RS: That makes sense. From the first time around when you had
your club success to where you are now having club success again, how
is it different this time around?
Erin Hamilton: I'm sober. I can remember what I did and I also go
home after the performance. I'm professional and I can remember the
words. I'm ten years older and I have two children now, so it's just
a different experience for me. When I was younger, I thought I needed
to be part of the circuit scene in order to be accepted. So I would
stay at the clubs until they would kick me out along with the rest of
the boys who were staying there and getting swept out with the trash
and it wasn't pretty. It was fun and I had a really great time.
The other thing that's different is that I'm just not getting as many
gigs, which is so interesting because ten years ago they really did
want the performers. I had a gig almost every weekend lined up. Now,
it seems like it's like pulling teeth to get live performance gigs.
So the music industry has changed and luckily I'm still alive and I
feel like I'm singing better than ever.
RS: How do you think your experiences with the circuit will
affect your life as a drug and alcohol counselor?
Erin Hamilton: Oh I think greatly. I do a lot of special events for
the crystal meth organizations here in West Hollywood and I think that
people who knew me then and who might still be out there and having a
problem and seeing me now, hopefully they might be inspired to quit.
If they want to come and talk to me, I'm at a meeting as often as I
can be. I'm of service as much as I can be and I don't want anyone to
have to go through what I went through. What I went through,
definitely made me the person I am today but it could have killed me.
I believe that there's a reason why I'm supposed to be here and one of
those reasons is to hopefully help other people if they want it.
RS: Yes, because the drug use and abuse on the circuit scene is a
major problem hazard and has been for years. What are some ways, we
could work together to make the circuit scene safer everyone?
Erin Hamilton: Well I know years ago, they would make announcements
that if anyone was caught doing GHB or this or that, that they would
be kicked out, but I would still see ambulances pulling up outside
the events. It was a party and it's like people aren't listening. It
would be great to have a sober circuit event and that might be hard to
sell out, but if you got some great performers like Kristine W and
Rihanna and a great DJ where you just wanted to go see the show,
people would like the crap at home. The big events have to take a
risk on something l in order to do something like that and I know that
that's asking a lot. A lot of the people want to come because that's
their party time but it's also important to maybe try and show them
that they can have a good time without it. There's going to be a
great night ahead of them and no one's going to die.
