On March 22, the famous British composer sir Andrew Lloyd Webber will be 70 years, in honor of what in the UK published a book of his memoirs under the title Unmasked (“unmasked”). To purchase the publication will be March 8 at a price of £ 20.
After reading the book, the reader learns a lot of revelations about the life of sir Andrew. As reported by the composer himself, he didn’t want to write a book, didn’t want to upset anyone. Thus, the author of musicals “Cats”, “phantom of the Opera” and the rock Opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” says that he has tried three times to commit suicide. It is difficult to believe that suicidal thoughts were in the mind of the composer when he was a teenager. He was afraid that he will never be able to achieve success and become a famous composer. “I was depressed, which sometimes susceptible to creative people. It was one of those moments when everything seemed illogical,” writes Webber.
Webber stole a box of potent pain meds in the bathroom Cabinet at my parents. Bought aspirin from two different pharmacists on the 7 pounds that he had accumulated. Added to that a bottle of energy drink and ran away from home. Andrew drove the bus to the village Lavenham where a little recovered from the sad thoughts:
“I just realized that I don’t feel happy at home and don’t want to go to school. That’s all.”
The second episode happened in the 1960-ies, when Andrew was in high school. Then he was punished by the commander of the military training, after he passed one of the army tests, “this time I really drank very large dose of aspirin, but when I pumped the doctor after the overdose, then said, “What the hell did you do that? You’re scared of their parents”.
But when he became famous, life was not smooth. He had to fight alcohol dependence. Realizing that drinks too much, four years ago, he completely refused alcohol. Lloyd has lost weight, he had lost the bags under the eyes, and he equates alcohol to acid: now he can’t even touch it.
In 2010, the composer managed to cure himself of prostate cancer. But the joy of recovery soon gave way to a new challenge, Andrew began to suffer back pain: “I felt so bad that I began to agony and despair. Then back again thoughts about suicide. I couldn’t sleep at night and only thought about it. I had all the necessary pain killers, but none of them saved. I was ready to drink them all at once.”
According to sir Andrew, to take himself in hand he helped the wife. Together with Madeleine they found a good osteopath, which in three months brought him back to life. About his wife, Madeleine Gurdon, where Webber has been married for 27 years, he says: “When I met her, I feel like I have started life anew. For me opened the door to the life that I never knew before. It turned out that in addition to the Tony awards there is a whole world, and it introduced me to Madeleine.”