The other day, a post on Chiodos frontman and solo artist Craig Owen’s website said that he had almost O.D.ed on drugs and was taken to a hospital, then a nuthouse for observation. The post was quickly taken down, but Owens has now updated his blog with the details of the event, the situation surrounding it and his plans for the future. It’s kind of tl;dr but if you’re bored here it is:

So, it’s no secret that I have recently went through one of the hardest times in my life. On Sunday, July 20th, I attempted to overdose on prescribed Xanax at my home here in Michigan. Flash ahead 12 hours later, I woke up in the emergency room surrounded by my family and best friends, with an IV in my left arm, and hooked up to machines. I felt confused, angry, selfish, and completely embarrassed. After being admitted to the hospital for a couple of days, I made my way to recovery and built up enough strength and courage with the support of my loved ones enough to make it back home.

I am okay, though. Thankfully, I had no permanent physical damage to myself from this.
This isn’t something that I went through by myself. I am, by no means, alone in this. My family and close friends have been by my side each minute since the incident and, you, my fans, have been right there with me too.

I have received an incredible amount of MySpace messages, comments, emails, instant messages, text messages and voice mails supporting me through this time in my life. So many people loved me more than I ever thought and the amount of happiness that this brings to me is more than I ever could describe.

You have all shown me a new, blinding light within myself and from that ray you seem to shine on me with every one of your beautiful comments (and I read every single one of them), not to mention your undeniable support. Thanks to you, I’ve already began to return to my “normal” self- a person that I had forgotten all about.

Why did this happen?

I have been battling with manic depression, bipolar disorder, and constant anxiety attacks for years. This disease has caused me to hide in my bedroom for weeks at a time, push away the most important people in my life, and learn to hate myself even. I have tried to remain strong through the years, fighting off urges and using the undying support of my fans, friends, family, and loved ones to turn my depression into an art- a music to share with the world.

I also have been speaking with a therapist for around a year now, maybe more. This has helped me to come in touch with who I am as a human being and why I do the things that I do. Rationalizing my imperfections and trying to wear them as if they were badges of honor is something that I had learned to pride myself off of- until this incredibly selfish and stupid act I pulled.

What’s next?

I’m looking towards the future and have been blinded by the brightness of it. After taking care of myself over the past few days, and talking through this situation with my family, friends, and managers, I am committed to creating only positive actions out of the deepest and darkest low I have found myself in with this. I will not be canceling any upcoming shows, with the exception of this Sunday’s show (7/27) in Albany, NY with P.O.D and Everclear. My solo show this Saturday (7/26), WILL STILL BE HAPPENING, and will be an emotional and therapeutic experience, to say the least. With it being in Detroit, and being able to perform softly, with spoken-words, and seeing all of the people that have been by my side though this entire thing, I hope to find a new bliss within this rut I have found myself in.

I cannot wait enough to get back out onto the road with Chiodos for our just-announced headlining tour this August to October. Being in front of all of you gives me such strength and if I hadn’t been home so much for the past few months, thinking too much and allowing darkness to overcome me, who knows if this would have even had happened.

I have a long road ahead of me, no doubt, but I feel that this experience has, oddly enough, given me new strength to take control of my situation and it has shown my loved ones (and myself) the seriousness of what I’ve been struggling with too.

I will not stop playing music, writing, or opening myself up to the people that matter most to me. All we have is one another and this entire situation is nothing but a GIANT reminder that we ALL need to stay strong and hold one another up during even the hardest of times.
I love you- Craig.

CHIODOS have just announced a co-headlining tour with Motion City Soundtrack this Fall. That’s cool, assuming homeboy can get his shit together. It’s pretty bold, actually, that Chiodos’ handlers are assuming Owens will be ready for life back on the road after his overdose and subsequent stay in a mental health facility. Cross your fingers for Craig folks.

From their publicists:

With frontman Craig Owens appearing on the latest cover of Alternative Press–for the second time in less than a year (October 2007, September 2008)–Flint, MI’s CHIODOS continue to gain momentum, almost a year after the release of their hugely successful second album BONE PALACE BALLET. Released in September 2007 on indie label Equal Vision Records, the album debuted at #5 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart. Critical praise for their compelling post-hardcore music–from outlets, including New York Times, Blender, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, Revolver, Village Voice and UK’s Kerrang! (see quotes below)–has helped bolster sales of the set to over 157,000 copies.

A mainstay on the road, with international appearances spanning clubs, arenas and major rock festivals, CHIODOS has announced their latest tour: a co-headlining fall U.S. trek with Motion City Soundtrack. Set to kick off September 22 in Louisville, KY, the band will bookend the tour with headlining shows across the continental U.S., Alaska and Mexico. Tickets for the tour go on sale to the public Friday, July 25, check www.myspace.com/chiodos for more information.

Here’s our sweet live footage of them from SXSW. More sweet Chiodos words and tour dates after the jump.

(more…)

As described in a post on his own web site that has since been deleted, Chiodos / Cinematic Sunrise frontman Craig Owens apparently almost overdosed on drugs last night, and has since checked himself in to a mental health facility:

so, after an attempted overdose early yesterday morning, i found myself awake in the emergency room around 8 - 12 hours later.

however, don’t worry about me, i’m fine. i am being checked into a mental clinic beginning tomorrow at 8 am.

i’d like to apologize to everyone at Power Chord Academy, for me not being able to make it to speak to all of the kids tomorrow in Chicago. i promise to make it up, the best that i can and hopefully will be able to reschedule the entire event.

wish me luck, and let’s hope that i learn from this, and that i am able get out very soon.

craig.

Someone needs to tell Alternative Press magazine that their covers are not Hype Williams videos. Photoshop’s cool and all when you’re trying to shoop out some fatass frontman’s double chin, or get rid of some emo kid’s zits, but next month’s cover looks like a propaganda poster for Hitler Youth. Actually I’m sure both Anthony Green and Craig Owens both possess supernaturally luminous blue eyes, just like they can TOTALLY HIT ALL THOSE HIGH NOTES LIVE!!!!

In b4 “at least they still have a magazine”