Being Vulnerable IS Metal

In the newest clip from the Beardo and Weirdo podcast, comedian Craig Gass and Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael get heavy about being vulnerable and owning up to mistakes made.Kael recollects the time he came back from a wedding to discover a letter from his girlfriend, informing him she had left the relationship and removing all her belongings from the home.The story ties into some issues Kael is still working to resolve as he opens up about receiving nude photos from other women in his DMs and the temptations of fantasy.”As a recovering addict, as you start to do the work and you realize that drugs and alcohol were the symptoms of deeper stuff… I got rid of the drugs and alcohol a while ago, you find that as an addict as a musician, as an entertainer you find yourself still looking for ways to fill that hole,” the bassist tells Gass.”Hungry, angry, lonely, tired — when I’m in any of those four conditions, I’m in danger of slipping somehow,” Kael continues, noting the grind of being on tour can exacerbate these emotions.”I’m finding that I’m having issues. I don’t know that I’m SLA (sex, love addition)… but the fantasy part… the wanting to have outside affirmations still even this long into recovery, even this long into the work, there’s times when you don’t really feel that good,” he candidly assesses.READ MORE: What 25 Rockers Have Said About Getting Sober or Quitting Drinking”Back in the day, I would’ve ran with that. I would’ve been cheating left and right, doing every other thing that comes with active addiction,” he says of receiving nude photos.Turning back to coming home from a wedding to find his girlfriend had emptied the house within a roughly 36-hour timeframe, Kael doesn’t blame anyone but himself.”Kudos to her. That is fuckin’ sweet,” he says of his ex’s move to leave. “If I wasn’t in love with her beforehand… woo, boss bitch shit like that? That is good! I am down with that vindictive fucking ‘fuck you’ kind of shit. That rules.”Cheers to Kael for opening up in such a big way, owning up to his past and continuously working to better himself and his relationships with others.Watch the entire clip from the Beardo and Weirdo podcast below and go deeper into the conversation in the full podcast episode.About the Beardo and Weirdo PodcastThe Beardo and Weirdo podcast stars comedian and big time rock and metal fans Craig Gass and Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael. Together, they share a lot of laughs as well as personal stories that hit on serious topics such as addiction and recovery.New episodes every Thursday.Where to Follow & Subscribe to the Beardo and Weirdo PodcastFollow the Podcast:Follow Craig Gass:Follow Chris Kael:10 Best Rock Ballads of the 2000sRock ballads moved away from the power ballad structure, but still found listeners in droves in the 2000s.Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire