Cameron Heacock , known for his time as the vocalist and co-founder of American Head Charge , revealed that he is homeless and struggling with fentanyl addiction.
The musician recently appeared in an episode of the YouTube channel Soft White Underbelly , an interview series hosted by Mark Laita that documents stories of people affected by social vulnerability and health crises.
In the video, Heacock appears in very different circumstances from his time fronting the band. He stated that he has been living without stable housing in Los Angeles for "five or six years," a period marked by his struggle with addiction. According to the singer himself, this situation distanced him from family and friends. "I lost track of time. I know some people were trying to find me," he said [via NME ].
Despite the difficulties, Heacock emphasized that he maintains the desire to return to producing music, describing the creative process as an important part of his life. “It sucks, because I love music, I love making music, I love the whole process, I love touring, I love all of that… I still have so much music in my heart. I dedicate myself completely to the records when I record them. I have at least two or three albums in my head that I want to release. I mean, I just want to do it for myself. It’s like my therapy,” he shared.
Mobilization to offer help to vocalist Cameron Heacock
Subsequently, the appearance generated a reaction from fans, who used social media to try to re-establish contact and offer help. Messages from old friends and followers of the band multiplied, with many expressing concern and remembering the singer's impact on the nu metal scene.
Currently, among those who have mobilized is Holiday Kirk , editor of the Nu Metal Agenda , who announced plans to organize a benefit concert. The proposal is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The War of Art (2000), the second album by American Head Charge, with all proceeds going towards the vocalist's recovery. On the website, Holiday Kirk wrote: “He is desperately thin, frail and tormented. His black jacket looks like a body bag. His voice, an inspiring instrument during AHC's glory years, has been reduced to a whisper.”
American Head Charge gained prominence after releasing The War of Art in 2000 on American Recordings , Rick Rubin . The band toured with Rammstein, Slipknot , and System of a Down , and featured Shawn "Clown" Crahan of Slipknot on the single "Just So You Know." However, since the beginning of their career, the group has faced significant losses: in 2005, guitarist Bryan Ottoson died from a drug overdose, and in 2017 bassist Chad Hanks passed away due to illness.
READ ALSO: Wikimetal Recommends: Korn's show in Brazil with Spiritbox and Seven Hours After Violet