James Kottak, the drummer for the Scorpions, has released a lengthy statement about his arrest and prison term in Dubai.
Kottak was arrested on April 3 at the airport in Dubai after reportedly swearing at other people, yelling about “uneducated muslims”, flipping his middle finger and, eventually, pulling down his pants to moon the growing crowd.
Kottak admits to being drunk and some disorderly conduct but not fully to the original allegations. He received a $544 fine for drinking without a license and one month in jail. Here, he clarifies his stance on the events and talks about seeking rehab for his drinking:
After years of drinking alcohol, on April 3rd, 2014 my addiction finally caught up with me,” states Scorpions drummer James Kottak. “During a 5-hour flight from Ekaterinburg, Russia to Bahrain via Dubai, during which I consumed 5 or 6 glasses of wine. While at the airport in Dubai I approached an airline representative to check on status of my flight. The representative informed me that I was in the wrong place and I replied ‘WTF?!.’ The representative then called the police and reported that I was intoxicated (which I was) and that I made a lewd jester.”
One of the police officers recognized me as drummer of ‘The Scorpions’. When the police asked me to show my ID., I showed them the ‘Rock & Roll Forever’ tattoo on my back, instead of my actual ID, which was in my back pack my friend was carrying for me. Apparently, the police did not find this funny and I was charged with ‘Drinking Without a License’, for which I pleaded guilty and received a one-month sentence and a 2,000 Dirham (300 USD) fine. I was also charged with insulting Islam/Muslims by making a lewd jester for which I pleaded not guilty and did not actually do.
Upon returning to the United States on May 6th, I immediately reached out to Bob Forrest, an addiction specialist known for his work with musicians and Celebrity Rehab. I have been meeting with Bob on a regular basis. He has guided me to the MusiCares Organization, which provides musicians with help for mental health and addiction issues.
I am determined to come to grips with my alcoholism and am doing everything on a daily basis to beat this relentless disease. This entire incident caused me to realize that it is time to stop drinking once and for all so that I can become the father, musician, and friend that I know I can be.
I am glad to put this unfortunate incident behind me and move onward and upward with my life. I would like to send out a HUGE thank-you to my family, friends and fans around the world for their incredible loving support… you kick ass! I would also like to send a sincere apology from the bottom of my heart to everyone I have affected and look forward to seeing you all!!
With love, James Kottak – Tomorrow is a brand new day!
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