You Am I star Tim Rogers admits to suicide attempt

He’s the acclaimed singer-songwriter who is frontman for Australian indie rock stalwarts You Am I .

And on the eve of the release of his memoir, Detours, Tim Rogers, 47, has revealed a darker side to life on the road, admitting to a suicide attempt while on tour in North America.

Speaking to Stellar, Tim admitted that he was ‘ashamed’ at the attempt that occurred while on tour in Toronto, Canada in 1997.

‘It was a mistake, I call it out for what it was,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t a suicide attempt – it was an attention grab, and I’m really ashamed of it. It’s why I got tattoos, to cover up a whole bunch of s**t.’

Tim added that while he didn’t know what drew him to such drastic measures, he attributed the aftermath of his 2010 divorce from wife Rocio Garcia Rodriguez and a case of writer’s block as potential reasons.

‘I don’t even know why I did it. I guess I had to go through that to get here,’ he said. There was some irresponsible drug stuff after I got divorced, all that misery for a decade, but there was nothing interesting to write about.’

Cry for help: ‘It was a mistake, I call it out for what it was,’ he told Stellar. ‘It wasn’t a suicide attempt – it was an attention grab, and I’m really ashamed of it. It’s why I got tattoos, to cover up a whole bunch of s**t’

Life lesson: ‘I don’t even know why I did it. I guess I had to go through that to get here,’ he said

Speaking to The Australian recently Tim added  that he had never spoken about the attempt with his band-mates Andy Kent and Russell Hopkinson.

‘It was a cry for attention from an idiot, but I lacerated myself to such a degree that  I had to be taken to hospital,’ he said. ‘Andy and Russ’s was to handle it was to just crack open a beer and play video games.

‘I couldn’t move my left arm because it was so cut up. We didn’t actually talk about it and we never have.’

Tim who shares 16-year-old daughter Ruby with Rocio also admitted to Stellar that he was somewhat of a ‘dork dad’ checking in on Ruby daily as she lives with her mother in New York.

‘I don’t check up on her, I check in with her daily. I’m not the cool dad,’ he said. ‘When she’s 30, I’ll try for that. For now, dork dad is fine. I’m a total ponce.’

Tough topic: We [You Am i] didn’t actually talk about it and we never have,’ Tim told The Australian

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can contact Lifeline.

Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation their trained volunteers are ready to listen, provide support and referrals.