EPISODE 050126EPISODE 050126
Clean and Sober Radio
Host Gary Hendler, cohost Mark Sigmund and guest Charles Bussey look back on their cocaine‑fuelled days in the Philadelphia music scene and share how their lives changed in sobriety. The conversation mixes humour, hard truths, health struggles and practical resources for anyone affected by addiction.
55:14•2 May 2026
From Cocaine and Quaaludes to 44 Years Clean: Gary and Charles Reunite
Episode Overview
- Addiction can touch anyone, from politicians to musicians, showing that it “has no boundaries.”
- Old using buddies can reconnect decades later and build a new relationship based on sobriety instead of drugs.
- Some people, like Charles, step away from traditional groups and still find a way to stop using, especially when they face the “losing part” of addiction.
- Mental health, suicide risk and substance use are closely linked, making hotlines and check-ins with loved ones crucial.
- Long-term recovery, like Gary’s 44 years clean, is possible and often comes with gratitude and a renewed focus on living well.
“I don’t worry about dying. I worry about living.”
Curious about how others handle their sobriety journey while laughing at some of the madness that came before it? Clean and Sober Radio’s EPISODE 050126 brings a mix of memory lane, music history, and straight-talking recovery chat that will speak to anyone affected by addiction.
Host Gary Hendler and cohost Mark Sigmund sit down with long‑time friend and fellow former user, Charles Bussey, a singer, off‑Broadway actor and music man who once shared wild, drug‑fuelled days with Gary in 1970s Philadelphia.
They swap stories of “doing nothing except blow and quaaludes together every day while the rest of the world was going by,” hanging around with legendary Philly acts like The Delfonics and Blue Magic, and living a life that felt glamorous but was quietly wrecking everything.
You’ll hear how Charles grew up in South Carolina with alcohol around but no obvious addiction in the family, moved north for music and acting, and eventually slid deeper into cocaine and staying “two or three days” awake. He talks bluntly about getting tired of “losing” and choosing to stop: “I don’t worry about dying. I worry about living.” His mother’s tough love line – “you got in by yourself, get out by yourself” – stayed with him.
The episode isn’t just nostalgia. Gary and Mark weave in current recovery news, chat about politicians using cocaine, joke about parking tickets, and repeatedly point to real help, mentioning hotlines and the link between mental health and addiction. There’s also a heartfelt moment as Gary marks 44 years clean and reflects on how lucky he is to still be here.
If you’re sober, sober‑curious, or supporting someone who’s struggling, this conversation shows how friendships, music, and a bit of humour can carry people from chaos to a calmer life. Whose past would you reconnect with if it might help keep you clean today?
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