DJ Fat Tony has spent over four decades at the centre of British nightlife. He has DJed for Madonna, Prince and Elton John. He has played Glastonbury, Ibiza, and everywhere in between. He is one of the most recognisable figures in the global party scene. And for nearly three decades, he was also dying.

By the time he reached his breaking point, he had almost no teeth left, weighed barely seven stone, and believed it was over. In 2007, he went into rehab. Today he is 19 years clean and sober. But this episode is not about that story. It is about what came after.

Tony does not arrive with a polished redemption arc. He arrives with the version most people never tell — the rock bottom that happened six years into sobriety, when the substances were gone but the behaviour was not. Sex addiction. Drama. Ego. Homelessness again. The slow, humiliating realisation that getting clean is only the beginning.

We go back to the beginning too. A Battersea council estate. A family soaked in addiction. A child who learned by age three that being ill got him attention, and built an entire survival strategy around chaos and crisis long before he ever touched a drink or a drug. Tony traces the through-line from that child to the man who, years into recovery, was still running the same patterns — performing in meetings, manipulating sponsors, using recovery itself as the newest addiction.

What unfolds is a masterclass in the difference between sobriety and recovery. Tony breaks down powerlessness and what it actually means once you are no longer using it as an excuse. He talks about the 12 steps with the authority of someone who has both lived them and failed them. He is forensic about amends — why early apologies in recovery are almost always self-serving, why his own father told him to come back when he actually knew what he was apologising for, and why the only amends that count are the ones you live rather than speak.

He also talks about sponsorship with a level of honesty that is rare. Picking sponsors to manipulate. Sponsoring people he was attracted to. The moment he finally got a sponsor who would not let him perform his way through the steps — and how that person changed everything.

Tony’s new book, Recover Me, is the book he had to write after his memoir I Don’t Take Requests told the world a version of the story he had not yet been fully honest about. He talks about recording the audiobook and hearing himself read things he had previously suppressed. The shame versus embarrassment distinction that freed him. The moment he realised the more honest he became, the more free he felt.

This conversation ends not in darkness but in something quieter and more powerful than just being drug free. Tony talks about the pinch-me moments that only become visible when chaos is no longer the baseline. From looking at his dog asleep in the morning to DJing to twenty thousand people and knowing the real success is simply waking up and being glad to be alive.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Sponsor -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Support the pod https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

4:10 A rock bottom moment

7:00 Sex addiction

8:30 Attention was my first drug!

11:00 Addicted do drama?!

13:30 Was Tony born an addict?

16:50 Breaking the stigma

20:30 Helping others

23:45 Are war stories important?

26:45 Is Tony powerless?

32:30 Changing meetings

34:15 Anonymous?!

35:50 Recovery and self validation

37:45 Shop around for recovery

40:50 Tony gets really honest

43:50 Guilt vs shame

45:45 Making amends

51:15 Sponsorship

54:15 The 90/10 rule

55:45 Pinch moments & recovery

58:10 Turn anxiety into drive!

Follow Tony

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dj_fattony_

Tony's new book -

https://geni.us/Recover_Me”

Follow Oliver

https://linktr.ee/olivermason

Links

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Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

Are triggers and cravings real, or have we misunderstood what’s actually happening in addiction and recovery?

In this next thought, I revisit a brilliant conversation with Pax as we challenge one of the most commonly used ideas in recovery: that external triggers cause relapse. For many people early in sobriety, it feels obvious. Certain places, people, stress, even cities become labelled as “the problem”. But what if that’s not what’s really going on?

This conversation explores a more uncomfortable idea — that the trigger may not be external at all, but internal. Not the environment, but the interpretation. Not the situation, but the reaction. And if that’s true, it completely changes how we think about relapse, responsibility, and control.

We also go into cravings — what they actually are, when they’re neurological and physical in early recovery, and how they’re often mislabelled later on. At a certain point, is it still accurate to call it a craving, or is something else happening underneath it: obsession, emotional overload, or unresolved internal conflict?

This is a conversation that challenges a lot of common language used in addiction recovery, and asks a simple but uncomfortable question: are we naming the problem correctly — or using the wrong language for what’s actually happening inside us?

