Exclusive: Ryan Adams: ‘I Felt Like They Were Asking Me to Die’

Article here. Excerpt:

'Self-doubt is a frequent companion these days for the once widely acclaimed recording artist and seven-time Grammy nominee. At 46, Adams’s life and career are shattered, and much of the vibrant circle of trusted friends and musicians he knew is gone. In most cases, they left without a word. Their exit abruptly followed an article published February 13, 2019, in the New York Times under the headline: “Ryan Adams Dangled Success. Women Say They Paid a Price.” The newspaper alleged a pattern of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse, of obsessive and retaliatory behavior with several female artists, including one fast-rising discovery, Phoebe Bridgers.

In the article, Adams’s ex-wife, actress-singer Mandy Moore, accused him of emotional cruelty and sabotaging her music career. And, most damaging, the Times said Adams traded sexually explicit messages online with an underage girl.

Adams responded immediately via Twitter: “The picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate. Some of its details are misrepresented; some are exaggerated; some are outright false.” He also acknowledged “many mistakes” in his life and apologized to “anyone I have ever hurt.”

But the damage was done, and it was severe. Adams’s record deal with Blue Note/Capitol quickly ended, along with release plans for a trilogy of albums he had just announced for the coming year. An upcoming tour of the UK was cancelled. A few months later, his new manager very publicly split from Adams by leaking his frustrated private messages: “I want my career back…I’m not interested in this healing crap.”'