Jimmy Barnes Speaks On Addictions On Last Night's 'Q&A': 'I Was Born An Alcoholic'

Jimmy Barnes has opened up on his addictions on last night's Q&A after it was revealed he almost took his own life in 2012. 

Appearing on the ABC panel, the Aussie rock legend fielded a question from friend and actor Sam Neill about seeking help and touched on his new memoir, Working Class Man.

"If anybody hasn't read the first book [Working Class Boy], I grew up in a very abusive sort of family with lots of violence and domestic violence and alcoholism and promiscuity," Barnes said.

"It was a pretty horrible childhood. I wrote about it not to bitch and complain about what I'd been through but as I was trying to deal with it. That sort of life and being surrounded in that sort of family had a profound effect on me.

"The second book I've written is basically the impact that those conditions had on me as an adult."

Can we expect another whiteknuckling ride for @JimmyBarnes memoir volume 2? #QandA pic.twitter.com/I1HH3DN3mb

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) October 16, 2017

The 61-year-old continued, "I was born an alcoholic. My father was an alcoholic. My grandfather. His father. It's been handed down from child to child.

"When you grow up surrounded with violence and abuse, it affects you for your whole life. One of the reasons I wanted to talk about all this stuff was there's a lot of kids and people who are living in the same sort of violence and poverty as I was as a child and that affected me, and I had everything.

"I'm a rock'n'roll singer, travelling the world, flying first class and had everything at my feet and it still nearly destroyed me and everybody I came in contact with."

Barnes went onto explain how the death of fellow rockstar Michael Hutchence impacted his life and how it highlighted the need to seek help. 

"I remember sitting with Michael back when we were recording Good Times, and by that stage in 1987, I was drinking like copious amounts and taking drugs and remember thinking, 'I'm staring into the abyss here and I don't know what to do'.

"I never spoke to anybody about it and Michael was probably standing in the same abyss, and part of this culture we talk about is men don't like to talk or ask for help."

How did you recognise crossing the line of self destruction? @JimmyBarnes Anne Aly & Tim Fischer respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/otfgJjV7WY

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) October 16, 2017

Barnes wrapped up the night's proceedings by performing Working Class Man; check it out below. 

He will be heading out on a national tour next year in support of the memoir; click on theGuide for a look at all of the dates.

Jimmy Barnes performs “Working Class Man” - perhaps his most famous song & the title of his new book #QandA pic.twitter.com/ZsIVN5nwXm

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) October 16, 2017