Inside late singer Shifty Shellshock's struggle with addiction, turbulent life and multiple arrests

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Seth Binzer, also known as Shifty Shellshock, the frontman of Crazy Town and singer of 'Butterfly', died at the age of 49 after a long battle with addiction.

His cause of death has been delayed pending toxicology tests, following years of struggling with severe drug addiction and multiple stays in celebrity rehab facilities.

Shellshock's life was marked by tumultuous relationships and numerous arrests before becoming the third member of the band to die at a young age. 

Who was Shifty Shellshock?

Shellshock was born into a Rock & Roll environment on August 23rd, 1974 where his father, Rollin, a graphic artist, and his mother Leslie, a former model, as DailyMail reported.

Shellshock began indulging in his father's drug stash at a young age, learning to roll joints by the time he was five. He recounted to Rolling Stone, "'My dad was the artsy-fartsy guy who did lots of cocaine and had weed all over the house."

He developed interests in dirt biking, sported a mohawk, and skateboarded, often hanging out with older girls.

When he turned 11, the family relocated to LA, and shortly afterward his parents separated, which led him to increase his partying and venture into selling weed and more potent drugs.

At 18, he faced legal trouble for the first time when he and a friend robbed another drug dealer at gunpoint, resulting in a 90-day jail sentence.

He continued his wild lifestyle until a court-ordered stint in rehab in 1997 prompted him to clean up his act by 1998, attending AA meetings and focusing on forming Crazy Town.

Throughout the summer of 1999, ShellShock and Mazur recorded tirelessly. Reflecting on that time to Rolling Stone, he remarked, "We were out of our f***ing minds."

The rest of the band assembled and toured the US, reciting an AA prayer, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can." 

After their performances, they would drink Red Bull and engage with local groupies. 

Shifty Shellshock’s dark days with recurring battles against addiction

In 2000, Shellshock relapsed just months before they were set to perform at Ozzfest, which could have been their breakthrough moment.

After a period of heavy partying, Shellshock missed the show entirely. The band decided to leave him behind as they continued on, and he returned to Los Angeles. He ended his relationship with his girlfriend at the time, stole money from the band, and went on a destructive spree.

Reflecting on that time with Rolling Stone, he admitted, "I was just a big fireball of chaos. I was running from my emotions, just submerging myself in psychoticness. And loving it. I have to scrape my ass along that bottom before I can save myself."

This marked the beginning of a dark decade filled with recurring battles against addiction. Throughout the 2000s, Shellshock appeared on multiple reality TV rehab programs, including 'Celebrity Rehab' 1 and 2 and 'Sober House' 1 and 2.

Despite multiple attempts at recovery, he struggled with relapses and was eventually barred from participating further in the shows.

Shifty Shellshock’s life ended after tumultuous relationships and arrests

In 2002, he married Melissa Clark and had his first son, Halo. Their marriage ended in 2011, and he went on to have two more sons: Gage with Tracy and Phoenix with Jasmine Lennard, known for her involvement with Simon Cowell.

Shellshock's relationship with Lennard deteriorated in 2012 when he was arrested in Los Angeles after a public altercation. Police found cocaine in his possession during the arrest.

He publicly apologized for the embarrassment caused to his loved ones and was sentenced to three years probation after pleading no contest to the charges.

In 2013, Lennard sought full custody of their son, alleging that Shellshock had used crack in front of him and left drug paraphernalia accessible to the child.

Shellshock faced another arrest in 2022 for driving under the influence in Los Angeles.

Throughout his tumultuous journey, Shellshock found support from friends in the music industry, notably Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers, who helped him during a relapse following a difficult breakup. Shellshockcredited Kiedis with showing him that people cared about his well-being during those dark times.

Shellshock's life ended tragically as the third member of Crazy Town to die young. The bandmates had faced various struggles with substance abuse, addiction, and personal conflicts since the band's dissolution in 2003.

Internet divided over death of Shifty Shellshock at his young age

After hearing about the life story of the late Shifty Shell Shock, many have expressed their thoughts on how the singer lost his life at young age, as per DailyMail.

One questioned, "Are we supposed to feel bad for someone who takes life for granted?"

Another wrote, "So sad!!!!! He battled for so long, got the help, stayed sober, but rebounded, on repeat. RIP."

A third added, "Treat your bodies like temples folks! You have only one body, it is a miracle machine and must be treated with total respect!"

A last commented, "RIP Beautiful soul. "

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