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

YouTube - https://bit.ly/42vXUPf

Spotify - https://bit.ly/4aBsmJU

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Pax

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paxhalai

Follow Oliver

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Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

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#SobrietyStories

#HopeInDarkness

#AddictionRecovery

Sean Willers was homeless as a teenager, served in Afghanistan, became an international DJ playing some of the biggest clubs in the world, and then woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of how he got there. That moment didn’t just end a night out, it ended an entire identity. In this episode of School of Rock Bottom, we explore what happens when success and self-destruction start to overlap, and the point where you’re forced to choose between continuing the cycle or rebuilding everything from scratch.

Sean’s life moves through homelessness, early alcohol use, military service, the fitness industry, and a high-flying DJ career that gradually became dominated by cocaine and alcohol. What begins as escapism turns into dependency, shaped further by a nightlife culture where excess is normalised and boundaries slowly disappear.

He breaks down the pivotal night in 2021 when a set in Nottingham, intended to mark a reset, spiralled into blackout, hospitalisation, and police involvement. That moment became the final breaking point with the music industry and the start of sobriety.

From there, the conversation moves beyond the headline of addiction and into the mechanics of recovery itself. Sean challenges the usefulness of labels, questions whether traditional frameworks like AA work for everyone, and argues that long-term change is built less on willpower and more on structure, identity, and discipline.

They also explore the often overlooked reality of early recovery: the substitution of one compulsion for another, the role of dopamine-driven behaviours, and the slow process of building stability without relying on extremes for regulation.

At its core, this is a conversation about control. Not just stopping drugs and alcohol, but learning how to build a life that no longer requires them.

Sean is now a high-performance life and wellness coach, working with people who look like they’ve got it all together on the outside but know something isn’t right underneath, helping them get in shape, quit drinking, and take back control. He has worked with over 500 clients across 15 countries.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

2:45 A rock bottom moment

6:00 Homeless at 15

8:15 Why Sean isn't a victim

11:00 The gym helps Sean as a teenager

12:40 Joining the army to straighten out

15:30 Was trauma the reason addictions increased?

17:00 DJ'ing and drugs

20:15 Why alcohol and cocaine had to go together

21:30 Why Cocaethylene is dangerous

23:45 Addicted to the coke persona

25:00 Coke leads to heavy porn use

30:00 Cross addiction

32:00 How Sean got clean and sober

35:45 Many paths to the top of them mountain

42:00 Willpower is for weak men!

44:00 Does moderation work?

46:30 Playing the tape forward!

49:45 Why Sean isn't perfect or doing it one day at a time

52:45 Remove yourself from your triggers

Follow Sean

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sean_willerscoaching

Follow Oliver

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Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

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Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

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#AddictionRecovery

#SobrietyJourney

#Sober

Anorexia isn’t just about food, weight, or body image. In this next thought clip, I revisit a conversation with Sophie Anderson about the deeper reality behind eating disorders, trauma, control, anxiety, family dynamics, and the hidden emotional pain that so often sits underneath them.

My guest speaks with remarkable honesty about living with anorexia, the dopamine cycle of restriction, the terror around food, and the complicated comfort the illness can create. This is a conversation about survival, coping mechanisms, and what recovery really asks of someone when the illness has become part of how they navigate the world.

We also explore the connection between anorexia and addiction, why eating disorders are often misunderstood, and how social media can influence vulnerability without being the full explanation. There’s a powerful discussion around emotional neglect, safety, codependency, hospitalisation, and the way trauma can quietly shape behaviour long before anyone notices the symptoms. Rather than reducing anorexia to vanity or “control issues”, this episode looks at the complexity behind the condition and why simplistic narratives can stop people from truly understanding it.

If you or someone you love has struggled with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, addiction, anxiety, or mental health challenges, this conversation offers insight, compassion, and a perspective rarely heard in mainstream discussions around eating disorders.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

YouTube - https://bit.ly/4jbvZdo

Spotify - https://bit.ly/4air4TL

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Sophie received support from:

Eating Matters (Norwich), Cruise Bereavement (National) & The Bridge (Bristol).

