recovery with Barry and Sam but ultimately relapsed and died. "People our age that died as a result of the illness, that's something that keeps calling to me, keeps coming up in the writing," Barry reveals. As the band continues to gain momentum, their authentic approach to music—born from genuine struggle and transformation—positions them to make a lasting impact on the rock landscape.

The Comedian's Journey from Alcohol Enthusiast to SobrietyJohn Robins, the celebrated comedian known for his enthusiastic portrayal of alcohol in his stand-up routines, has publicly revealed his diagnosis as an alcoholic in his new book 'Thirst.' Despite building a career around discussing and celebrating alcohol, Robins has come to terms with his addiction and is now sharing his story of recovery. The Oxford-educated, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning performer has transformed his personal struggle into a powerful narrative that challenges the glamorous image of drinking culture in comedy.From Childhood Encounters to Full-Blown AddictionRobins' relationship with alcohol began early in life. At just five or six years old, he noticed how champagne made adults relaxed at family celebrations and begged for a sip. By age seven, he had already shown signs of what would become a lifelong obsession: sneaking wine disguised in orange juice from the kitchen. His drinking progressed throughout childhood, with his mother buying him cans of cider at age 12 and him consuming the equivalent of 14 pints at a school party at age 14.At Oxford University, Robins studied English while collecting empty bottles like 'war trophies.' By his early 30s, he had amassed 70 empty bottles of Captain Morgan Dark Rum in his rented flat. Despite his academic achievements and professional success, his focus shifted increasingly to alcohol, with all his attention dedicated to his drinking routine rather than being present at social occasions.The Turning Point: Recognition and RecoveryRobins attempted sobriety multiple times throughout his life, including an 18-month period at age 22 when he started doing stand-up comedy without alcohol. However, each time he returned to drinking heavily. It wasn't until 2023 that he finally found the right word to describe his relationship with alcohol: alcoholic.This realization came during his podcast series 'How Do You Cope?' where he and co-host Elis James discussed how guests had gotten through life's toughest trials. The revelation that the successful comedian had never been able to cope without alcohol marked a turning point in his relationship with himself and his career.Living with Sobriety: Challenges and AcceptanceNow 43 and attending Alcoholics Anonymous, Robins has developed a toolkit to deal with his desire for drink and his past behavior. He acknowledges that alcohol made him controlling, though he takes responsibility for his actions. 'When your focus is on getting the thing you need to survive, you're going to do some unpleasant stuff to get there,' he explains.Robins has learned to exist in a world with alcohol without being triggered by reminders of his past. While some recovering alcoholics might remove all references to booze from their homes, Robins takes a different approach: 'I have to exist in a world with alcohol in it, and I can make that really difficult or I can make that as easy as it's ever going to be.'The Power of Thirst: A New ChapterRobins' new book, 'Thirst,' takes its title from the core of his relationship with alcohol throughout his life. The publisher initially wanted the subtitle 'Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life' for its marketability, but Robins insisted on the more powerful 'Thirst.' The book's cover features a shocking image of a young boy clutching a can of lager, symbolizing Robins' lifelong relationship with alcohol.Following his stand-up show 'Howl' about his addiction, 'Thirst' represents another step in Robins' journey of sharing his story. The comedian has transformed his personal struggle into a narrative that not only addresses his own recovery but also challenges the culture of alcohol consumption in the comedy industry and beyond.The Future of Recovery and Public DiscourseRobins' public acknowledgment of his alcoholism comes at a time when conversations about mental health and addiction are increasingly entering mainstream discourse. By sharing his story as a successful comedian, he brings a unique perspective to the discussion, highlighting how addiction can affect even those who appear to have it all.As Robins continues his recovery, his journey offers hope to others struggling with similar issues. His approach—acknowledging the past without being defined by it, learning to coexist with triggers, and taking responsibility for his actions—provides a roadmap for sustainable recovery. In a world that often glorifies drinking culture, Robins' story stands as a powerful counter-narrative of honesty, vulnerability, and transformation.