Bez Reflects on Decades of Partying, Claims Cocaine Was Easier to Quit Than Sugar

Bez, the iconic dancer and percussionist for the Happy Mondays, has revealed he has given up cocaine and sugar after decades of what he describes as "out of control" partying. The 62-year-old musician has adopted a significantly different lifestyle in recent years, now residing in a cottage in Herefordshire with his wife, personal trainer Firouzeh Razavi.

Bez explained in an interview with The Guardian that he decided to quit both sugar and cocaine shortly after last Christmas, replacing these habits with intermittent fasting. He found the transition surprising, stating, "It was harder to give up sugar. The coke was quite easy because I only done it as a social thing." Despite these changes, Bez still enjoys tequila and social gatherings, hosting friends at his outdoor bar.

He expressed no regrets about his past behavior, viewing it as representative of a particular time and social group rather than a personal failing. "It wasn't me just on my own – it was a whole section of society at the time," he said. "It was just normal behaviour among me and my friends."

Despite insisting he never had "any addictions," Bez acknowledged being "out of control" during his teenage years. By the age of 16, he experienced homelessness in Salford following conflicts with his police officer father and time in young offender institutions. He has since apologized to his mother for the impact of his behavior.

Bez joined Happy Mondays after befriending frontman Shaun Ryder on Manchester's party scene. His transition into the band's performer involved being persuaded, while under the influence of LSD, to join them on stage with maracas, a moment that became a defining part of his career. His 1998 autobiography, "Freaky Dancin'," details numerous instances of his past behavior, including an incident at Manchester's The Haçienda nightclub in 1986 where he fell off stage, applied liquid LSD to a head wound, and returned to perform.

In more recent years, Bez has gained a new audience through reality television appearances. He won Celebrity Big Brother in 2005 and later participated in a ten-hour bender at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester in 2024. His spokesperson at the time attributed his energy to a "simple and healthy lifestyle," which includes starting the day with a cold-pressed juice made from homegrown vegetables and taking long walks.

Bez frequently shares videos on his Instagram account, offering gardening tips and clips from his appearances on "Celebrity Gogglebox" with Shaun Ryder, where their candid commentary has made them a fan favorite.