A Heavy Conversation With Papa Roach's Dave Buckner - Beardo&Weirdo Ep. 82

Dave Buckner, original drummer of Papa Roach and the man behind the billion-stream hit "Last Resort," reveals how cocaine addiction nearly ended his life during the height of the band's success — and how reaching his 50th birthday and 10 years of sobriety became the milestone he never expected to celebrate. Beardo and Weirdo hosts Craig Gass and Chris Kael sit down with their longtime friend for a raw conversation about fame, self-destruction, and the recovery path that brought him back from the edge,

Buckner details the exact trajectory of his addiction, from being known as "the sober guy" in Papa Roach's early days to trying his first line of cocaine on a crew bus in Europe in 2002, well after the band had already exploded worldwide. The conversation covers how drug use escalated from casual experimentation to daily consumption of multiple eight balls, how even his own drug dealer expressed concern for his well-being, and why the rock and roll lifestyle created an environment where nobody had incentive to intervene.

The former Papa Roach drummer entered his first rehab in 2007 after calling bandmate Jacoby Shaddix for help, but alcohol continued to pull him back through years of relapses. Buckner describes the specific courtroom video of a drunk driver who killed his own two-year-old son — the moment that triggered what he calls his spiritual awakening and permanently removed the desire to drink. His last drink came on June 15, 2016, after checking into his third and final outpatient program.

Buckner's story of surviving nu-metal fame and cocaine addiction while rebuilding relationships with his parents, his wife Stacey, and his son stands as a testament to long-term recovery work through 12-step programs and the people who refuse to give up on someone still struggling.