Oliver is an ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Sophie

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sophiee.anderson

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#AnorexiaRecovery

#MentalHealthAwareness

#EatingDisordersHelp

If you can imagine a life built around music, parties, friendship and a sense of total freedom, you start to understand the world Dan Charles lived in for over a decade. But that world came to a sudden stop in Ibiza in 2018 when a life-threatening medical emergency left him in a coma after a series of critical complications. What followed was not only survival, but a complete rebuilding of identity, purpose and direction.

This is the first time Dan has ever shared his story publicly and his first ever appearance on a podcast.

Today, I speak with Dan Charles, a Manchester-born, London-based creative whose life on the surface looked like an extended celebration of youth culture, nightlife and connection. Beneath that, however, was escalating drug use, denial about addiction, and a pattern of increasingly risky behaviour that would eventually culminate in a near-fatal incident by a swimming pool in Ibiza.

Dan describes the moment he was found unresponsive, the severity of his condition, and the chain of events and people that ultimately saved his life.

What makes this conversation compelling is not just what happened in Ibiza, but the honesty about what led up to it. Dan reflects on a 10-year period of recreational drug use that escalated within the context of club culture and electronic music scenes in Manchester and beyond. He challenges the conventional framing of addiction, explaining that although he never used substances daily, he still experienced repeated negative consequences and patterns of loss of control in specific environments.

The discussion moves beyond the incident itself into the psychological aftermath. Dan speaks candidly about survivor’s guilt, particularly in relation to his family, who received a call while on holiday informing them that he might not survive the night. He also reflects on the complexity of regret, acknowledging deep remorse for the impact on his family while also recognising the formative role those experiences played in shaping who he is today.

A central theme of the conversation is identity reconstruction. Dan explains how early recovery was not initially a conscious decision, but something imposed by circumstance and family intervention. Over time, however, that shifted into a voluntary and internalised commitment to sobriety, driven by changes in lifestyle, physical health, and mental wellbeing practices.

He discusses how structured routines around sleep, exercise, nutrition, sauna, cold exposure, meditation and mindfulness replaced the chaotic rhythm of his previous life, alongside a growing sense of emotional stability and self-awareness.

This is ultimately a story about consequence, survival and the redefinition of identity after a life that could have ended very differently. It raises difficult but important questions about addiction, pleasure, denial, responsibility and whether lasting change comes from punishment or perspective.

Through his platform Second Chance Dan, he speaks openly about his journey — the real challenges, the choices, and what it takes to start over. Dan is drug and alcohol free nearly 8 years!

SPONSOR

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

SUPPORT THE POD

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

2:00 A rock bottom moment

8:00 Raving and hard drugs

9:40 Is there always trauma?

13:00 Drug use escalates in clubs

16:40 Is Dan an addict?

19:40 Other rock bottoms

24:40 Coming out of the coma

25:40 Dealing with guilt & shame

28:10 No regrets?!

29:40 Dan can't forgive himself

33:55 Recovery felt non negotiable

36:40 Dan's hospital records

38:00 Resisting urges and cravings

40:40 Moving energy into wellness

43:40 Spirituality & gratitude

Follow Dan

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secondchance.dan

Follow Oliver

https://linktr.ee/olivermason

YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/3b5c4wy2

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#AddictionRecovery

#SobrietyJourney

#SecondChance

What does sobriety actually mean once the alcohol is gone? In this next thought, I revisit a moment with Sober Dave for a discussion about addiction, identity, dopamine and emotional sobriety. Dave opens up about drinking from the age of 14, reaching 21 stone, hating the person staring back at him in the mirror, and the moment he realised quitting alcohol was only the beginning. If you’ve ever struggled with addiction, obsessive thinking, workaholism, online shopping, ADHD traits or the feeling of constantly chasing something to feel okay, this conversation will hit hard.

Dave speaks openly about the emotional side of recovery, the idea of being a “dry drunk”, and why many people replace alcohol with other compulsive behaviours without even realising it. We talk about dopamine addiction, ADHD, self-worth, identity after alcohol, and why getting sober can feel like stepping out of prison into a life you no longer recognise.

