Shifty Shellshock’s family has spoken out after the Crazy Town frontman died of an accidental drug overdose. They remembered the late singer — whose real name was Seth Binzer — in an emotional statement to The Sun on Saturday.
“To Seth, the world was art—he loved every part of it, from music and fashion to graffiti, skateboarding and his hometown of Los Angeles,” the statement began. “He loved his three boys more than anything, and his dedication to his music and fans never wavered.”
The family noted that Shellshock “struggled with addiction throughout his life, he did so on a very public platform which was particularly challenging.”
“God knows he tried so hard to beat his demons but sadly he lost his battle,” they continued. “Our hearts are shattered by his loss. Seth’s larger-than-life presence touched so many. Seth was a troubled soul but he was a beautiful one and he had a heart of gold.”
“He will live on through his 3 sons who were his proudest accomplishments. Halo Gage and Phoenix,” the statement concluded.
Shellshock passed away at his residence in Los Angeles on June 24. He was 49. Crazy Town’s manager, Howie Hubberman, confirmed that the singer died of an accidental drug overdose.
“Seth Binzer, after struggling with addiction and Crazy Town’s rapid success with ‘Butterfly,’ never was able to reach out on a more successful level to deal with his addictions,” Hubberman told PEOPLE. “We all tried, but ultimately we all failed, or Shifty would still be here.”
Shellshock’s struggles with addiction were put on display to the public when he appeared on Seasons 1 and 2 of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.” He was addicted to cocaine and stimulants when he was on the reality show. He also appeared on both seasons of the “Celebrity Rehab” follow-up show, “Sober House,” in 2009 and 2010.
The “Butterfly” singer opened up about his addiction and how it affected his career on “The Punk Rock MBA” podcast in March 2023.
“I think I was too wild to stick around for a long time,” Shellshock said. “I managed to live through a lot of crazy shit, and got to the point where I was like, ‘I’d like to live.’ “
“That’s a whole new way of live that you have to slowly teach yourself,” he added. “To do it correctly, you’ve got to do more than just want it. Everyday now is just about finding inner peace and taking care of yourself.”
