Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock promised he’d detox and get sober before he died of an accidental overdose in June.
The “Butterfly” singer — whose real name was Seth Binzer — told his longtime pal and bandmate Mike “Rebel” Raymo that he knew he needed to get clean but wanted “one night of fun” beforehand.
Sadly, Shellshock revealed he had gotten in deep with a “big time” drug dealer, who was allegedly giving him tastes of product for free.
“I will do a three to five day chemical detox and then I will go to meetings and get outpatient and I will walk the walk, do the do and make you proud,” the late rocker told Raymo in a haunting voice recording obtained by Daily Mail and published on Monday, September 16.
“But I need one night of fun, one night to clean up and one night to tell my girl I love her,” Shellshock stated in the chilling audio recorded in July 2023.
The singer passed away at a Los Angeles residence almost one year later on June 24 at 49.
Shellshock’s death was confirmed by Crazy Town’s manager, Howie Hubberman, who revealed he had overdosed on drugs.
“Seth Binzer, after struggling with addiction and Crazy Town’s rapid success with ‘Butterfly,’ never was able to reach out on a more successful level to deal with his addictions,” Hubberman told People at the time. “We all tried, but ultimately we all failed, or Shifty would still be here.”
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner has yet to release its report on Shellshock’s cause of death, citing additional testing needed to be done.
Shellshock’s addiction struggles were well documented as he appeared on Seasons 1 and 2 of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,” where he admitted to using cocaine and stimulants. The star also appeared on the follow-up show “Sober House” in 2009 and 2010.
The singer’s family released a statement after his death.
“To Seth, the world was art—he loved every part of it, from music and fashion to graffiti, skateboarding and his hometown of Los Angeles,” his loved ones told The Sun. “He loved his three boys more than anything, and his dedication to his music and fans never wavered.”
They also touched on his addiction issues.
“God knows he tried so hard to beat his demons but sadly he lost his battle,” the statement continued. “Our hearts are shattered by his loss. Seth’s larger-than-life presence touched so many. Seth was a troubled soul but he was a beautiful one and he had a heart of gold.”
The musician left behind three children from three separate women: Halo, Gage and Phoenix, whom his family called “his proudest accomplishments.”
Before his death, Shellshock dated “Punky” Brewster” star Soleil Moon Frye.
Crazy Town was formed in 1995 by Shellshock and Bret “Epic” Mazur. Their 2000 single “Butterfly” propelled them into success, peaking at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two nonconsecutive weeks.
The band’s fame was short-lived as their second album, “Darkhorse” (2002), flopped and contributed to their breakup in 2003. The pair tried to rebrand the band several times, to no avail.
Shellshock publicly addressed his substance abuse struggles, revealing his desire to live a sober life as recently as March 2023.
“I think I was too wild to stick around for a long time,” he said of his music career during an episode of “The Punk Rock MBA” podcast. “I managed to live through a lot of crazy s–t, and got to the point where I was like, ‘I’d like to live.’”
“That’s a whole new way of live that you have to slowly teach yourself,” he added. “To do it correctly, you’ve got to do more than just want it. Everyday now is just about finding inner peace and taking care of yourself.”