This episode also explores the hidden side of recovery that people rarely discuss publicly. From compulsive online shopping and addiction transfer to work addiction and validation seeking, we explain how the “ism” of alcoholism can quietly appear in other parts of life long after the drinking stops.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3VSPOw9

Spotify - https://bit.ly/402S5Hs

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver & Dave are ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Sober Dave

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soberdave

Website - https://www.soberdave.co.uk

Podcast - Search "One For The Road" on all platforms

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#AddictionRecovery

#Sobriety

#MentalHealth

If you think you enjoy drinking too much to ever stop, this episode will challenge you. Today I'm joined by Hattie Underwood from Sober Happy Free to talk addiction, sobriety, cocaine use, ADHD, anxiety, and what really happens when drinking stops working. From secretly drinking on Christmas morning with a newborn baby to nearly five years sober, this is a raw, honest look at alcohol addiction recovery and how change actually happens.

Hattie shares the moment everything shifted - a quiet realisation there was nowhere left to hide. What follows is a story many people will recognise but rarely say out loud. The routines, the denial, the belief that things are still “under control” while everything underneath says otherwise.

This episode breaks down the role of Dry January, relapse, and why temporary sobriety often isn’t enough without a deeper shift. There’s a clear distinction here between stopping and actually letting go — and why that difference matters if you’re stuck in the cycle.

We also go deeper into the psychology behind addiction. ADHD, dopamine, anxiety, eating disorders — the patterns that existed long before alcohol, and why substances can feel like the solution before they become the problem.

Recovery isn’t presented as perfect or instant. It’s practical. Community, 12-step fellowship, structure, honesty — and learning how to live without constantly needing to escape your own mind.

If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol, or even just curious whether things could feel different, this conversation gives you something real to work with.

More about Hattie -

Hattie is the face behind Sober Happy Free - a fast growing social media platform on Instagram and TikTok that’s built a community of more than 38,000 people in just 18 months.

Using her own experience of addiction, Hattie shares honestly about what helped her get sober - and, just as importantly, what’s helped her stay sober - with the aim of helping others who might be struggling.

She’s a passionate advocate for removing the stigma around addiction and believes real change is possible and is 5 years sober.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

3:00 A rock bottom moment

6:15 Dry January turns into 4 months

10:00 Returning to drinking and cocaine

12:00 The benefits of Dry January

14:30 Did Hattie really relapse?

17:00 OCD before addiction

18:30 Bulimia

20:20 Undiagnosed ADHD

22:30 Alcohol and messaging boys

24:00 Using sex for self esteem

25:45 Cocaine addiction

34:45 Drug addiction escalates

38:15 Addiction stronger than love for children?

44:15 Rock bottoms, orgasms and a cure for addiction?

51:00 How Hattie stays sober

56:00 Suggestions for those stubborn to change

Follow Hattie

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soberhappyfree

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

Please subscribe, follow, like, leave a review and comment!

YouTube -

Spotify -

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#AddictionRecovery

#SobrietyJourney

#AlcoholFree

Many people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction dream of one day being able to drink or use normally again — to have one or two, enjoy it, and stop there. But what if that fantasy is part of the trap?

In this next quick thought, Oliver Mason explores relapse thinking, cravings, sobriety, moderation myths, and why many problem drinkers do not truly want one or two drinks at all. They want the feeling that comes after.

This episode looks at why social drinkers experience alcohol differently, why chasing “normal” can keep people stuck, and the uncomfortable truth that can help set people free.

Listen or watch THE FULL EPISODE

Spotify - https://bit.ly/3RmMvu8

YouTube - https://bit.ly/3NuVwzU

Apple - https://apple.co/3PajZvQ

About the “THOUGHT” series -

Every other Monday at 5 PM, I’ll bring you a quick ‘thought’—a powerful moment from previous episodes designed to kickstart your week with insight, motivation, and connection. These shorter clips help us stay connected as a community, while every other Tuesday delivers a full, brand-new episode with fresh stories and lessons.

Oliver is an ambassadors for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Podcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1

Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Follow Oliver

Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjv

Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59r

TikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9

LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7

Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeah

X - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds

#AddictionRecovery

#Sobriety

#MentalHealth